Leading up to International Women in Engineering Day (INWED 2019) on Sunday, June 23, 2019, we are highlighting several SWE Members and Affiliates around the world who are working to advance STEM and champion diversity in the engineering industry. Here we highlight Jothi Ramaswamy.
Engineers have a huge role to play in transforming the future of the world. How do you want to transform the future?
I want to transform the future through my code. While experimenting with the wonders of app development, I realized that programming mobile applications is one of the best ways to improve the lives of others because so many people own phones and can download these apps. This inspired me to continue learning about coding apps so that I can fulfill my desires of leveraging my knowledge to solve problems around me. One look at my computer shows a whirlwind of projects I’ve been working on: an app to enable students in my chemistry class learn buffers, an app to help my neighborhood report power outages, and an app to allow women to get evidence of sexual assault. In the future, I want to continue coding apps and platforms that can make life easier for the people in my community.
How do you think engineering can help create a better, more promising future?
Now more than ever, technology is at its best. We are seeing vast improvements in our knowledge of artificial intelligence, and more and more individuals and researchers are working to enhance our knowledge of STEM everyday. Not only that, but we are seeing an increase in research at the intersection of engineering and other fields like finance and medicine. With our current progress in engineering, we have the potential to use engineering to enhance other fields and learn how to efficiently solve problems like misdiagnosing critical diseases — problems that effect millions of individuals every year.
What inspired your interest to pursue engineering?
My mom definitely inspired my interest to pursue engineering, as an engineer herself. She actually was the first person to teach me how to code in 6th grade, and the main reason I fell in love with software engineering. No matter what I want to explore in coding and engineering, my mom is always there to help me find the right resources I need to learn what I want to. I definitely would not feel as empowered as I am to pursue STEM if it wasn’t for my mom’s encouragement.
Are you doing any special STEM events over the next few months? Any competitions or outreach events to teach other kids about STEM?
My organization ThinkSTEAM is actually organizing a STEAM-A-THON in New York in the fall! There will be multiple fun STEAM workshops for girls in grades 8-10, so stay tuned for more details! I will also be mentoring ThinkSTEAM’s Student Ambassadors to conduct workshops in their communities too 🙂
Do you have any words of advice for other girls who are hoping to #TransformTheFuture with a career in engineering?
Go for it! If you want to learn more about engineering and different engineering career paths you can take, ask a science or engineering teacher to help you out! Plus, the Internet is also an incredible platform to make use of and there are so many organizations, including SWE, that have online resources available to help girls get started with learning about engineering. SWENext definitely helped me learn about the different types of engineers I can be and I know it can help so many other girls too!
How are you or your section #TransformingTheFuture or celebrating and promoting INWED 2019? Share your events and stories with us on Facebook (@SWEorg), Twitter (@SWEtalk) or Instagram (@SWEtalk)!
Read about other SWE Members who are transforming the future:
- INWED 2019: Transforming the Future from Austria
- INWED 2019: Transforming the Future from Brazil
- INWED 2019: Transforming the Future from India
- INWED 2019: Transforming the Future from Indonesia
