Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) heritage month: An interview with Diem-Thuy Le, Software Engineer, CAE

Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) month, held every May, is a time to celebrate and honor the contributions Asian Americans and Pacific Islander Americans have made to our nation’s history, society, and culture.

In celebration of AAPI month, CAE’s team was privileged to speak with Diem-Thuy Le, a Software Engineer based in Texas.?Born in Lexington, Kentucky in 1994 to two Vietnam War Refugees, Thuy shares with us her journey as a first-generation Vietnamese American woman, her inspirations, her role models, and her advice for young professionals.

CAE: Tell us about yourself and how AAPI month resonates with you and your family.

Diem-Thuy Le: I am a first-generation Vietnamese American woman.?I was born in Lexington, Kentucky to two Vietnam war refugees in 1994. We moved to Texas in my early childhood,?following my paternal grandparents. We spent a lot of time with my dad’s side of the family doing weekly extended family dinners and outings. Needless to say, family plays a huge influence in my life. I learned a lot of life lessons growing up alongside my cousins and had a lot of role models in my aunts and uncles.

CAE: What does AAPI heritage month mean to you?

Diem-Thuy Le: Visibility. Growing up, I had my role models within my family, but I never had too many Asian role models within the community and media. I think it’s very important for minorities to have a highly visible role model because their culture and values are very different.?

CAE: What are some meaningful cultural traditions for you?

Diem-Thuy Le: Respecting your ancestors comes to mind immediately. I am currently preparing for a Vietnamese wedding ceremony, which entails gathering your?family and friends around you to witness the union of yourself and your partner. We must wear appropriate traditional attire and perform a ceremonial service for the ancestors that came before us. It’s a very beautiful and spiritual ceremony that holds great significance to me.

CAE: What brings you joy about your heritage and culture?

Diem-Thuy Le: Almost every Asian American at one point struggled with the differences between Asian culture and American culture. Now, those differences and being able to share them with those around me feels really special.?

CAE: What are some hobbies that you enjoy??

Diem-Thuy Le: I love learning and trying new things – food and cooking, video games, different types of crafts, music, woodworking – anything tactile really. I have a wheel of hobbies that I spin when I finish a task. Right now, I’m big into vintage sewing machine renovation and creating Victorian-structured garments.

CAE: Tell us about your education and career trajectory.

Diem-Thuy Le: I graduated from the University of Texas at Dallas in 2016 with a bachelors in neuroscience?and then again in 2018 with a master's in biomedical engineering with a focus on medical device regulation and process management. During college, I took a lot of art courses and psychology courses as my electives. I was only a few credits short with a minor in both! During my master’s program, I worked in a microdevices and nanotechnology lab doing research on diatoms and their ability to remove heavy metals in large bodies of water and blood. I learned recently that an article I wrote during that time was newly published. After I graduated, I moved to a quality assurance role with Toyota, testing the infotainment systems within the vehicle across multiple model years and even participated in the testing and development of some of the newer vehicles. After a few years of QA and heavy UI/UX judgement of the newer platforms, I moved over to CAE, where I am today.

CAE: Who is a role model that has influenced you the most?

Diem-Thuy Le: I look up to my dad a lot as a role model. The things he has survived and the stories surrounding his life after fleeing Vietnam are inspiring.

CAE: What about a professional mentor?

Diem-Thuy Le: Brian Mills, Software Engineer, CAE, has?been a mentor since my Toyota days. He was a big part of my moving to CAE from Toyota, to begin with. I really appreciate all that these two men have done for me.

CAE: Do you have any advice for young AAPI professionals starting in the workforce?

Diem-Thuy Le: Not for only AAPI but all professionals, find good mentors early! It will make your professional life so much easier. Also, make close work friends.?????????????????????????????

Lastly, we asked Thuy how her heritage has shaped who she is. She stated, “It’s taught me compassion for a world that doesn’t always deserve it, it has taught me patience for those who refuse to learn, and it has taught me to speak up for what is right.”

We sincerely thank Thuy for sharing her journey as a first-generation Vietnamese American woman and for being an inspiration for women pursuing careers in STEM.

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