tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8529557290369021912024-03-05T09:52:13.875-05:00CU-WISE BlogCarleton University Women in Science and Engineering (CU-WISE)Gail Carmichaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14173555781667297996noreply@blogger.comBlogger371125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-852955729036902191.post-61096562776497611132015-04-06T11:30:00.000-04:002015-05-29T13:45:59.561-04:00The Grace Hopper Celebration: A Conference Not to Miss!<div style="text-align: justify;">
The <a href="http://gracehopper.org/" target="_blank">Grace Hopper Celebration</a> (GHC) of Women in Computing is the world's largest conference gathering of women technologists. If you are in computing, you definitely need to attend this conference at least once in your life! </div>
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Last year, we were six Carleton students to attend GHC in Phoenix, AZ. It was epic! You can read about last year's conference here:</div>
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<li style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://kristyngirard.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">Ramblings of an Ordinary Girl</a> by Kristyn Girard</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://compscigail.blogspot.ca/search/label/GHC14" target="_blank">The Female Perspective of Computer Science</a> by Gail Carmichael</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://thatenggirl.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">That Eng Girl</a> by Daniella Niyonkuru</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://outoftheboxbeyondtheclassroom.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Out of the Box: Getting Involved Beyond The Classroom</a> by Daphne Ong</li>
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The Grace Hopper Celebration features multiple tracks including invited technical speakers, academic, industry, student, and career tracks. Keynote speakers are usually well known leading women in tech (e.g. <a href="https://youtu.be/362AygQGMGk" target="_blank">Sheryl Sandberg</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Klawe" target="_blank">Maria Klawe</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Lou_Jepsen" target="_blank">Mary Lou Jepsen</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/5c3DGU4C-eU" target="_blank">Arati Prabhakar</a>) who are greatly inspiring. There are also sessions for students (undergraduate and graduate) and mentoring opportunities. You get to hear from women who went through the same path and also advise younger ones. It is an awesome networking occasion. Plus, if you are interested in getting a job, GHC has a career fair with great companies, and instant interviews possibilities.</div>
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The 2015 edition, themed "Our Time To Lead", will be held in Houston, Texas. If you have been reading our newsletter lately, you probably know that applications for GHC Scholarship Grants will be opened until <b>April 15</b>. For more information, read <a href="http://anitaborg.org/awards-grants/ghc-scholarship-grants/" target="_blank">here</a>. I highly recommend you to submit an application if you would like to attend GHC this year. <a href="http://anitaborginstitute.tumblr.com/post/74396522347/5-tips-when-applying-to-opportunities-for-women-in" target="_blank">This post</a> is full of good tips about applying to opportunities for women in STEM (Feel free to send me <a href="mailto:daniella.niyonkuru@carleton.ca" target="_blank">an email</a> as well). And, stay tuned for upcoming GHC info sessions! It is our time to lead!</div>
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Stay great! </div>
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Daniella<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheDYCM7tcGSiQJnvbRflNXwM2-yIrLUD-q75JOb9PKoy87uf2on7rXBhUPjjjyOrDv1eEj3gf6GFPtzShAjYq5VNgOalYH2qOSor17WNiEgBzDXz_Us6Awss9hFgZte_VuERDw5M3RFcc/s1600/Daniella_Bio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheDYCM7tcGSiQJnvbRflNXwM2-yIrLUD-q75JOb9PKoy87uf2on7rXBhUPjjjyOrDv1eEj3gf6GFPtzShAjYq5VNgOalYH2qOSor17WNiEgBzDXz_Us6Awss9hFgZte_VuERDw5M3RFcc/s1600/Daniella_Bio.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<i>Daniella is a Master's student in Electrical and Computer Engineering. One of her dreams is to inspire more women to embrace STEM careers and unleash their full potential. Although she is hardworking and can be very serious, she enjoys comedy and dancing, has a big sense of humour, and believes that a little kindness goes a long way!</i></div>
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<i>@niyodanie</i></div>
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Daniella Niyonkuruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15740305357398942787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-852955729036902191.post-77214443803615174972015-03-25T14:10:00.002-04:002015-03-25T14:10:27.311-04:00Building Your Own Legacy<div style="text-align: justify;">
The 2015 edition of the <a href="http://www.eventbrite.ca/e/wise-national-conference-2015-tickets-15355270026" target="_blank">WISE National Conference</a> took place last weekend at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. This year's theme was "Build Your Own Legacy". Many speakers shared their insights about this topic. In this post, I will share one of the fireside chats given by Caroline Charter about how to build your legacy.</div>
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Let's first start with Caroline's brief bio. Caroline is currently a Microsoft's Operations General Manager. Prior to Microsoft, she was VP within Worldwide Alliance & Channels Operations at Oracle Corporation. She was one of the <a href="http://business.financialpost.com/2013/12/03/women-in-power-canadas-100-most-powerful-women/" target="_blank">2013 Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women</a> in the Corporate Executive Category. Caroline was also a <a href="http://co-awards.org/nominees.html" target="_blank">2014 Colleges Ontario Premier's Award Nominee</a>.<br />
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Caroline started by sharing her own story and lessons learned from her experiences. Her very first job was as a McDonald's Fry Girl, and she quickly made her way up the ladder and got a position in management. After graduation, she moved to Ireland and got a position at Gateway. Unfortunately, the company ended up cutting jobs, and the announcement was made the day of the September 11 attacks. These events put her life in perspective. It was also a life lesson: no matter what day you are having, it could be worse! She also learned that no matter what you have done, you will have to earn your stripes over again. Caroline got another position but the working conditions were quite hard. She decided to find another job that would allow her to transfer back home. Oracle hired her. Caroline ultimately got transferred to Canada. Her career really took off when she decided to exploit a niche that hasn't been looked at. Colleagues told her that it was a dead-end, and nothing would come of it. But, Caroline trusted her gut and made it happen: She led the integration of Sun Microsystems into existing Oracle's existing business in 2011, by designing and launching a partner store that supports $3 billion in annual revenue (You can read more details <a href="http://www.yorkregion.com/community-story/4285415-aurora-s-charter-keeps-climbing-corporate-ladder/" target="_blank">here</a>). Caroline was offered a position at Microsoft last year.<br />
