Women In 6G Share Advice And Encouragement For Those Following In Their Footsteps

Like many other industries, companies in the telecommunications field have made and are making public commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion. While strides have certainly been made, especially as an attempt to close the gender gap, there’s still plenty of room for improvement.

Women who are looking to enter this still male-dominated industry should be armed with necessary skills and confidence needed to get ahead. To help, several women working in 6G related positions have offered some advice and shared some words of encouragement to other women who are interested in getting into 6G related careers by answering these two questions-

1. If you could go back in time and offer a career advice to your younger self, what would you say?
2. If you have to give an advice to other women in 6G or anyone who aspires to get into 6G related careers, what would it be?

From the importance of seeking out mentorship and support, to the value of vulnerability, failure and being fearless, these quotes offer valuable insights for anyone looking to make a career in 6G.

1. Priyanka Dey (Senior Research Engineer and 3GPP Delegate, CEWiT, India)

Advice to Younger Self:

As a woman, building up confidence along with technical skills is very much necessary to put yourself out there in the industry and achieve all our goals.

Advice to other women in 6G or anyone who aspires to get into 6G related roles:

As a standards delegate for 5G over the last 5 years, I have been attending multiple standards meetings within India and abroad. The participation of women is always drastically less as compared to men, specifically Indian women. To successfully work in 5G/6G standardization, active participation in standards meetings like 3GPP is essential. In this regard, not only technical skill set is necessary, but being confident and comfortable enough to travel internationally multiple times a year, taking up roles of responsibility in the meetings etc., are also necessary. Unfortunately, even today, it is more challenging for women to attain these. Personally, I would like to see more women in these roles. We have the necessary skills but we need to focus more on building up our confidence, independence and making ourselves comfortable and ambitious enough to attend meetings in person, be it national or international.

2. Yue Wang (Head of 6G Research, Samsung, United Kingdom)

Advice to Younger Self:

Follow your heart and find your passion.

Advice to other women in 6G or anyone who aspires to get into 6G related roles:

Keep up-to-date with the latest developments in 6G technology as it's going to evolve fast. Be resilient and stay passionate. Tech industry can be challenging, be prepared to face obstacles and setbacks, but don't let them deter you from pursuing your goals.

3. Jyotirmayee Subudhi, PhD (6G R&D Engineer, Keysight Technologies, Spain)

Advice to Younger Self:

Start learning about emerging technologies. Seek out mentors, who can provide guidance, support, and insights from their own experiences in the industry. Foster collaborations with professionals in related fields to gain a broader perspective and explore interdisciplinary opportunities.

Advice to other women in 6G or anyone who aspires to get into 6G related roles:

Develop strong technical skills in wireless communication, networking, and artificial intelligence. Continuously keep up with industry trends and research advancements by reading academic papers, attending conferences, and by following experts in the field. The tech industry can be challenging, but don't let setbacks deter you. Learn from failures and use them as stepping stones to success. Build a strong professional network, as connections can lead to valuable opportunities and collaborations.

4. Soujanya Thallapalli (Doctoral Student, IIT Kharagpur, India)

Advice to Younger Self:

I would advise my younger self to accept the contrast between technical proficiency and artistic expression. Become an expert in the fundamentals of your chosen field. You will be able to traverse any industry with confidence if you have a firm foundation. While doing so, do not forget to cultivate your creativity. Don't be reluctant to explore seemingly unrelated passions because they frequently come together unexpectedly to inspire innovation and novel problem-solving. If you experience any setbacks, see setbacks as opportunities for progress, and never stop learning. Accept change, look for mentors, and network nonstop. Last but not least, remember that you are valuable, give priority to your mental health and work-life balance, all of which are crucial for long-term success.?

Advice to other Women in 6G or anyone who aspires to get into 6G related roles:

Follow your passion fearlessly. Don't let gender bias or prejudices stop you from working in this fascinating field. Appreciate your uniqueness and use it to achieve your goal. Choose mentors and allies who will support your goals and provide you with the tools you need to succeed. Update your expertise consistently because this industry requires adaptability due to its constant evolution. Finally, speak up in support of diversity and inclusion in technology. Your presence and contributions are priceless, and by removing barriers, you open the door to a more open and creative future for wireless technology and 6G.

