1. Introduce yourself, who are you what do you do? Hiya! My name is Gwen Diagram, I'm Engineering Manager for Quality at Monzo Bank which is a super rad neobank. Monzo has only been around for a bit over 4 years but we've got three million customers already so it's a very fast paced, exciting place to work. I've been in tech for ten years, I started in IT Support and moved over to testing in 2011. I really love the role of tester, it's based on helping teams build quality software faster. I love working with teams and I'm currently managing and coaching five other testers which I love! 2. How did you arrive at this career (or point in your life/work)? Was it always something you knew you wanted to do? Funnily, no one ever plans to become a tester - and neither did I! I did want to be a programmer though - when I was 12, my dream was to become a programmer so I could sit in a dark room drinking coca cola, eating pizza by myself. It's pretty rare you'll find a job like that now though, software development is about team work, not building isolated programs in the dark! When I was 15, I went on a course to learn VB6 but I didn't get into IT until I was 23. I worked a lot of odd jobs - I started a career in hairdressing but it wasn't for me, it's not artistic enough. I also sold shoes, worked at Subway for 5 years, worked in a call centre and a few other bits and pieces. I was luckily enough to be given a chance in IT Support and I've never looked back! 3. What about your job makes you jump out of bed in the morning, especially on those cold, dark mornings? My job is very different every day but it boils down to building a quality experience for customers in fantastic teams. The joy of releasing software and seeing people use what you worked on always brings a smile to my face! I love building strong bonds within teams through shared learning as well. Pairing with someone to work on a problem and solving it as a team is the best feeling ever. 4. What is your personal cure for stress or how do you raise your spirits in times of doubt? Can you share a Story? Great question! If I'm stuck on a problem, I'll always go for a walk to mull it over. One of the best problems I ever had was I worked in a development team of me, two Developers and two Product Owners. We were building a website and I had a split role, I was Scrum Master and Tester on the team. The Product Owners were getting hammered really hard to build websites and deliver them as quickly as possible; we generally had two to three days to build a smallish website and get it live. Myself and my developers were having to work weekends and all kinds of hours to meet the demands and every time we finished a website, we'd have another, complex site that we had to build immediately. After several rounds of this, I was tired, my developers were tired and we were basically having a terrible time. After the delivery of another website, the Product Owner called me up and asked for us to work on the weekend - again after we had already worked the last two. I told them under no circumstances we would but we needed a plan for how we could deliver this website. Walking home, I figured out that I needed to get everything clearly displayed on a board and estimated so I could tell them how long it would take us to deliver it - without working excessive hours. Sounds simple (I basically implemented Scrum) but when you are right in it, it's hard to think! Go for a walk and clear your head, it does wonders for being able to see clearly. 5. Who is your role model? If no one, any thoughts on this? Oh my god, there's so many! Lisa Crispin and Janet Gregory who wrote Agile Testing together are amazing. They always bring other people along with them and promote other people that they see doing good work. Linda Rising is another favourite, she's a consultant who is one of the best speakers I've ever seen. Renee Hunt as well who was my old Director at Sky. I hadn't worked closely with women in a long time and it was amazing to have such an inspirational woman in a leadership role to guide and mentor me. Tech has a lot of men to look up to as well who are incredible like Woody Zuill, Noah Sussman and Ard Kramer. There's far too many amazing people in tech to name all my role models. Each of the people mentioned has shaped my way of thinking. 6. What advice would you give to yourself if you could go back in time? Know your worth and don't be scared to ask for it! 7. Top 3 tips for girls starting out in STEM? Be yourself. You're awesome! Go to as many meet ups as possible and find the community, whether it's a Slack community or online. Don't be scared of going to listen to topics you don't know anything about, that's how you learn. The advice that I gave myself - know your worth. Find out what you should be getting paid via sites like Glassdoor and ask for it! 8. How do you measure your success? How much fun I'm having and how much fun the people around me are having is a good way for me to measure success. Seeing the software that I'm working on in the wild is a great success marker as well. 9. Where can we find out more about your work? There's a few talks on YouTube you can have a look at. My favourite is probably the keynote I did for Agile on the Beach last year which is about Potions for Leadership in an Organisation - https://youtube.com/watch?v=Qi7xFx1A4yE Apart from that, you can catch me on Twitter or at a meet up near you! 10. Are you social? Will you share your Twitter handle, or LinkedIn profile, or Facebook so that young women can connect with you? Yes, you can find me on twitter @gwendiagram My DMs are open so if you need any advice, don't be afraid to give me a shout!