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After sharing her story, Caroline addressed four topics for building one's legacy: what is legacy and why does it matter, filing emotions and managing voices, where to start (action vs impact), and finally calling time out.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOlov0r7dU4YROQRA7rkF1vN6MKSXEL9qqQTEvHjWlkg3IwS1K6WEi9rhu1gtpWeIyV3G2kwjO3NRlRin3-4_7MnXlsi0ZS23sNyziuWufcuZ6gAJtcr4ODgixKVGxr9HW6WU0yw-W9Rw/s1600/legacy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOlov0r7dU4YROQRA7rkF1vN6MKSXEL9qqQTEvHjWlkg3IwS1K6WEi9rhu1gtpWeIyV3G2kwjO3NRlRin3-4_7MnXlsi0ZS23sNyziuWufcuZ6gAJtcr4ODgixKVGxr9HW6WU0yw-W9Rw/s1600/legacy.jpg" height="160" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From the <a href="https://leadershipfreak.wordpress.com/2014/03/04/10-ways-to-build-powerful-legacy-now/" target="_blank">Leadership Freak</a> blog</td></tr>
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<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>What is legacy & why does it matter?</b></li>
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Your legacy becomes your brand and reputation. And, they are known to people before they meet you [You know how it has become standard to google someone before meeting in person. Well, employers do that.]. It becomes part of your internal identity. You should also be aware that there is a difference between what you think you are and the way you are perceived. The great takeaway from this part was that actions should back up/project what you aspire to be. Everything you do, whether on social media or elsewhere, is going to be there. So, why don't you make sure it serves your future?</div>
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<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Filing your emotions and Managing the voices</b></li>
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This point is quite essential. We have all been caught in a swirl of emotions, or met someone who was. It's definitely not pretty when emotions take us over and negatively affect the work we are doing. The advice was to check your baggage before going to work. Make sure you do some prework and identify which emotions are appropriate for each situation. Don't let everybody have a bad day at work just because you are having a bad one. At the same time, be aware that it's not always about you. It's not personal. You will probably meet people who will yell at you not because you are terrible, but just because they feel like yelling. You have to be confident in who you are and what you know. Always come with data, and facts. Finally, humanize everyone. Your colleagues/managers are human beings too. Treat them like yourself or friends.</div>
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When it comes to managing stressful situations, you get what you put in. So,</div>
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<li>Approach with an embrace vs a defense: Don't assume it's personal until someone tells you it's a problem.</li>
<li>Inspire those around you: Act assertively, calculatively and logically without taking it out on others.</li>
<li>Lead by example: Be genuine, be human, be invested.</li>
<li>What's the worst that can happen? Ask yourself: Am I projecting my paradigms onto this situation? If your biggest fear is to forget your speech when you are on stage, and it happens. The audience will not kick you out. So, breathe!</li>
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Now, about managing the voices [The voices in our head. It sounds a little bit creepy but it refers to whatever you hear/feel when you take decisions for example]: You have to identify who they are, why they are there, and what triggers them. You need to deal especially with the negative ones. Are they qualified to take up time in your head? If no, prove them wrong. If yes, who says they are qualified and why? Deal with both, and again prove them wrong.</div>
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<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Where to start (Action vs Impact)</b></li>
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Today is DAY 1! Always remember that. Plus, examine your activities, and determine if there is real impact or if you are just "busy". If you are doing 20 projects at the same time and only 4 have an impact, go for the 4. You will feel better. </div>
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<li><b>Calling Time Out</b></li>
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Calling time out might be particularly helpful to:</div>
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<li>Distance yourself from a bad/difficult situation</li>
<li>Review a situation and circumstances objectively and logically</li>
<li>Determine what you should be</li>
<li>Identify key barriers and hurdles</li>
<li>Make your plan</li>
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Reflect on the previous topics and create your own future. Determine what you should be. If you had a blank piece of paper, what would you be? How do you want to feel? Today is DAY 1.</div>
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Stay great! </div>
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Daniella<br />
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<i>Daniella is a Master's student in Electrical and Computer Engineering. One of her dreams is to inspire more women to embrace STEM careers and unleash their full potential. Although she is hardworking and can be very serious, she enjoys comedy and dancing, has a big sense of humour, and believes that a little kindness goes a long way!</i></div>
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<i>@niyodanie</i></div>
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Daniella Niyonkuruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15740305357398942787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-852955729036902191.post-25422762864663769092015-03-11T17:41:00.000-04:002015-03-11T17:41:37.526-04:00Lunch and Lecture with Dr. Angelica LimI don’t know much about robotics. I thought it was still a very futuristic thought, only to be seen in science fiction.