5. Purva Joshi (Doctoral Researcher, University of Pisa, Italy)

Advice to Younger Self:

If I could go back in time and change anything about my career, I would propose that I work in communication and networking domain. Telecommunications is a field in which anyone can get into roles readily suited to their talents, it is the best suitable option for anyone who is interested in switching careers. In addition, telecom offers women a chance to work in any of the departments, so they can participate in its workforce.

Advice to other Women in 6G or anyone who aspires to get into 6G related roles:

Be confident and resilient to succeed in a male-dominated industry.

6. Abhisha Garg (Doctoral Researcher, IIT Kanpur, India)

Advice to Younger Self:

Focus on gaining more practical knowledge in the technical domain rather than solely relying on theoretical learning gained in colleges/schools as it will act as the building block in your life. Implementing what you learn will instill self-confidence in you to tackle any real-life challenges or problems.

Advice to other women in 6G or anyone who aspires to get into 6G related roles:

We are just getting started with 6G and a lot of things have to be explored. 6G can bring significant changes in real-world applications, but unfortunately I can see that there are a very few women working in 6G research domain, due to family responsibilities, stereotypes and other issues. Despite living in modern era, male dominance still prevails in our society and telecom field is not a exception. My advice for other women is to follow their hearts, even if it means going against the whole world.

7. Annapurna Pradhan (Doctoral Researcher, NIT Rourkela, India)

Advice to Younger Self:

Never doubt yourself based on your background or career choices. It really doesn’t matter whether you come from a tier II or III university/college. Always try to do smart work by perfectly optimizing the resources that are available to you at any given point of time. Take the tough courses head-on and don't shy away from accepting something you don’t know. There shouldn’t be any shame in asking the same thing more than once or twice or ‘N’ number of times. Always try to involve yourself in coding competitions, hackathons, and extra-curricular events (sports, debates, club activities, etc.). Above all, please have faith in your abilities and stay consistent in putting honest efforts, because there is a fine margin between setting a goal and actually following the process towards achieving it.

Advice to other women in 6G or anyone who aspires to get into 6G related roles:

Take the first step, identify the opportunities in the field of wireless communication and work towards bridging the gap. As per the need of an hour, take up online courses/certifications and stay up-to-date with industry requirements and market trends. Take pride in joining the 6G developer community. Gain knowledge and get valuable advice from researchers, developers and mentors in the wireless community.

8. Swarna Chetty (Research Associate, University of York)

Advice to Younger Self:

Follow your passion, never stop learning, and embrace all the challenges. Build a strong professional network, be adaptable, and remember that failures are opportunities to grow. Most importantly prioritize work-life balance and always have hobbies.

Advice to other women in 6G or anyone who aspires to get into 6G related roles:

Your perspective, skills, and voice are crucial in shaping the future of 6G technology. Embrace the challenges, stay confident, and contribute your unique insights to drive innovation and positive change. The evolution of technology benefits greatly from diverse perspectives, so be a trailblazer in this exciting and dynamic field. Believe in yourself, and let your contributions shine in the 6G revolution.

9. Lina Bariah (Senior Researcher, Technology Innovation Institute, Abu Dhabi)

Advice to Younger Self:

In the rapidly evolving field of wireless technology, it is most important to stay up-to-date with the latest advancements and technologies, so never stop learning.

Advice to other women in 6G or anyone who aspires to get into 6G related roles:

Believe in yourself and your abilities. Build a strong professional network, in which you can learn, share, and collaborate. Also, don't wait for chances to come to you, be proactive in seeking out all opportunities that motivate you and that align with your interests, career goals, and vision.

10. Pavithra Nagaraj (Founding Member, Women in 6G)

Advice to Younger Self:

You don’t have to navigate your career trajectory on your own. Create an army of people around you who want to see you succeed. It’s important to have people who can remind you of your worth, how hard you have worked to get to where you are and also how hard you must work to reach where you want to be.

Advice to other women in 6G or anyone who aspires to get into 6G related roles:

When there are just a few people like you at a table (or when you are the only one), use your voice. Don't be afraid to share your thoughts and ideas. If you have a point of view, make sure it’s heard. If you don’t agree, speak up. Even if your idea doesn’t work, there’s still something to learn from the experience of putting yourself out there. Be fearless, be visible and be unmessable, when you want to make your mark in the industry that has and will continue to change the world.

This article will be updated as I receive more responses from Women in 6G.

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