Empowering Women in Tech Economics

The Economics Department at USF just sent four outstanding graduate students to the Grace Hopper Celebration (GHC) in Orlando, Florida. For those unfamiliar, the GHC is an annual event aimed at creating a more inclusive future for women in the tech industry. With a focus on empowerment, and through a combination of technical sessions, career fairs, and awards ceremonies, this event delivers on its promise. Boasting more than 400 speakers presenting to over 30,000 attendees, the GHC is a can’t-miss event for women starting careers in tech. This year four MS Applied Economics graduate students were able to attend with support from the department: Yang Zhang, Nathalie Nyanga, Pooja Bhadra, and Lucie Schulz.?

Yang is a second-year graduate student in the MS Applied Economics program. She decided to attend USF because of the amazing opportunities it had to offer (attending the Grace Hopper Celebration, for instance) and its location in the heart of San Francisco. Her time at this year’s event was well spent. She got the chance to network with other brilliant women in tech and participate in fun activities pertaining to her many interests. Yang made the most of her experience but recommends thorough planning for a successful trip. Strategically plan your time, give up the impossible and prioritize the highest possibilities. There isn’t enough time in the world to see everything the GHC has to offer, so check out the agenda and make sure you’ve got a plan ahead of time.

Another one of our graduate students, Nathalie, got the chance to attend this year’s event. Originally, she moved to the United States from Zambia, but currently calls Gaithersburg, Maryland her home. Nathalie has a deep interest in the tech industry, so for her, the MS Applied Economics program was a natural progression. Her goal is to pursue her Ph.D. in economics and remain in the heart of Silicon Valley. Attending the Grace Hopper Celebration was a chance to network in her field and explore both job and internship opportunities. As for advice to prospective attendees, value the importance of interview preparation. Step out of your comfort zone, set clear goals for your time there, and diversify your seminar attendance to get the most out of the experience.

Pooja is a second-year MS Applied Economics student who took the opportunity to attend this year’s event. She lives in San Jose, California but hails from Mumbai, India. Making a move like that isn’t easy, but Pooja valued both course content and location, so the MS Applied Economics program at USF provided both. As for the Grace Hopper Celebration, she wanted to be part of one of the biggest conferences for women and non-binary individuals in the tech industry, aiming to gain inspiration and connect with like-minded professionals. She also wanted to explore job opportunities, so she attended the career fair to gauge interest from tech companies actively seeking diverse talent. She left the event with a profound sense of enlightenment and a bit of a reality check. The massive number of attendees was intimidating but reflected growing interest in the industry. Her advice to those attending next year’s event is to prepare your itinerary, expect large crowds, and don’t be intimidated! You’ll meet professionals from varying backgrounds with vastly differing levels of experience. People at any stage in their career are welcome, and there is something to offer for everyone.

Lucie is the final second year MS Applied Economics student highlighted here and she comes from Germany. She’s lived in the Bay Area for the past few years working in the tech industry, but wanted to advance her education to move into a more technical role. The MSAE program fit the desired description and provided the additional benefit of research experience, something Lucie values. Her experience highlights both positive and negative aspects of the GHC. She attended the event in an effort to network with women in tech and learn from the impressive roster of speakers. Though she wasn’t particularly seeking out an interview, she offers some wonderful advice for those who are. Gameplan! The sheer number of Grace Hopper attendees is impressive and grows larger each year. Be prepared to study the agenda so that you can seek out a select few companies you’d like to speak with, and anticipate a long line. That being said, Lucie networked with various tech professionals and gained exposure to the way we discuss and address topics like inclusivity, equality, and biases in machine learning models.

The goal of the Grace Hopper Celebration extends far beyond diversity in tech. Attendees get the chance to network in an exciting environment focused on a shared passion for technology. All four of our USF graduate students got something valuable out of their experience despite differing reasons for making the trip.?