I recently attended the lecture Lunch and Learn with Dr. Angelica Lim. Dr. Lim is a fascinating woman, who greatly represents women in science and technology. Dr. Lim discussed the robotics field, and what is being done to progress into the future.
Dr. Lim showed us the robots that are currently being sold to the public in Japan, Pepper the robot. Pepper is a companion robot, who socializes with people who may have trouble interacting with others. I didn't realize how sophisticated the robots we have are, I imagined a very skeletal form, so this was eye opening for me.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;"> Picture of Pepper the robot, taken from </span><a href="https://www.aldebaran.com/en/a-robots/who-is-pepper" style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;">Aldebaran</a></td></tr>
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The topic Dr. Lim talked mostly about was how her team was trying to teach robots emotional intelligence. They want to create robots that can be expressive, so being “robotic” doesn't mean “lack emotion”. One way they are accomplishing this is by using similar techniques that mothers use to teach their babies.
The other topic that was discussed was how Dr. Lim ended up in this field. She never thought of herself going into robotics initially. Then she did a Co-op term in Nice designing water robots. She also participated in exchange research project in Japan. For more information about the exchange in Japan, <a href="http://www.ca.emb-japan.go.jp/canada_e/MEXT/">Click Here</a>.
This lecture was really informative for me. I found out that we are farther along in robotics than I initially thought. Dr. Lim has also taught me that you never know where you will end up in your career.
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Bronwyn is a second year Software Engineering student. When she isn't studying, she is either reading books or playing video games. She loves Star Wars.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733743394474523862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-852955729036902191.post-30587206610571130132015-02-12T13:38:00.002-05:002015-02-17T14:08:52.569-05:00Feel Good Tips and TricksHey everyone!<br />
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I hope you are all surviving your midterms.
The “Feel Good” week we had early this February (along with my own battle with the sudden flood of midterms and labs and assignments) has inspired me to do a little segment here on mental health. Hopefully my experiences and advice I have received will give you some ideas on how to keep a positive mental health and de-stress a bit with the university lifestyle.<br />
So here are my tips on how to keep feeling good and managing the stress of your hectic life:<br />
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1) Think positive!<br />
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For me this is definitely the most important advice I can give myself in regard to maintaining great mental health. It is so easy to get swept up in all the negatives. If you are anything like me, you are constantly thinking about what you have to do when you get home and how you have all these deadlines piling up and you realize one day that the only conversations you have had this week were competitions with your friends about who is the busiest. And once you’re in this dark hole, it can be hard to get out. But try to focus on the little things, like how pretty icicles are when the sun shines through them, or the fact that your prof wears colourful patterned socks every day. If you can’t think of any, try looking at Neil Pasricha’s blog of 100 awesome things to get the mental ball rolling. Try to frame your thoughts in a positive light and remember that all of your hard work here at Carleton is getting you an amazing education that you will one day use to change the world!<br />
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2) Do something you enjoy doing.<br />
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For me, it’s ballet. I definitely feel better after every ballet class. Pick something that you really enjoy doing, no matter what it is (even if it is weird, like yodeling). Do something that makes you feel absolutely alive every time you do it. And I know, you’re busy, but try to take an hour or two a week. You will be doing what you love and helping your mental health at the same time! Hint: if you find a club or society that does what you love, you can be doing something you enjoy for you and your mental health AND beefing up your co-curricular record or meeting your semesterly quota for school involvement.<br />
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3) Get moving!<br />
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We all know we need to exercise and that exercise helps us maintain our physical health. But there has been a tone of research done recently that shows that physical activity is crucial for good mental health as well! Exercise helps relieve your body of all the stress hormones it’s been building up. And who doesn’t want the totally amazing endorphin high you get after a good workout? (It’s like drugs but legal! And free!) If you didn’t get a change to go to our CUWISE Commit to Me super fun fitness classes, you can ask our very own Alicia Gal for some cool exercises you can do at home any time. On top of keeping you fit, regular exercise helps you sleep better, focus more, and gives you an outlet for all of your stress and energy.<br />
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4) Stay social<br />
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Being around others always helps me feel better after a long night of studying. And spending time with my best friend or my boyfriend gives me a chance to have a laugh, unwind, and forget about school for a little bit. You could be surprised at how much good a monthly girls’ night out can do. What fun is university if you don’t go to the occasional party and dance it up?<br />
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5) Go outside<br />
