2024 Q2 Women in Robotics Newsletter

Jun 20, 2024

Dear Women in Robotics Community,

As we move through another inspiring quarter, we are excited to share some incredible updates and announcements that highlight our ongoing efforts and achievements.

International Women in Robotics Day Oct 2: "Shine a Light"

This year, our theme for International Women in Robotics Day on October 2 is "Shine a Light." We aim to highlight the unsung contributions of women in robotics. As part of this celebration, we will publish our annual list, encourage companies and communities to hold events, and invite everyone to join our Photo Challenge. This initiative seeks to increase the representation of women working in robotics, showcasing their contributions to the field.

Women in Robotics Annual List

In celebration of Ada Lovelace Day, we compile an annual list of "Women in Robotics You Need to Know About." Since 2012, the Women in Robotics organization has released a list of women building the future in robotics. The list has covered all ages, career stages, types of occupation, and experience. We’ve featured more than 350 women already and we’ve shown that women have always been working in the robotics industry, in the earliest robotics research labs and companies, although those stories have often been forgotten. We invite you to nominate women for our 2024 list by August 15th.

Visit our Nominations Page for more details.

Welcome to Our New Board Member: Stephanie Garcia

We are thrilled to announce the addition of Stephanie Garcia from San Antonio to our Board. Stephanie brings a wealth of experience and a fresh perspective that will be invaluable as we continue to grow and advance our mission.

Joanne Pransky Scholarship

The Joanne Pransky Scholarship was established to honor the legacy of Joanne Pransky, a pioneer and advocate for women in robotics. This scholarship supports young women pursuing careers in robotics and aims to foster inclusivity and diversity in the field. It is open to juniors, seniors, and first-year college students who demonstrate exceptional talent and dedication in robotics.

Contribute to the fund

Celebrating Our First Winners

We are thrilled to announce the first three recipients of the Joanne Pransky Scholarship: Quynh Anh Le, Mariana Cruz-Gonzalez, and Isle Vaughn.

These outstanding individuals have shown remarkable promise and commitment to advancing robotics. We congratulate them and look forward to their future contributions to the field.

Upcoming scholarship Opportunities

The next scholarship deadline is September 1st, 2024. We encourage all eligible members to apply and take advantage of this valuable opportunity to support their education and career in robotics.

For more information and to apply, visit our Scholarship Page.

Mentorship Program: Coming Soon

We are excited to announce the launch of this year’s Women in Robotics Mentorship program. Stay tuned for more details on how you can participate and benefit from this enriching program.

Thank you for your continued support and dedication to Women in Robotics. Together, we are making a significant impact and paving the way for future generations of women in this dynamic field.

Best regards,

Allison Thackston

Vice President, Women in Robotics

Member Spotlight - Sue Keay

Meet Sue Keay, a research scientist turned robotics advocate based in Australia. Her journey into robotics was sparked by her sister's influence, leading her to play a pivotal role in setting up Australia's first robotic vision research center. Today, she consults, advises boards, and champions robotics initiatives across industries. Passionate about sustainability and diversity in tech, she's shaping Australia's robotics landscape and advocating for inclusive solutions worldwide.

Read Sue Keay's full interview and discover her insights on the future of robotics, her favorite innovations, and her dedication to supporting the next generation of women in tech.

New Women in Robotics chapters

We are thrilled to announce the launch of two new Women in Robotics chapters in Switzerland and Colombia. The Colombia chapter is led by Daniela Atencio, an architect and researcher in advanced technologies in architecture, and Camila Dussan, an architect and computational design enthusiast. The Switzerland chapter is led by Nadja Niemann, a cognitive scientist specializing in human-machine interaction, and Kateryna Portmann, a leader in medical robotics at Hocoma AG. Together, these leaders are poised to inspire and advance the presence of women in robotics in their respective regions.

Women in Robotics San Antonio

by Stephanie Garcia

In January, Women in Robotics SA hosted the community event, “Preparing San Antonio's Gen-Next Innovators”, an official event for DreamWeek 2024, a two-week long celebration in the Alamo City which aims to exchange ideas, inspire discussion, and ignite change. The event, which was held at the Boeing Center at Tech Port, featured three local nonprofits who are designing innovative programs within technology that have touched the lives of hundreds of young people. Jim Perschbach, Kelly Heritage Foundation President, was our featured speaker where he announced that the KHF contributed over $400,000 to these programs, which are pathways to life-changing career opportunities in our region’s advanced technologies: aerospace, cybersecurity, robotics, space science and much more. Many elementary, middle, and high school girls were in attendance, which presented an opportunity for them to engage with industry professionals.