1. Introduce yourself, who are you what do you do? I consider myself a Jill of all trades, so I tend to lead with a quick intro: I’m a product-owning, design-thinking, code-writing, people person. Even quicker? I’m a Product Owner and Software Developer. As for my career, I spent nearly a decade coding for various companies, freelance projects, agencies, etc. before dabbling in the Design Thinking framework as a full-time position. That eventually led me to a technical product owner role, which leverages all of these skills on top of my people-oriented personality. On a personal level, I am a high-energy, extroverted, deeply-curious person that fell in love with tech at a young age. I was hooked on the concept of the internet from the first days that I had access (I can hear those AOL dialup sounds from here) and I continue to believe it is the societal glue of our present day and future. When I’m not fixated on some device, I’m burning excess energy playing various sports, boating with my husband, razzing my dog, eating lots of ice cream, gaming, or finding new places to hang in my local city with pals. 2. How did you arrive at this career (or point in your life/work)? Was it always something you knew you wanted to do? I knew I had to do something with computers and the internet, but the “what” took me a while to find. My mom was an art teacher and school principal, so I had this innate interest in creative outlets, but was also very good at math. As a result, I had the wonderful luck of having a high school math teacher that put me on the path towards programming. She suggested that I try the only class that was offered and I did -- I was hooked! Programming brought together the creativity of assembling the UI with the logic of setting patterns and rules behind the functionality. From that point on, I knew I wanted to continue to build software and I did just that. 3. What about your job makes you jump out of bed in the morning, especially on those cold, dark mornings? Knowing that I am a member of a few teams full of talented individuals that want to create software and products that ultimately help our users. I get a buzz when I see unified teams and feel as though anything can be accomplished together. 4. What is your personal cure for stress or how do you raise your spirits in times of doubt? Can you share a Story? I tend to fixate on things and my passion can get the best of me, so I do my best to redirect my energy to other areas that I can positively impact. An example is how I started to teach people how to code at a point in my career when I wasn’t satisfied with my job. So anytime you’re hitting walls or feel like you’re in a dead end, try to redirect yourself towards something that lets you run or channel your passions in new ways. I’m always amazed by the new connections and outcomes that are formed in those side endeavors. 5. Who is your role model? If no one, any thoughts on this? My mom and I have a lot of differences, but I ultimately look up to her energy and devotion to helping other people in this world. Aside from her, my role models vary throughout the years and align to the themes in my curated Twitter following list. I generally adore any individual that is analyzing status quo and saying, “We can do better than this.” I believe in better and anyone that is pushing the needle is after my own heart. Oh, I also have a ton of Rosie the Riveter garb, decorations, posters, etc. Pretty sure she counts! 6. What advice would you give to yourself if you could go back in time? Stop trying to assimilate. I’ll never know the true impact, but I do believe I spent too much time trying to blend in as “one of the guys” early in my tech career. Yes, I was raised with four brothers and I tend to fit right in, but I put aside a lot of my social/networking skills to fit the mold of a “get things done” developer. I see, now, how many tech companies struggle with the lack of communication and networking skills amongst developers so I kick myself for not embracing my natural gravitation towards people. 7. Top 3 tips for girls starting out in STEM? Embrace and apply your unique experience and individuality. Tech is so often built in homogeneous spaces and we desperately need more representation and diversity in the mix to cover more vantage points. Find a mentor you trust and/or ask tons of questions! The internet has a ton of information on it and you can burn that curiosity in a number of ways. Just keep asking and digging! Build up that strong sense of curiosity. It’s okay to say, “I don’t know.” Too often we’re put under the impression that we need to be perfect or know everything. Impossible! Instead, stay humble and acknowledge when you don’t know something, but offer that you can try to figure it out. A good attitude and honest input goes a long way. 8. How do you measure your success? Success is being able to juggle or balance all my passion points ranging from my career to my home life. I have a ton of interests and subsequently take on a lot of side projects, but I’m most happy when they’re all moving forward or gaining traction that positively impacts people. 9. Where can we find out more about your work? My work is either proprietary, protected by NDA, or behind a login, but I might someday revamp my former Stack Dog Solutions home with more writing and shared stories: http://stack-dog.com/ I am currently ramping up a chapter of We Pivot in Rochester and you can learn more about the cause at: https://wepivot.org/ 10. Are you social? Will you share your Twitter handle, or LinkedIn profile, or Facebook so that young women can connect with you? EXTREMELY social :) You’ve been warned! Twitter - @KR1573N LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristenseversky/