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I know its winter. And some days its so cold I lose feeling in my face within two minutes of being outside, but leaving the tunnels for a few hours at a time could be really great for you. Tip: study somewhere with lots of windows and LOTS of sun. It is finally starting to get sunny again, so grab your books and head over to somewhere on campus with a great view of the river (like the Timmies in River. Haha). It has been shown that spending even a couple of minutes in nature increases people’s positivity and decreased their stress levels. So go take a minute out of your day and look at trees. It’s also really cool to see how the water flows through the half-frozen –over river next to campus.<br />
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I know some of these points have been obvious, but it is always good to remind ourselves of what we can do to keep ourselves happy, healthy, and stress-free.<br />
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Hint: to get the most mental wellness bang for your buck (and by buck I mean time), combine a few of the tips above into one great activity! For example, I use ballet to work my body, and do something for myself that I love doing. Or you can do yoga and meditation to get moving and to bring yourself to a more positive mental state.
Whatever it is that you do, remember that it is just important to maintain our mental health as it is to keep ourselves in good physical health. ANY effort towards a less stressed you is great.<br />
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And don’t forget to HAVE FUN!<br />
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-Sarah<br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><i style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Sarah is a second year student in Carleton's Neuroscience program. When she's not cramming all of science into her brain she likes to watch cartoons and YouTube videos of people playing weird video games.</i></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><br /></span></span></span>Sarah Kealeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17090879783338895444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-852955729036902191.post-90411366647975553622015-02-09T09:00:00.000-05:002015-02-09T09:00:01.137-05:00About Tech Interviews<div style="text-align: justify;">
If you are interested in working for top tech companies such as Google, Apple, Microsoft, or Facebook [Don’t you dare to say that you are not good enough!], you will probably have to go through a technical interview [ Read <a href="http://www.piexposed.com/dud-coder-elimination-why-technical-interviews-matter/" target="_blank">here</a> why Technical Interviews Matter]. On another note, the good news for us women is: the majority of companies are interested in increasing diversity and recruiting women! So, go for it! </div>
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Now, the very first step (before getting to the tech interview) is usually the screening interview where you talk about your previous experiences, points mentioned in your resume, and your goals. If you want to get to this step, I would advise you to make sure your LinkedIn profile is always updated [An outdated profile might scream that you are not interested], check out hiring events happening next to you, always have a resume if you are going to conferences or similar events …. In few words: put yourself out there and give recruiters the chance to find you (or go after them)! <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Google-Resume-Prepare-Microsoft-Company/dp/0470927623/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1401682265&sr=1-1&keywords=The+Google+Resume" target="_blank">The Google Resume</a> by Gayle Laakmann McDowell [An online version is available via Carleton Library] is a good resource to refine your resume. You should also consider the <a href="http://www.carleton.ca/cc/" target="_blank">Co-Op and Career Services</a> [They have an interesting <a href="http://carleton.ca/cc/career/career-blogs/" target="_blank">blog</a> too]. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh93cO5Av_2XSWpYj_vbH4XONrrIuuElF-zSpZcZjC-CRrOEr1Eui2gLqIQuPwER6Iq4h_wI800CqQY2_fM7Ii2wWBfF3ILP9XKJ3szuN-FGvqEHqqrwjsV5GRF29xZAD4A4h5zKc5fQtA/s1600/EinsteinCoding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh93cO5Av_2XSWpYj_vbH4XONrrIuuElF-zSpZcZjC-CRrOEr1Eui2gLqIQuPwER6Iq4h_wI800CqQY2_fM7Ii2wWBfF3ILP9XKJ3szuN-FGvqEHqqrwjsV5GRF29xZAD4A4h5zKc5fQtA/s1600/EinsteinCoding.jpg" height="168" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From <a href="https://www.palantir.com/2011/10/the-coding-interview/" target="_blank">Palantir - The Coding Interview</a></td></tr>
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Once you pass the screening interview, a first technical interview will be scheduled. The number of rounds of technical interviews varies depending on the company you are applying for. The following resources are among the most recommended:</div>
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<li style="text-align: justify;"> <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Cracking-Coding-Interview-Programming-Questions/dp/098478280X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1401681843&sr=1-1&keywords=cracking+the+coding+interview" target="_blank">Cracking The Coding Interview</a></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Programming-Interviews-Exposed-Secrets-Landing/dp/1118261364/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1401681801&sr=8-1&keywords=Programming+Interviews+Exposed%3A+Secrets+to+Landing+Your+Next+Job" target="_blank">Programming Interviews Exposed</a> </li>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">These books cover the must-knows and provide examples. They basically go through behavioral questions (these are more general and about you as a person) and coding/technical questions. </span><br />
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Here are few advices I got from my own experiences and from people who had tech interviews: </div>
