Shreya Sathyanarayanan

Project Description: Women are underrepresented minorities in computing and tech fields and their experiences are often not heard. Coursework alone is not sufficient in preparing women for tech careers in industry and academia and there is a gap in the number of women becoming leaders in tech. Leadership is a skill that can be taught to students and one of the most effective ways to become a leader is to learn from leaders who have been in their shoes. The idea for my leadership project started when I led the 2023 Grace Hopper Reflection Dinner event as the Chair of Women in Computing (WiC) @ UW. During our discussion, many women voiced the need for more career preparation opportunities to learn about different areas within computing. Students expressed the need for increased awareness among the CSE department about the experiences and achievements of women in computing. Our discussion sparked my idea for spearheading the Allen School Women in Computing Careers Speaker Series, which has the goal of providing students with a reflective space in a small-group setting to meet and learn from women experts in computing and discuss the impact of recent innovations in CSE. The series features both women faculty in computing and tech industry professionals in the Seattle Area. The speaker series are held over lunch or dinner, allowing students to ask questions and spark group dialogue.