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In cutting edge engineering fields today, 22% of professionals are women, according to the United Nations. But although the number of women professionals in these fields is still relatively small, women’s contributions are far from it. It was a woman who founded scientific computing. And women were the first electronic computing programmers. They have been integral to launching the first flight crews into space as well as the ones that have come after, and they have helped bring about the atomic age. Ada Lovelace, the ENIAC programmers, Katherine Johnson, the Calutron girls, Grace Hopper, Edith Clarke. Do these legends sound familiar? If you don’t know them, you should. Their achievements and the achievements of so many others in history are worthy of our recognition and celebration.
But it doesn’t stop there…
The legacy of women’s achievement in STEM is for the next generation of women to build upon whether it’s AI, 5G, Automotive, High-Performance Computing, or another innovation that will take us to a new era of design. Today we are celebrating all women and girls in STEM for International Day of Women and Girls in Science. As part of that celebration, here is a snapshot of a few of our leaders to inspire you to start or grow your career in STEM:
Mariya Braylovska, Director of R&D
Mariya Braylovska comes from a long line of engineers—her grandmother was one of the first engineers in the Soviet Union. Read about Mariya’s journey to become the Director of R&D, responsible for S-Litho, the industry standard for predictive modeling of lithographic processes for semiconductors. Find out her take on what gender diversity brings to the field of engineering →
Barbara Donaldson, Vice President of Workplace Resources
Barbara Donaldson knows something about leadership. She most values her team and their achievements together, and she offers advice to other young women who are interested in achieving leadership positions in their organizations. Barbara has made her mark with her work in sustainability and is recognized by the Sustainability Roundtable for her leadership as an executive. Learn more about Barbara's story →
Priyanka Joshi, Intern
Priyanka Joshi is innately curious with a passion for solving technical challenges. While still early in her career, she is a rising star. She is the first engineer in her family and she talks about why engineering was a great career choice for her. She covers how she got started, her influences, and advice for young women who are studying engineering. You'll also learn about her paper SpyGlass Netlist Level Check on Low Power DDR Design, accepted at the 2021 WISH Conference. Learn more →
Lisa McIlwain, Synopsys Scientist
Lisa McIlwain started out as an English major but when her teachers made her realize that she could be good at science and math, she made the leap in a new direction. "Scientists and engineers are not born that way; they're just people who have learned how to do science and engineering," she says. Learn about her path to become Synopsys Scientist (the only woman to hold this position), her take on women in engineering, her science idols, and advice for girls who would like to enter the field. Learn more →
Dr. Renu Mehra, R&D Group Director
Renu Mehra talks about solving for the power problem and the next great achievements in technology. She has been recognized multiple times for the advancement of women in STEM fields. She advises young women who want to make a difference in the technical field to not take "no" for an answer. Learn more →
Jumana Muwafi, Senior Vice President of Engineering
Jumana Muwafi shares with us her achievements in engineering IP and her thoughts on the role of IP as design complexity increases. You'll learn about the parts of her job that bring her the greatest satisfaction and why it's important to get out of your comfort zone. Check out her tips to help women advance their careers →
Latha Venkatachari, Vice President of Applications Engineering
Latha Venkatachari is a champion for inclusion and diversity. She founded the Women’s Impact Network (formerly Women in Networking) Employee Resource Group (ERG) at Synopsys and has been recognized as a role model for advancing women in tech. Latha discusses career resets, the value of a methodical process to solve large challenges, and the importance of diversity and inclusion. Learn more →
We wouldn't be where we are today or be able to surmount the challenges we face without the contributions of women in science. So congratulations to all of you. Whether your interest in STEM is a spark of curiosity, a desire to sign up for a class, or a life-time dedication to a STEM career, women in STEM are important to our future. And, the good news is that the number of women pursuing STEM careers is growing. So who's next? How about you?
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