2024 Q1 Women in Robotics Newsletter
Women in robotics
2023 Review
Dear Women in Robotics Community,
I am delighted to connect with you through the pages of our quarterly newsletter. As we reflect on the remarkable journey of 2023, I am filled with pride and gratitude for the incredible accomplishments and milestones we have achieved together.
In 2023, we embarked on several initiatives aimed at empowering and supporting women in the field of robotics. One such milestone was establishing the Women in Robotics Scholarship fund through bold.org. I am thrilled to share that we have raised an impressive $30,100 for this fund, marking a significant step towards our goal of fostering inclusivity and diversity in robotics. The inaugural Joanne Pransky Scholarship has garnered an overwhelming response, with 127 entries received. I eagerly anticipate announcing the 12 finalists and 3 winners on March 31st, a testament to the talent and dedication within our community.
We celebrated a momentous occasion in October with our inaugural International Women in Robotics Day. This special day served as a platform to honor and celebrate the achievements of women in robotics and highlight their invaluable contributions to the field. We proudly announced our annual list of "50 Women in Robotics You Need to Know About," showcasing the incredible talent and innovation driving our community forward.
Our community has continued to grow and flourish, with 2,311 users and 19 chapters established worldwide. Throughout the year, we hosted a series of engaging events and gatherings to foster connections and collaboration. From virtual meetings to local community get-togethers, our events provided opportunities for learning, networking, and celebration. I am particularly pleased to see the growth and engagement within our Slack community, which has emerged as a vibrant hub for collaboration and communication. In 2023, our Slack community experienced a remarkable 20% growth, with our most active week seeing 293 members checking in. Behind the scenes, countless connections are being forged, with 5760 direct messages exchanged, underscoring the strength and unity of our community.
As we look ahead to the future, let us continue to champion diversity, equity, and inclusion in robotics. Together, we have the power to shape a more inclusive and innovative future for all. I am immensely proud to stand alongside each and every one of you as we strive towards our shared vision of a more equitable and inclusive robotics community.
Thank you for your unwavering dedication, passion, and commitment to advancing women in robotics. Your contributions are truly invaluable, and I am honored to be a part of this incredible journey with you.
With warmest regards,
Andra Keay
President, Women in Robotics
Member Spotlight: Sonali Deshpande
Join us as we explore the remarkable career of Sonali Deshpande, a seasoned robotics professional, from their formative years in Electrical Engineering to their current role at Relay Robotics. Discover their insights into navigating the complexities of service robots and advocating for greater gender diversity in the field.
What is your background?
I come from an Electrical Engineering background and then did my Masters in Robotics from The Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon. Since I graduated, I've worked on self driving cars for General Motors R&D, the adorable home robot Kuri at Mayfield Robotics, and most recently on Relay, a service robot for hotels and hospitals, at Relay Robotics
How did you get into robotics?
When I was in undergrad, I stumbled across Andrew Ng's Machine Learning course in the early days of Coursera. I was hooked. I talked to a professor I looked up to and asked him if there was any field that would allow me to combine Machine Learning with Control Systems, which was my favorite field at the time. He pointed me to Robotics and Intelligent Control (Reinforcement learning wasn't a big thing back then). That got me to apply to several robotics programs for grad school and when I got accepted into the Robotics Institute, my trajectory was set. Once I got a taste of robotics, there was no looking back. I never ended up doing work that focused on combining ML and control systems but I'm very grateful that it got me into robotics.
What do you currently do in robotics?
For the last five years I have been working for Relay Robotics, formerly Savioke, a spin off of Willow Garage. We build robots that do room service at hotels and relieve some of the stress of overworked staff at hospitals by doing autonomous delivery of medicines and other items. I work in particular on the navigation pipeline of our robot, Relay. That includes sensor selection and processing, perception, path planning, localization and mapping.
What is your favorite and least favorite thing about robotics?
I love how Robotics can be both very challenging and very rewarding. The multidisciplinary nature of it and the need for it to exist in and interact with the chaos of the physical world means that making something work, and not just work but work well consistently and reliably can be very challenging. But when that does happen, it's great to see the joy and the value it can bring to people. As an engineer, I thrive on both the challenge and the reward.
My least favorite thing about robotics is how underrepresented women are in the field. I find that I'm often the only woman in the room and that really needs to change.
What excites you the most about the future of robotics?