1. Introduce yourself, who are you what do you do? I’m Laurie Barth. I’m a software engineer who does a lot of technical blogging, speaking and teaching. I work as a consultant at Ten Mile Square Technologies and have a background in math. 2. How did you arrive at this career (or point in your life/work)? Was it always something you knew you wanted to do? Nope! I studied mathematics and government in college. I wanted to be a lawyer. During my college career I interned at the Center for Opinion Research, a polling center on my college campus. One summer my boss there made me agree to take Computer Science 101. I was resistant, but she was insistent. I loved the course, and added it as a minor. I ended up getting my masters in Computer Science while I worked for the federal government and eventually ended up being a software developer full time. 3. What about your job makes you jump out of bed in the morning, especially on those cold, dark mornings? I love getting to learn new things and share them with others. I love that what I do helps people. There is so much about my job to enjoy, but truly it’s the community. I work with wonderful people at Ten Mile Square and I’ve befriended even more people outside of that role. They encourage me, and help me find value in the every day. 4. What is your personal cure for stress or how do you raise your spirits in times of doubt? Can you share a Story? If I’m super stressed, I need a nap. Truly, it’s that simple. It took me a long time to realize this, but the best way to give my brain a reset, is to turn it off. The problem is recognizing this need when I’m so focused on that stress. The best tool I have for that is to listen to those around me. Coworkers, friends, family, surrounding yourself with honest and compassionate people is incredibly valuable. 5. Who is your role model? If no one, any thoughts on this? A lot of people. I really admire the work of Sarah Drasner, who creates so many tools that help developers be more efficient and effective. I admire Kent C Dodds who has made a career out of educating others. I admire Angie Jones who is incredibly accomplished and constantly helping to elevate others. The list truly is never-ending. 6. What advice would you give to yourself if you could go back in time? I always joke that I wouldn’t. If I did, I might change my trajectory, and I’m so happy with where I am at the moment. I guess the only thing I might tell myself is that the HTML and CSS I play around with, the short computer class assignments, etc are all code! For a long time I didn’t think any of that counted, and that real computer science was beyond my grasp. It wasn’t. 7. Top 3 tips for girls starting out in STEM? the best thing you can do for yourself is learn how you learn best carve your own path, you can be successful in any different number of ways build relationships and communities, there is nothing more valuable to your career 8. How do you measure your success? Success to me is having the flexibility to make the choices I want to. If I’m in a position to do that, I’ve been successful. 9. Where can we find out more about your work? laurieontech.dev is my personal site 10. Are you social? Will you share your Twitter handle, or LinkedIn profile, or Facebook so that young women can connect with you? @laurieontech on twitter

1. Introduce yourself, who are you what do you do? I’m Niamh, and I currently work as a Mobile Engineer at Monzo, helping to build the iOS and Android apps. 2. How did you arrive at this career (or point in your life/work)? Was it always something you knew you wanted to do? I was never even considering programming as a career until I didn't quite get the grades I wanted to do Physics at Birmingham, and Computer Science was an option! I’ve been really fortunate to learn both Android and iOS development since then, which has really helped bolster my career path. Up until Monzo, I mostly worked at agencies, so building apps for external companies, which was great for getting a range of experiences. 3. What about your job makes you jump out of bed in the morning, especially on those cold, dark mornings? Honestly, the flexibility and being able to work remote really makes morning very rarely tough! Aside from that though, being able to have an input on a product that millions of people use every day is really rewarding, and the cross between creative and technical skills is really fun. 4. What is your personal cure for stress or how do you raise your spirits in times of doubt? Can you share a Story? For me if I’m feeling particularly stressed, I’ll take the dog for a walk to clear my head. Monzo also offer mental health days if it’s all getting a bit much, and I took a whole month off earlier this year to go skiing, which really helped me to reset. 