Hamburg Geekette of the Month: Zara Gebru

What is your name, age, location?

My name is Zara Gebru. I am 23 years old and I grew up in Hamburg (Germany).

What's your background?

After high school I needed a bit time to figure out what I wanted to do with my future. I travelled to Ethiopia for three months to discover my second culture and to learn more about my father's heritage. In 2011, I decided to start studying Computer Science and Business Administration.

What inspired you to become an engineer? 

These days I worked part time for a 24h IT service company and lost all my “women worries” about the tech-world. If I am honest, it was a random idea of mine and maybe I just wanted just to explore at the age of 20. I was pretty certain that I would discontinue with this subject after one semester. But often in life, the spontaneous ideas are the best and most of the time I feel very comfortable with that what I am doing now. I would argue that I don't really love the whole program but what I do love is to sit down and to create something new. It is the challenge that gives me confidence to be an independent woman.

What are your next steps right now? 

I'm currently at an exchange program in South Africa, but I am coming home soon. I am looking forward to my first part time job, where I really can create software on a bigger project. 

What is the best advice you ever received?

Someone told me that the future is in IT. Special thanks to that person.

What is the most important thing you’ve learned in the last year?

At my university we have a big focus in pair programming and I feel like I learned a lot over the past year on the advantages and disadvantages of team work. 

And what are your plans for the future?

Sometimes I am dreaming about to becoming an entrepreneur someday, maybe in Europe or in Africa. But I don't really know yet. I want to get more work experience and I think it would be a nice start for me to work in a company which already has a developed infrastructure.

If you could do one thing differently, what would it be?

Actually I am really happy with my life because I feel like I have a good work/life balance. But if I could do something differently I am pretty sure I would have looked into tech at a much younger age. That is what I like about the Geekettes! They aim to support girls from a younger age and open the doors to the tech-world so they're less afraid. 

Any advice for your local/global Geekettes?  

Do what your heart is beating for, do not be afraid to try new things and keep smiling.

London Geekette of the Month: Anne-Hermine Allain

What is your name, age, location? 

Anne-Hermine Allain. I'm 22 and I'm located in London (which is really amazing!).

I was born and raised in France. I started studying both mathematics and computer science at University of South-Brittany five years ago. I joined Grenoble Institute of Technology, at the heart of the French Alps, in 2012 to start a degree in engineering at Ensimag school. I'm currently finishing my Master of Science in Advanced Computing at Imperial College London. 

What inspired you to become an engineer? 

I think Computer Science is the exact type of studies where you can achieve amazing things, be free, be creative and reach self-fulfillment. Today, technology is everywhere and what I see is thousands of new challenges everyday. A degree like mine equips engineers to help create tomorrow's digital world. And this is truly exciting!

Please walk me through your day, what's life like as a student studying computer science?

I just finished my master thesis which is about studying human cerebral plasticity to usefully inform Computer Science. That was extremely interesting and I really enjoyed trying to enrich technology from more biologically-based studies. 

Parallel to my studies, promoting science to girls and women has become one of my main goal since I have joined university five years ago. I consider the tendency of women leaving science and engineering very worrisome, not only because it causes a true lack of diversity within work teams but, above all, because women will be excluded from some of the major transformations of our society.  

Can you see yourself in ten years doing the same thing you do now? 

In ten years, we will use technologies that don't exist yet, and that we can't even imagine about yet! And I really love this idea! Also, I hope that in ten years everyone will be able to get creative with digital technology and computer coding, just like what we see happening with 3D printers right now. One thing is for sure, as a computer scientist I won't be bored in ten years!

What is the best advice you ever received? 

I think all the advice I have received about boosting my self-confidence was really useful. In particular, I find the following quote by Arthur Ashe really inspiring: "One important key to success is self-confidence. A key to self-confidence is preparation.". 

What is the most important thing you’ve learned in the last year? 

No need to wait for opportunities, we can create them! 

And what are your plans for the future?

I'm thinking about starting a PhD between Computer Science and more human-oriented fields such as neurosciences and psychology. There are huge challenges related to our understanding of the human brain at the moment, and I really want to be part of it! 

If you could do one thing differently, what would it be?

Honestly, I don't regret any moment I've been through. My only regret is that there is only 24 hours in a day! I should think about changing that!

Any advice for your local/global Geekettes?  

Keep learning everyday, get involved in the community, share with others and inspire the world! 

Berlin Geekette of the Month: Anna Yukiko Bickenbach

What is your name, age, location? 