In the beginning of my career, it seemed like it would take a long time for Robotics to mature to the point where they can add real value to the world. But in just a few short years, many different branches of work in AI and robotics have gained momentum and are crossing the threshold of being able to add major positive value to the world. Even at Relay, I often witness how much understaffed and overworked hospital teams come to rely on our robots to reduce their workload. Warehouse robots are thriving. Self driving cars are slowly starting to scale. And foundation models have revolutionized AI and made it accessible to everyone. And this is just the beginning. I'm excited to see where this goes and to contribute to its unfolding.
Describe something that you do (or would like to do) to help support younger women in robotics?
It's difficult, early in your career, to have a strong voice and stand up for yourself. And to know that your perspective is valuable to others, even if you struggle to see its value. I'd like to be someone who can encourage young women to be confident and as cliche as it is, to believe in themselves. And know that it's okay to ask for what you want. Often, that is all it takes.
Event Highlights
Bay Area
by Revait Naik
Spotlight event: Robotics Over Coffee, March 14, 2024
On the evening of March 14th, 2024, Philz Coffee in Sunnyvale witnessed a buzz of excitement as women in the Bay Area robotics community gathered for an enriching event - Robotics Over Coffee. Hosted by the Women in Robotics Bay Area chapter, this event provided a unique networking opportunity, bringing together 22 women from various facets of the robotics landscape.
The attendees represented a diverse spectrum within the field, ranging from early graduate students eager to delve deeper into robotics education, to seasoned roboticists from the industry, and even retired tech professionals keen on exploring the dynamic world of robotics. As the event kicked off, introductions flowed, each participant sharing insights into their work alongside delightful anecdotes, fostering an atmosphere of camaraderie and personal connection.
"I feel proud to be able to be part of this group. This is a great opportunity to network and meet like-minded people," remarked Mavis Incialan, a Technology Program Manager, ITIL, COBIT, encapsulating the sentiment of empowerment and belonging that permeated the gathering.
Isabella Morales, coming from a manufacturing engineering background shared her perspective, expressing, "Feels optimistic and excited to be here," echoing the overall sense of enthusiasm.
The event's success underscored the significance of creating spaces where women in robotics can come together, exchange ideas, and forge meaningful connections. Such gatherings not only facilitate professional growth but also serve as a source of inspiration and motivation, reinforcing the belief that one is not navigating their journey alone.
In a field often perceived as male-dominated, initiatives like Robotics Over Coffee play a pivotal role in breaking down barriers, fostering inclusivity, and amplifying the voices of women in robotics. As we reflect on the enriching interactions and insights shared during this event, we look forward to hosting more such gatherings in the future, fueling the momentum of empowerment and collaboration within the women in robotics community.
Let's continue to build, connect, and inspire together as we pave the way for a more diverse and vibrant future in robotics.
Boston
by Colleen Anderson
Spotlight event: Women in Robotics Meetup Boston: March 12, 2024
Women in Robotics Boston Chapter enjoyed a great meetup on March 12th! It was a pleasure connecting with so many women and hearing from great leaders and role models, Oli Qirko from Cambridge Consultants and Michal Preminger from Johnson & Johnson Innovation, East North America.
Special appreciation to Cambridge Consultants for sponsoring the event.
UK
by Yael Zekaria
Spotlight event: Headshots & Bots: Sept 21, 2023
Our first event in Scotland, bringing the sellout Headshots & Bots event we ran in Bristol to Edinburgh! Attendees received free, creative headshots for use across their professional platforms as well as the opportunity to network and have a tour of the National Robotarium.
Spotlight event: Fantastic Careers and how to find them: Oct 19,2023
An evening at Bristol’s innovation hub, The Engine Shed to launch the Career Atlas project, a collaborative and interactive career journey mapping initiative. This event also promoted women at different stages in their robotics careers in industry and academia in an insightful panel discussion on diverse career journeys and the key decision points and influences that shape them
Upcoming
We have more exciting events coming up this year. Remember to check our website at womeninrobotics.org for events, it’s constantly updated!
Resource Corner
by Sonia Roberts
New to robotics, and want to build fundamental skills in electronics? Always meant to learn more about electronics, but never got around to doing it? Knowing how to build and debug basic circuits can be incredibly helpful for any roboticist. MIT has a free three-course sequence on EdX in basic electronics which has a lot of applications relevant to robotics (optional paid upgrade).
Industry News
From innovative technologies to notable collaborations, regulatory updates, and market insights, we keep you informed about the dynamic landscape of robotics.
Special thanks to Revait Naik, Sonia Roberts, Colleen Anderson, and Yael Zekaria for their contributions to this newsletter!