5. Who is your role model? If no one, any thoughts on this? I’ve got a few, but a particular one right now is probably Meri Wiilliams, who’s the CTO of Monzo. Her resilience and openness about her disabilities is really inspiring, and also being such a well known figure in the community is a great source of inspiration. 6. What advice would you give to yourself if you could go back in time? Probably to not worry so much. I used to be terrified of any kind of failure, and really that’s the only way you learn and grow. Also to know that I’d eventually crack how to code, even though it might take a bit of time it’ll be worth it in the end. 7. Top 3 tips for girls starting out in STEM? Stick with it, and push yourself. STEM is an area where you are constantly learning, and it means you have a career where you’re never bored. Get involved in the community - gaining connections outside of your company can really bolster your network, and really helps when you’re looking for jobs. Don’t worry if you fail at something - everyone has points where they might not excel at a certain area - take it as an opportunity to learn and gain new skills. 8. How do you measure your success? I measure it in a variety of ways. Obviously at work, I have goals and a manager that helps me reach these goals, and we have a progression framework so I always know where I stand. Outside of work, I’ve been becoming more involved in community events, and being able to share my knowledge and get people started with coding is really rewarding for me. 9. Where can we find out more about your work? You can find some of my work on GitHub here https://github.com/niamh-power , and community wise I try to share any talks that I’ve done on my website here https://www.niamhpower.co.uk/ I’ve also got a blog here https://medium.com/@niamhpower , and I’m a Google Developer Expert in Firebase https://google-developers.appspot.com/community/experts/directory/profile/profile-niamh_power 10. Are you social? Will you share your Twitter handle, or LinkedIn profile, or Facebook so that young women can connect with you? Twitter: https://twitter.com/niamh__power LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/niamhpower93/

Nasreen Peer is a researcher, lecturer and a small-business owner. Clearly a woman who wears many hats. Peer currently lectures at Stellenbosch University, where she also carries out her research. Her work focuses on the biological and ecological study of coastal habitats, specifically the mangrove and rocky shore ecosystems. A few years ago, Peer realised the importance of listening to one’s emotions or ‘gut feeling’, “ethics is becoming more important to me as I grow as a researcher. I also realised that I don’t want to be an academic. Academics represent something unattainable and most people don’t relate to you.” She wishes to bridge the gap between the general public and scientists which is part of the reason she started her company. The company, Argonaut Science (a citizen science, capacity development and consulting company), is one that Peer cofounded with her partner and husband Dr Nelson Miranda. Peer has recently started to include a social aspect in an attempt to incorporate indigenous knowledge into her investigations after having spent some time in Mozambique; “I realised that there are huge sources of indigenous knowledge in our countries and we need to learn to incorporate these into our fields in an accurate and respectful way.” Peer also realised that including local communities was necessary, “our conservation initiatives are never going to succeed unless we started working with communities, developing what they’ve already built instead of shutting them out with fences.” Peer is very passionate about her job, “I love being a scientist, asking questions, looking for answers but the idea that southern Africa has something new and different to offer the world in terms of research and conservation is what excites me most these days.” In fact, despite certain hurdles, she has a positive outlook on STEM in Africa, “While there has been (and still is) an overwhelming amount of parachute research on our continent, there are so many incredible scientists taking charge of research in their own countries now. African researchers are becoming more and more internationally-recognised for their contributions to science.” Peer’s experience as a female in the STEM field has largely been positive, but she understands that it might not the same for other females and she hopes to make a difference, “I love the fact that I can dedicate my career to creating the same safe space I had for other females (and leading others to do the same, of course).” She has learnt that life is all about balance, “work hard but give yourself a break in between, push for your career but not at the cost of your mental health. Surround yourself with supportive people… who will be honest with you and who are not afraid to disagree with you. These people help you to grow and keep you humble.” Peer is really strict about maintaining work-life balance, “I leave everything work-related in the office… go home to my family, cook a great meal, exercise and unwind… [work related] thoughts cross your mind at night but it’s easy enough to jot down ideas. I find myself refreshed in the morning excited to get to work and start my day.” Read more about our Geeky Girl, Nasreen Peer, in a multifaceted interview below about a multifaceted woman and her dynamic contribution to the STEM world. 