Anna Yukiko Bickenbach. Still 29 >_< and located in Berlin, Germany.

What's your background? 

I’m American-Japanese and grew up in Germany. I can best describe my cultural triangulated’ness by stating “My passport is from the US, my mind from Germany and my heart from Japan.” I hold a double B.A. from the University of Washington, M.Sc. in Integrated Natural Resource Management from the Humboldt Universität and attended the Hasso-Plattner School of Design Thinking. 

What inspired you to become a founder of Ecotastic?  

My two co-founders, Fabian and Ralf, approached me with an “idea”. Since the two were finishing up their M.Sc. in Software Engineering at the HPI, it was pretty clear that this was an opportunity to create real change with talent. I was very fortunate to become their third wing-wo(man) and serve the environment.

Please walk me through your day, what do you do at your company? 

Morning check-in with Ralf and Fabian. Coffee. Quick email check. Partner acquisition. Marketing material. Social-media marketing. More coffee. Partner acquisition. Finish emails. Brainstorm to-do’s. Interviews. Translations. Fun startup evening events, usually in the social-entrepreneurship sector.

Can you see yourself in ten years doing the same thing you do now? 

Surely, “times are changing”, but I’m pretty sure that whatever I’ll be doing, I’ll be satisfied. Actually, in 10 years time I will be working on my chili venture. I want to become a sustainable hot sauce connoisseur (just writing that makes my mouth salivate!).

What is the best advice you ever received? 

My father always told me “Take care of number one!” & Girl Scout’s taught me “treat others the way you want to be treated”. Thus combining the two, it’s important to be happy, healthy, and passionate- sometimes you have to be a bit selfish-, but also be open to revive others, reflect and respect their journey.

What is the most important thing you’ve learned in the last year? 

Emotional stability and test that business plan.

And what are your plans for the future?

The world needs to be ecotastic’fied.

Focus on the product and stabilize the German market for 2014. In 2015 we’ll be scaling with cooperation projects, jumping across the Atlantic to give the US a taste and finally give the iOS crowd an ecotastic app.

If you could do one thing differently, what would it be?

To be honest, not much, or I wouldn’t be here right now and I’m very satisfied with where I am. Perhaps, learn to say “no” more often.

Any advice for your local/global Geekettes?  

Whatever it is you’re working on make sure to, literally, lurch yourself into feedback territory. Listen to what others, especially your users, have to say. Don’t argue, don’t make excuses, just listen carefully and nod. You need to learn to accept different opinions and to reflect on those later and not in the heat of the moment. The art of listening should be mastered by all. Input equals output.

Ohhh and don’t forget to download the newest version of the ecotastic app! Reward yourself for being sustainably awesome!

Maastricht Geekette of the Month: Emily Sellman

What is your name, age, location?

Emily Sellman, 20, and I'm from London but I live in Maastricht

What's your background? 

I love the biology and chemistry, but I study Physics, Mathematics, and Computer Science's most. I'm currently in my second year of a B.Sc in the Natural Sciences. I write as well, so I often combine these interests with journalism. I also work with software like the Adobe suite as a freelance graphic designer; but at the moment I'm learning Unity, Austodesk, and Blender.

What do you inspire to be after graduating?  

My main goal in life is never to be bored. Working in these industries ensures that you never will be! I love to see other people making really excellent creations from ideas that evolve from passion and curiosity; it gets you excited and inspired.

Please walk me through your day, what's it like studying in Maastricht? 

At the moment I'm a student so average day involves lectures and tutorials, though we're working in Chemelot labs most days along with other scientists, researchers, and industry.

Can you see yourself in ten years doing the same thing you do now? 

It's difficult to work in Science, as an industry it can be rather harsh. Especially if you're a woman; though it is an incredibly rich and diverse career.

What is the best advice you ever received? 

Never be needlessly limited.

What is the most important thing you've learned in the last year? 

To be in the right place at the right time; and that every experience is valuable, you just have to identify how.

And what are your plans for the future?

I hope to complete my Bachelor thesis, and then graduate. I'd love to work in scientific out-reach, or do a Masters, and maybe even create a start-up. It's difficult to plan your future because it's not always easy to know what people want or what positions are available - I just hope that I can create work that makes people proud.  

If you could do one thing differently, what would it be?

I would have traveled more. I would also want to be more aware of the subtle and valuable things that happen all the time and appreciate them more.

Any advice for your local/global Geekettes?  

We're only just getting started, we can show them what we've got.