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<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Prepare Prepare Prepare</b> ….Study Hard! [If you fail to prepare, be prepared to fail!] In fact, you should start preparing way before hand, as soon as you know you want to work in a top tech company.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Practice writing code on a paper or a whiteboard</b> [It’s harder than you think! We become so used to IDEs that we don’t realize how much we rely on them]. So write your code on paper, then type it in your IDE and see if your program compiles. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Find lots of practice interview questions and solve them</b> [The above resources are a very good start]. Don’t memorize common examples, make sure you understand them. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Review relevant course materials</b>. It might be Digital Systems Design, Data Structures, OO, … </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Don’t panic!</b> Remain calm during the interview and solve the problems you are given. The interviewers are not against you, they want you to succeed and want a pleasant interaction. So, be genuine. If it’s a phone interview, tell your interviewers everything you are doing and your thought process. </li>
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Be sure to check out <a href="http://www.careercup.com/" target="_blank">CareerCup</a> and <a href="http://www.glassdoor.ca/index.htm" target="_blank">GlassDoor</a> to know what previous interviewees have experienced, and what kind of questions they got. </div>
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Now, here comes the bad news: Studies show that there are subconscious, unintended biases - all else being equal, on average men will get a higher rating. On the Feminine / Masculine communication style, women are likely to show less confidence and understate achievements. Be aware of that! </div>
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Also, know that if you fail, it’s not the end of the world! Get up, analyze where and why you failed, and be busy getting better. Failure is an option, but fear is not! Some people even turn their failures in interesting blog posts. Here is <a href="http://www.globalnerdy.com/2013/10/19/i-has-the-dumb-or-how-i-embarrassed-myself-in-my-interview-with-google/" target="_blank">an example</a> that unexpectedly turned out well after failing the interview. On the other hand, if you succeed, it’s great! Get ready for the next round, do a retrospective of your first interview and work on your weaknesses.</div>
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Stay great! </div>
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Daniella
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<i>Daniella is a Master's student in Electrical and Computer Engineering. One of her dreams is to inspire more women to embrace STEM careers and unleash their full potential. Although she is hardworking and can be very serious, she enjoys comedy and dancing, has a big sense of humour, and believes that a little kindness goes a long way!</i></div>
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<i>@niyodanie</i></div>
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Daniella Niyonkuruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15740305357398942787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-852955729036902191.post-86698382012673694742014-12-16T19:08:00.000-05:002015-02-17T14:09:51.557-05:00Changing Degrees<div style="text-align: justify;">
Most students applying to university don’t really know what they want to do later in life. Students sometimes take gap years to learn more about themselves, or take a general first year at university to see what different fields exist. All of this is normal, and you should not feel ashamed if this happens to you. My journey to where I am now was long and I wished I talked to more people about it so that I could make an informed decision.</div>
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I have always been good at math and science, so I was told that I should be in engineering or a related field. I didn't really bother researching what engineering was, and decided to apply for the most difficult sounding engineering there was, Aerospace Engineering (do not do this, always do research).</div>
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During my first semester of engineering, I hated it. It wasn't what I expected, so I decided that I would switch my major. At first I thought I would go into a different type of engineering and Sustainable Renewable Energy Engineering sounded intriguing, as I always had a passion for helping the environment. As the year went on, I decided to leave engineering altogether. So, again without researching or consulting any of my friends or professors I switched into business for my second year. </div>
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During my year in business, I felt many different emotions. It was quite a change from engineering, and I didn't know how I felt about that. The classes, for the most part seemed easier, which was not as challenging as I had wanted. The one reason I chose engineering is I didn't like group projects or presentations. Guess what business is full of? Group projects and presentations. I couldn't stand it. I also had a hard time making friends; most of my friends were in engineering, so we had differing workloads. I knew business was not right for me. </div>
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At this point I had a difficult decision to make. I knew I would be really behind if I switched again not to mention the additional financial strain. I decided to go to the Student Academic Success Center, which has career counselors, and they really helped me. If you are thinking of changing your major, I would highly recommend talking to as many people as possible before you do so. You could just be having a rough time and you don’t want to make any rash decisions... like I did.</div>
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After lots of contemplating and weighing benefits, I decided to switch back into engineering but in a different stream. I am now in Software Engineering and am loving it! It isn't the same as other types as engineering, which fits me perfectly. Software Engineering has a wide range of opportunities, which I am really attracted to. I find it fascinating that you can make your own tic-tac-toe game with the computer playing the opponent! I find the main differences (so far) between aerospace and software engineering, is the lack of Mechanics and related courses. I remember taking that in my first year of engineering, and I realized that being in aerospace, I would typically be doing work related to that. I enjoy that I can still be in engineering, and that my lack of interest in mechanics doesn't change that. </div>