1. Describe what your work entails. I am currently a lecturer and researcher at Stellenbosch University. My work entails the biological and ecological study of coastal habitats, more specifically mangrove and rocky shore ecosystems. More recently I have started to include a social aspect trying to incorporate indigenous knowledge into our investigations. I have also co-founded Argonaut Science (a citizen science, capacity development and consulting company) with my partner and husband Dr Nelson Miranda. 2. Describe your STEM journey. I have always had excellent mentors, supervisors and role models. I learnt very early on to develop a thick skin, to push emotion aside and to always focus on the job. A few years ago I started to realise the importance of actually listening to your emotions or ‘gut feeling’ sometimes. I’m learning that it’s all about a balance and that we can’t put everything aside for the sake of the job. Ethics is becoming more important to me as I grow as a researcher. I also realised that I don’t want to be an academic. Academics represent something unattainable and most people don’t relate to you. I wanted to help bridge that gap between the general public and scientists which is partly why we started our company. 3. What excites you about your job? What motivates you to get out of bed every morning? I love being a scientist, asking questions, looking for answers but the idea that southern Africa has something new and different to offer the world in terms of research and conservation is what excites me most these days. 4. How would you describe your experience as a woman in the STEM space? My experience has been positive. There is a large focus on developing females in STEM careers these days and I am excited to be part of that. I know this is not the same for all females in STEM and I love the fact that I can dedicate my career to creating the same safe space I had for other females (and leading others to do the same, of course). 5. What advice would you give to young women aspiring to enter the STEM field? It’s all about balance. Work hard but give yourself a break in between, push for your career but not at the cost of your mental health. Surround yourself with supportive people, I don’t mean cheerleaders, I mean people who will be honest with you and who are not afraid to disagree with you. These people help you to grow and keep you humble. Don’t be afraid to ask for help! 6. As a STEM woman in Africa, how do you foresee the growth and progress of STEM on the continent? Is Africa a “land of opportunity”? I’m extremely excited about science in Africa. While there has been (and still is) an overwhelming amount of parachute research on our continent, there are so many incredible scientists taking charge of research in their own countries now. African researchers are becoming more and more internationally-recognised for their contributions to science. 7. Have there been any milestone moments or eureka moments in your career? Spending some time in Mozambique changed everything for me. I realised that there are huge sources of indigenous knowledge in our countries and we need to learn to incorporate these into our fields in an accurate and respectful way. I also realised that our conservation initiatives are never going to succeed unless we started working with communities, developing what they’ve already built instead of shutting them out with fences. 8. How do you maintain a work-life balance? Strict work hours! The job is exciting and sometimes you really want to take work home but I’ve learnt the hard way that a balance is important. At 5 pm, I leave everything work-related in the office (unless we’re in the field then work hours don’t necessarily apply), go home to my family, cook a great meal, exercise and unwind. Sure thoughts cross your mind at night but it’s easy enough to jot down ideas. I find myself refreshed in the morning excited to get to work and start my day. 9. Who is your role model? Who inspires you? I don’t have one single role model. The people I look up to are researchers who are nice people aside from being good at what they do. These are people who treat EVERYONE with respect. I also really admire scientists who are outspoken and willing to engage about difficult topics, people who can graciously accept criticism and be diplomatic about their disagreements. These are the qualities I work towards. 10. Where can more information or insight into your work be found? You can follow my research on ResearchGate ( Nasreen Peer ), Instagram ( @naszoea ) or Twitter ( @nasreenpeer ). You can also find out more about our general work activities on the Argonaut Science Facebook and Instagram pages ( @argonautscience ). Nasreen Peer interviewed by Dhruti Dheda Dhruti Dheda is a Chemical Engineer with a strong interest in media and communication. She is the editor of the Engineers without Borders South Africa Newsletter and the Community Manager – South Africa and Regional Outreach for Geeky Girl Reality. If you wish to collaborate or network, contact her at dhruti@geekyreality.com or find her on twitter @dhrutidd

