The Future of Computer Science and Tech: 12 Young Women to Watch — Part 1
All of our lives are immeasurably better, with hope of constant forward progress, because of breakthrough innovations. How we think, connect, learn and live rides on an ever-widening freeway of technological advancements. But the dynamics and speed of that freeway depend entirely on giving everyone the chance to drive.
This is the first of two articles showcasing 12 incredible young technologists who are about to make this world a far better and more interesting place. They are all members of the Aspirations in Computing program of the National Center for Women & Information Technology, an organization which provides them mentoring, networking, training and support as they pursue studies and careers in a field traditionally dominated by white men. In turn, each of them is passionate about actively reaching out to help pull up the girls behind them.
They are breaking down barriers and blazing trails. They are the future talent in a rapidly accelerating industry. To be sure, they are women to watch.
1. Safia Abdalla: My family moved from Sudan to the United States when I was seven years old. Shortly after that, I fell in love with the magic of computers. When I was 11 years old, I spent my free time customizing my Neopets theme with HTML and CSS. In high school, I joined the robotics club and spent my free time learning about artificial intelligence and machine learning. When I applied to college, I knew that I wanted to study computer science and declared it as my major in every application. My college years at Northwestern University have been good, but challenging. Not only did I have to deal with the difficult curriculum at a rigorous engineering school, I also had to work part-time to put myself through college. Throughout university, I contributed to open source software that aided in scientific research and data analytics, presented technical talks and keynotes at several conferences, and launched my own startup business. I’m driven to do these things because I believe in building a space for myself, and others like me, in the tech industry. One of my biggest goals is to create a technology company where creative and diverse individuals, like myself, can build ethical and impactful technology products in a safe and inclusive environment. Currently, I’m building Zarf, a digital marketplace for the written word, which is the first product of the company I bootstrapped, Tanmu Labs.
2. Charell Adagala: I studied computer science in high school and excelled at it, even winning a national award. So I was shocked when I got to college and wasn’t doing well in my computer science classes. Between my three jobs and school, I found myself falling further and further behind and I began to feel like coding was not for me. Then I found Information Science. Info Sci is a new major dedicated to extrapolation and analyses of Big Data. With Info Sci, I still get to code — front end, databases, back end, and a ton of statistics — but it feels like a better fit. I switched majors and haven’t looked back since. Now I am an ambassador for my major at my school, which is ranked 8th in the country, and I try to stress to women that sometimes you just have to find where you fit in within the realm of coding. I also try to help girls find a love for computer science early. I think that my early love of technology and the acknowledgement and encouragement I received when I was younger is what kept me in STEM long enough to push past my doubts and fears and find my niche. I hope to keep paving the way for other women of color in tech, while working in government or as an entrepreneur to use statistical evidence to improve signature technology platforms.
3. Khalia Braswell: I received my first computer in the 4th grade and was instantly hooked. As a result of my early interest in tech, I enrolled in Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology, in Charlotte, NC, where I fell in love with computer programming. I went on to receive my B.S in Computer Science at NC State University in 2013 and then a Masters in IT from UNC Charlotte in 2016. Throughout my journey in tech, I noticed that there were not a lot of people, both in academia and in the workforce, that looked like me. To address this, I founded INTech, a non-profit organization with a mission to inform and inspire girls to innovate in the technology industry. To date, INTech has reached hundreds of minority girls across North Carolina, South Carolina, and California by hosting one-day camps, mini-camps, and summer camps. I previously worked as a UX Engineer at Apple in Cupertino, California where I helped design experiences for enterprise applications. I have been recognized for my work, most recently, as an Outstanding Young Alumni by the Computer Science Department at NC State, the 2016 “30 Under 30” list by the Charlotte Mecklenburg Black Chamber of Commerce, 10 Black Female Leaders in Tech to Watch by Hackbright Academy, 6 Young Black Women Making a Difference in Tech by New Relic and The 10: These Black Women in Computer Science Are Changing the face of Tech by The Root. Currently, I’m running INTech full time in Charlotte, NC. This year we plan to further our impact by launching a pilot computing club for high school girls in Charlotte, with plans to expand it soon.
4. Sofia Ongele: I entered the tech field via an unconventional path. At the beginning of 2016, I made a program on my graphing calculator that “sang” Hello by Adele. I know it wasn’t much, but it really astonished me that I could make something from nothing with a series of commands. If I could do that on a graphing calculator, then I could only imagine the kind of things I could create on a computer. I won a Kode With Klossy (KWK) camp scholarship, where I learned the basics of software development in a class full of empowered young women. KWK camp opened doors for me; I spent that summer learning all I could take in, and returned the next summer to learn more about software development, and complete an engineering challenge as one of 25 students chosen internationally to attend the all-expense paid Apple Engineering Technology Camp. I also traveled as a KWK teaching assistant to give back to the community that had given me so much. This year, I’ll be graduating high school and starting college as a computer science major. I see Computer Science as a dynamic field revolutionizing our world. I refuse to allow glass ceilings built out of racial injustice and stereotypes to restrain my strong capabilities. By making a name for myself in tech, I am leaving the shards of glass on a field far behind me. While all statistics and odds disfavor the black woman within tech, I will continually do everything in my power to change this equation and inspire young black girls that they can do the same, as long as they put their minds to it. By taking this step, I am redefining the odds.
5. Allison Collier: As a kid, my sisters and I would huddle around the family computer playing Freddi the Fish and I wondered how anyone could make a computer game. Deep down, I had a desire to program, but I wasn’t sure where to start. Luckily, when I got to high school, I had the opportunity to attend a wonderful summer program called C-Tech2, designed for high school girls interested in engineering who had not yet been exposed to it. The camp director encouraged me to apply for the NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing. I hadn’t been the best in my class but decided to take a chance and apply. I really surprised myself by winning the Virginia/DC Affiliate Award in 2012 and the National Award in 2013. This award allowed me to join an encouraging, supportive community of high school, college and post-college women who understand the hardship of studying and entering the male-dominated tech field. When I went on to college, I took advantage of great opportunities to grow my technical knowledge, participate in advancing research, and intern with major companies. But it hasn’t been smooth sailing either. Challenging courses, some health setbacks and my own self-doubts often made me feel scared that I might not be able to live up to the expectations I set up for myself. One of the things I am most grateful for is the realization that the only thing I can expect is to always do my best — and I believe that I’ve always at least done that.
6. Gabrielle Roseboro: As a child, not only did I not see myself as a computer scientist, I didn’t know what a computer scientist was. During the summer between middle school and high school, I made the decision to study information technology at a technical high school because I knew I liked to spend time on the computer. I had no idea that such a seemingly simple decision would launch my career. There, my passion for programming grew while I learned to write increasingly clever, creative and efficient codes. One of my teachers encouraged me to apply for awards and scholarships. In college, I was fully immersed in the world of computer science and what it meant to be a black woman in technology. Even though coding felt very natural to me, I was overwhelmed with the amount of information there was to learn. I also felt overwhelmed by the fact that a lot of my classmates didn’t look like me. I felt a pressure to perform better than them, to prove that girls could be there too, but at the same time, I felt at a disadvantage. I didn’t have parents who were technologists and very often I didn’t have the same amount of experience as some of my classmates. But with the help of my network of women and people of color in technology, I persisted. I graduated from NC State with a degree in Information Technology degree and now work for Bank of America on their mobile app team. Currently, I’m deepening my understanding of app development for large customer bases and hope to eventually manage a portfolio of applications.
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