7 years later: Returning to the Magic of Grace Hopper Celebration

In 2012, I attended the Grace Hopper Conference (GHC) in India for the very first time. As a second-year Electronics and Communication Engineering student, I was lucky to have won a student scholarship.

Little did I know that the conference would completely transform my career aspirations! 

Over the four days of the conference, I was left in awe of the highly successful women delivering the keynotes and sessions. I had always imagined people like that, but it was surreal to see them in the flesh. Throughout the conference, I distinctly remember wandering off to the Intel booth to watch demonstrations of the latest CPU and graphics solutions. Working at Intel had always been my dream, but I felt intimidated to even start a conversation with the women at the booth.  

All I knew was that the courses I enjoyed most always related to computer architecture and nothing could give me more joy than building computers. But as a youngster with no direct connections to the industry, it was hard to figure out a way to turn my dreams into reality. GHC 2012 was an eye-opening experience for me. It was also the first time I ever stayed at a five-star hotel, first tech-goodie bag I received (featuring my beloved google pillow and Intel bag), and the first time I decided that regardless of how much of an outsider I was, I would find a way to break into the tech industry.  

If you are attending GHC but are feeling nervous or anxious about your career opportunities, I hope my journey can encourage you to keep hope.

In the 7 years that have passed since my first GHC, I’ve had the opportunity to work not only at Intel but also at Arm, the company that builds most of the architecture that lies in the palm of our hands. I am proud to represent Arm at the GHC in Florida this year, as a committee member on the Systems track. I have thoroughly enjoyed reviewing submissions of excellent technologists in the wider industry, working on complex problems and I can't wait to meet them in real life. I also have the pleasure of chairing three sessions at the conference.

"Always do your best. What you plant now, you will harvest later"

I would like to spend time at the conference to help young women who are like the old me; hardware enthusiasts who need a helping hand to get through the door. If this sounds like you, please feel free to fill in the contact form to arrange a meeting at the conference. I am happy to offer help with general questions like facing interviews, writing killer CVs, and remaining your authentic self while climbing the corporate ladder. I look forward to motivating younger women to kick-start their careers and to become early ambassadors for helping other women in tech as well. While on this journey, I learned that getting through the industry door is one hurdle but moving forward and surviving is another. I am looking forward to hearing from everyone who works on inclusion and empowerment activities within organisations to share some ideas and perspectives. 

# Come visit Arm at Booth Number 330. You can find out what is it like to work for Arm and meet some of my amazing colleagues who would love to talk with you all.

 Can’t wait to see you all soon in Orlando!