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It took a lot of time to find where I belong and I still have lots of decisions to make such as, what parts of software engineering I am most interested in, but what's important is that I am now sure of my choice of major.</div>
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If you aren't happy in your current major or are looking to make the right choice the first time around my advice to you is this: talk to as many people as you can, go see a guidance counselor, talk to professors and students that are in the fields that you are interested in, do research and gather as much information as you can. You may have misconceptions about certain fields but you won't know until you investigate. If you want to do something but are worried that it will be a set back, go for it anyways! You decide what you want to do and no one else. It may take some time to find out where you belong but time doesn't matter, do whatever makes you happy! Most importantly, don’t let people tell you what you would be good in, make the decision that is best for you.</div>
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<i>Bronwyn is a second year Software Engineering student. When she isn't studying, she is either reading books or playing video games. She loves Star Wars.</i></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13733743394474523862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-852955729036902191.post-43003942991513647582014-12-15T12:51:00.001-05:002015-02-17T14:18:46.299-05:00Useful Study Tips for Exams<div style="text-align: justify;">
It's that time of the year again ….. caffeine filled nights getting ready for exams. I know that this subject may be overdone, but I've decided to summarize a few tips to make this month a bit easier for you.</div>
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The first piece of advice that anyone will tell you is to pay attention in class, take great notes and start studying really early in the semester, and not at the last minute. If you are anything like me, that is never going to happen... so, I'll move onto some more useful ideas (If my mother is reading this, I am clearly lying and do all of the above).</div>
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I'll start off with my six general steps and then a few specifics tricks that may prove to be helpful. Overall, stress is the worst thing for exams so positive thinking, lots of sunlight and chocolate are a great way to start.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/dr-mike-hart/</i></span></span><br />
<span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>8-reasons-to-sleep-more_b_3641933.htm</i>l</span></span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"> 1. SLEEP</span></b>
First thing first, sleep! I know, I know, everyone tells you this but I bet you ignore this every year. Two hours of studying when you're exhausted will do more harm than good! This is because you'll be even more tired the next day, and will remember very little of what you studied. Studies show that students should get 8-10 hours of sleep every night. But, if that's not possible, I'd recommend at least 6 hours of sleep. On that note, don't take this as an excuse to sleep the day away (I have been guilty of this). </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">2. CLEAN AND ORGANIZE</span></b><br />
I'm well aware that this can be both a foreign notion to some of you and a way to procrastinate for others, but it is important! Before you start the never-ending studying session, clean your work area. Declutter, hide the distractions (including your phone), remove any dirty dishes, and give it a quick wipe down and vacuum. This won't take long but it can make all the difference. Please, do not turn this into a three hour cleaning session (or a three hour session of thinking about cleaning).
Something else that I find useful, is making lists (I might be addicted) and plans. Make a quick outline of a study plan for the 2-3 weeks of you have left (or more if you're lucky) before exams. Separate the days into hours for specific course subjects, rest, work, etc. You should also make a quick plan for each day of study right before you start that day (ex. get through ch.3-5 of mechanics for today). This will give you a goal to achieve and make it easier to stay on track.
Note: DO NOT be like me and spend hours doing this while achieving nothing on the lists. </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">3. STUDY GROUP</span></b>
As an antisocial and extremely awkward person, this is a hard concept for me to grasp but it really is worth it ; join a STUDY GROUP. Study groups will give you a bit more structure, motivation and focus while you study. It's also great because you can ask your peers for help when you need it and you can help them when they need it. Teaching other people is a great way to cement the knowledge in your brain and ensure that you understand the material. Try to ask some friends or people in your tutorial classes to form a group. In the case that you cannot find a group, remember you always have your TAs and professors that you can go to ask any questions. Also, give yourself or a group of invisible people (I know it sounds silly) a presentation on a topic that you just finished studying. Go full out; diagrams, talking out loud, writing down notes, etc. This will honestly help in the long run.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://www.pak101.com/c/funnypictures/view/12410/Funny/Group_Studies</span></i><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">4. BREAKS</span></b>
Breaks are very important to take or you'll burn out and you will not retain as much information. Taking breaks will improve performance, relieve stress and increase your overall well-being. The research differs in terms of the agreed length, frequency, and number of intervals a person should take a break for that will be most beneficial. I personally like to study for long periods of time (roughly two hours) and then take a 30 minute break. In reality a thirty minute break every two hours may be too long of a break, but it’s what has worked best for me.