In celebration of Women History Month, WiR SA hosted “Leading Women in Tech”, a special event highlighting some of the local women who are at the forefront of groundbreaking technological advances in cybersecurity, aerospace, robotics and more, that are being used across the nation and around the world while creating life-changing career and entrepreneurial opportunities in our hometown. All ages were welcome and were able to meet an array of inspiring leaders, make connections and learn about career and educational pathways to be a part of San Antonio’s rising profile as a global capital of tech innovation. Also in attendance were two of San Antonio’s Councilwomen.

Ivy Vasquez Sandoval represented Women in Robotics SA, during an interview for R20, a scholastic Esports tournament, hosted by the San Antonio Museum of Science and Technology. Ivy talked about her career journey and how her passion for gaming and esports helped her develop skill sets that are not only applicable to robotics; but sought after by robotics companies recruiting talent. Ivy also spoke about her positive experience with Women in Robotics, and its mission to connect, advance, and inspire women and girls who aspire to pursue a career in robotics.

Women in Robotics Bay Area

by Revati Naik

We are thrilled to share our latest event hosted by Chef Robotics in the vibrant heart of the San Francisco Bay Area! The event brought together an incredibly diverse and dynamic group of attendees, with women comprising the majority of attendees.

The event included a series of demos by the talented team at Chef, showcasing the latest innovations and solutions in the food automation industry – from cutting-edge in-house kitchen gadgets to revolutionary cooking techniques. The event sparked insightful discussions on current industry challenges, highlighting the collaborative spirit driving culinary innovation forward.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for a day filled with learning, networking, and inspiration. Here's to many more successful events in the future!

Women in Robotics Boulder/Denver

by Laurie Linz

On June 12th, the Boulder/Denver chapter of Women in Robotics hosted a fun meetup at PickNik Robotics. The event brought together a diverse group of professionals, students, and enthusiasts, sharing their passion for robotics.

We are grateful to PickNik Robotics for hosting this event and to all the participants for making it a success. Events like these are crucial in fostering a supportive and dynamic community, and we look forward to more meetups in the future.

Leading Ladies

By Mufaro Mutanga

Representation matters and it is certainly refreshing to see women pursue their ideas in the world of robotics leading to establishing and leading enterprises. A glimpse into their stories shows that the journey is not without difficulty but conviction enabled them to push through barriers until finally finding success.

Helen Greiner is a prominent figure in the field of robotics, best known as the co-founder of iRobot Corporation. The company originated from MIT's Artificial Intelligence Lab. iRobot is best known for the Roomba, a revolutionary autonomous vacuum cleaner introduced in 2002. The Roomba brought practical robotics into millions of homes, showcasing the potential of consumer robotics. Under Greiner's leadership, iRobot grew into a leading robotics company, selling millions of units worldwide and proving the commercial viability of consumer and service robots.

Resource Corner

by Sonia Roberts

https://engineeringmedia.com/books

Maybe you’ve never taken a class in control theory, or maybe it’s just been a long time since college and you’ve been focused on other things. This 100% free-as-in-lunch eBook by Brian Douglas is an intuitive overview of some of the most important ideas in control theory. It’s gentle enough for an undergrad to read on her own, but with useful enough examples for seasoned engineers in need of a conceptual refresher.

Industry News

Upcoming Events

International Women in Engineering Day - June 23

Celebrate the achievements of women in engineering worldwide on June 23rd! This day recognizes the vital contributions of women engineers and aims to inspire the next generation to pursue careers in engineering.

Women's Strike 2024 - June 24

Join the global movement on June 24th for Women's Strike, advocating for gender equality and women's rights. This day serves as a powerful reminder of the ongoing fight for equality and justice.

Noteworthy News

Stay updated with the latest developments in robotics and women in tech:

Special thanks to Sonia Roberts, Sue Keay, Mufaro Mutanga, Revati Naik, Stephanie Garcia, and Laurie Linz for their contributions to this newsletter!

Women in Robotics News