1. Introduce yourself, who are you what do you do? My name is Claudia Segovia Salcedo, I am an Ecuadorian biologist working at Conservation and Evolution of Andean Forests. I am an associate professor at the Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas ESPE and a national coordinator of the Ecuadorian Network of Women in Science.  My research is focused on Evolution and Conservation of the Andean Genus Polylepis, one of the most threatened forests in the world. 2. How did you arrive at this career (or point in your life/work)? Was it always something you knew you wanted to do? I've always had a strong interest in science, at the beginning as a way to understand my surroundings, later trying new things and developing new knowledge. Later on, I got interested specifically in Plant biology and the opportunity to learn more about it. Science, also,  gave me the opportunity to travel and meet different people from other countries. Opening my mind to other perspectives not only scientifically but culturally. In addition, I had the opportunity to get involved in Women in Science during my graduate studies and now we have founded an Ecuadorian Network of Women in Science to support and visibilize some of the challenges of women in science in Latinamerica. 3. What about your job makes you jump out of bed in the morning, especially on those cold, dark mornings? I’m really motivated by learning about Andean Ecosystems and their conservation. I fell in love two decades ago with the Polylepis Forests, an amazing ecosystem of twisted trunks with exfoliating bark, an enchanted forest with great and unique biodiversity.  Their conservation and management have been my passion. I have shared that knowledge with students, academics, policy and decision makers. It’s easy to be passionate about something new, trying new experiments, and making scientific discoveries about plants. I love to teach, and inspire conversation with my students. I have found that students can teach me, too, about different cultures, abilities, and perspectives.  On the other hand, motivate girls and young women to pursue a science career is a great motivation for me, because I am convinced that you can’t be what you can’t see. At the same time, supporting other women in science and try to influence and create a better work environment is another of my passions. 4. What is your personal cure for stress or how do you raise your spirits in times of doubt? Can you share a Story? For me,  nature is the best healer. I tried to plan a field trip to the Andean Forests or the Amazon when I need a cure for stress.  A nature walk definitely decreased my stress and at the same time lets me focus on my research questions.   Another strategy is to look for friends, talk to them to see different perspectives. During my PhD, I learned that you can’t solve everything,  collaboration and openness to new ideas is important. Try always to be optimistic. about the future and about your skills. 5. Who is your role model? If no one, any thoughts on this? I know I couldn’t have gotten to where I am today without the help of mentors from my undergraduate and graduate studies. I have been lucky to have a great role model, Dr. Pam Soltis. One of the best evolutionary botanist, but first of all a great human being.  She has helped me exploring career options, setting goals, developing contacts, and identifying resources in my natal country and internationally. She has always been there to guide me and support me.   It is really important to identify  a mentor to guide us and support us during our career 6. What advice would you give to yourself if you could go back in time? Belief in yourself, many limits are created by ourselves. Don’t give up on yourself, you are stronger than you think. Start building your career for the beginning 7. Top 3 tips for girls starting out in STEM? Start building your career from the beginning of college Don’t compare your career with other friends. You path is unique and only yours. Try to identify a line of research that is receiving little attention. Explore different areas and how they can work together. 8. How do you measure your success? For me,  success in academia is not only defined by the number of scientific papers, number of citations, H index and awards. It is more than that, success is focused on the impact of your work in your community. Where your students are, how they are doing in their careers, how many of your students have been inspired to follow a career in science, how your research is answering problems of your community, how you communicate your science to the public. How your research has influenced policy and decision making.  As scientists, we have a responsibility with society to contribute and generate data for a better quality of life. Having a good education is a privilege but also a responsability. 9. Where can we find out more about your work? I don't have a personal web page but some of my work you can find at https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Maria_Segovia-Salcedo 10. Are you social? Will you share your Twitter handle, or LinkedIn profile, or Facebook so that young women can connect with you? Information about my activism related to women in science  in Ecuador and our network, can be found at FACEBOOK @REDCIENTIFICASEC Twitter @CientificasEC , my personal twitter @mariacsegovia