Another great idea which has been instrumental in my studies has been to create a study music playlist. Create the playlist for the length of time you intend to study for and turn it on shuffle. When the playlist ends, you know that it's time for a break without ever having to look at the clock (try not to spend time watching the time on the clock). Also, try not to pick music that will distract you. Ideally, choose music that is instrumental or calming, but make sure to pick something you like. I personally love classical music, orchestra music and soundtracks (they're not necessarily calm but at least you don't get distracted by the music too much).</div>
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5. DANCE PARTY</span></b>
This brings me onto my next subject; what to do during those breaks. Have a dance party! Put on some fun music and just start dancing (don't worry if you can't dance, this is why you do this in private). You may think I'm joking but I'm very serious and expect to see a lot of dancing students once this trend catches. It's a great stress reliever; a quick way to loosen up your stiff joints and a great way to have your endorphins released. Doing some exercise and going outdoors are another way to achieve the same benefits. Unfortunately, in the real world (in Canada), there's already snow on the ground, and no one in their right mind wants to go freeze their behinds off for fun. If you do, good for you; but for the other lazy and winter hating people like me, just dance! It's the best workout to quickly get your heartbeat going (I may be lying) but don't worry about technique since you're not getting in shape or showing off your dance moves, you are just shaking some stress off.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">6. CAFFEINE</span></b>
Depending who you ask, this can be a good thing or a bad thing. On a realistic note, it's impossible to get through this without caffeine (if you can, I hate you) and it really should just be accepted. My only note of advice is to try and avoid it at night since sleep is more important and cut down on the caffeine when you start getting the shakes. Honestly, what you eat and drink is purely up to you and I know it is hard but eating healthy can go a long way for your energy levels and retention abilities. So remember moderation and even though caffeine may be one of my food groups, I don't have a drastic increase in my intake. Plus, remember to drink plenty of water.</div>
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Ok, now that you've actually read through the six steps (or scrolled pass), you deserve to know the true secret of my success during exam period (not really a secret).</div>
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<b>PRACTICE </b><br />
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All subjects are different and need to be studied in a different way but in general, science and engineering courses are all about practice. Reading through your notes isn't very helpful once you get to the exams. The only way to prepare is to actually solve or work through the questions (over and over again) until you truly understand how to get to the answer and what to do in all possible scenarios.</div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><u>HINT#1</u>: My solids II professor gave me this particular word of advice: once you've done a question, do it backwards. Professors like to be sneaky; they won't give you a question in the same format that they've shown you in class. If they always give you A and B to get to C, make sure you can get to A with B and C. It adds more work but is probably the best advice I've ever received; you'll get more comfortable (and therefore confident) about the theories and equations.</i> </span></div>
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<b>VISUAL, AUDITORY, PHYSICAL</b><br />
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We all learn in different ways and you should concentrate on which way is best for you. So you can rewrite your notes, or read your notes out loud, or do some sort of 'short experiment' to demonstrate a concept. Anything that helps is great; rereading your notes at a high speed in your head is only useful to a small percentage of people. Try to make studying an interactive activity.
Note: Even if you learn primarily through one method, I'd advise you to use a combination of all three methods.</div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><u><i>HINT#2</i></u>: <i>You will get annoyed, tired and sore after all the studying. Documentaries are a great way to change it up a bit while still learning the material. The documentary won't cover everything you need to know but it is still covering the same topic from a different point of view. Even better, it allows you to take a break from writing and sit on a comfy couch. Remember that it doesn't need to be a documentary (Aircraft Investigations for engineer students, A Beautiful Mind for neuroscience students, etc.).</i> </span></div>
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<b>CHANGE IT UP</b><br />
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Do not get stuck on the same material for too long. Your mind will start blurring all the information together and you'll end up making mistakes and forgetting the material. Do a few hours on one subject and then take a big break (work, school, eating, etc.), when you get back start a different subject or at least study a different section of that subject that is completely different. It will do wonders for you in the end. If you find this hard (I do), switch it up between theory and practical (or books and films, etc.) and you will achieve the same results.</div>
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<i><span style="color: blue; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><u>HINT#3:</u> This may not occur to most people but changing where you study is important as well. Do not study everything all at the same desk; move to the kitchen for a bit, go to the library, sit on the floor. Avoid your bed if possible though studying right before bed and after you wake up has been proven to be helpful at retaining more information * only successful when you're not exhausted*.
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<b>UNIVERSITIES WANT YOU TO PASS</b><br />
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Remember that you're not the only person who wants you to pass the exam. The professors will be available for extra help, and will often provide you a good idea of what to expect on the exam. The university will also help by giving you access to old exams, PASS sessions, workshops, tutors, etc. Utilize the resources available to you because there's a lot more than you may realize. If you don't know where to look on your school's website, don't be afraid to ask.</div>
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<i><span style="color: blue; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><u>Hint #4</u>: Humans, </span></i><i><span style="color: blue; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">including professors,</span></i><i><span style="color: blue; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> are creatures of habit. Complete all the old exams (not just one) you can find (especially those by the same professor) because I can almost guarantee that your exam will be similar. The old exams should be used as a tool, and you should not purely rely on them. Do keep in mind that certain subjects haven't changed in a very long time (ex. calculus) but some subjects change relatively often (ex. computers). </span></i></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">TECHNOLOGY</span></u></b><br />
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My final note of advice is a few ways to use technology to your advantage during study periods. We live in a world where technology proves to be one of our greatest distractions but can also be our biggest help.</div>
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<b>Google</b><br />
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First and foremost, GOOGLE. Never underestimate the power of Google search when you need help. You can find almost everything you'll need but remember to take it with a grain of salt depending on which sites you use. For engineer and science students, you'll find hundreds of videos online with example of questions and demonstrations.</div>
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<b>Self Control</b><br />
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It's hard not to procrastinate and get distracted but there are apps out there that will help. There are a few versions of this idea but one of them is called 'SelfControl', it will block certain sites completely for a set period of time and you will never be able to access them (even if you turn off your computer). Check it out:</div>
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<a href="http://selfcontrolapp.com/%C2%A0">http://selfcontrolapp.com/ </a></div>
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<b>Sleep If U Can</b><br />
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Try some of these alarms clocks if you have trouble getting out of bed. The first one forces you to do a math problem to turn it off and the second one forces you to take a photo of a specified object (ideally not in your bedroom). There's many more like it; find one that works for you. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.excelsior.alarmclock.math&hl">https://play.google.com/store/apps/detailsid=com.excelsior.alarmclock.math&hl</a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=droom.sleepIfUCan&h">https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=droom.sleepIfUCan&h</a> </span></div>
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<b>Exam Time </b><br />
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My personal discovery of the year that I'm excited for is “ExamTime”! “ExamTime” is an app that will help you study using mind maps, flashcards, notes and quizzes. The reason why it's so great is that it's shared online which means you can look at other people's quizzes and notes as well. As a study group, you can all make quizzes separately (which really does help with your memory) and you can test yourself with their quizzes. Depending on the subject, you can find hundreds (I might be exaggerating) of quizzes/flashcards/etc., that are already completed.</div>
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<a href="https://www.examtime.com/blog/apps-for-students/%C2%A0">https://www.examtime.com/blog/apps-for-students/ </a></div>
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My point is that there's help if you need it, I just listed a few free apps that I know of but there are many others out there that may suit you. Of course, don't let the app be a distraction and don't spend hours looking for the perfect app/site either.</div>
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I hope you can utilize my six steps and tricks when studying for exams, but keep in mind that there are different ways of studying for different formats of exam. So remember to study using different techniques depending on the exam format (ie. Multiple choice versus essay exams).</div>
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Good luck to everyone and enjoy your well-deserved holiday vacation after exams!<br />
-Gabrielle<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: small; text-align: justify;">Gabrielle is a 2nd/3rd year aerospace engineer student. She has a bachelor of science in mathematics and physics from Australia where she lived for four years. She's your typical engineer student; loves the classes (well.. most of them) but spends way too much time playing games instead. Her favorite activity is watching Broadways (even though she doesn't have an artistic bone in her body)</span><span style="color: #0000ee; font-size: small; text-align: justify;">.</span></i></div>
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<br />Gabrielle Sevignyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04158727140703460359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-852955729036902191.post-9338908774255468632014-12-02T23:13:00.001-05:002014-12-03T15:27:05.276-05:00Remembering - 25 Years After the Montreal Massacre<br />
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One day, fourteen lives lost. </div>
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If you have walked through the University Centre at some point this week, you may have seen the names of 14 different women as you climbed the stairs to the atrium. You may also have seen their pictures and names on the wall; you may even have stopped to read a little about who they were. </div>
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Those blurry photographs show the faces of the 14 women killed in the Montreal Massacre twenty-five years ago. On December 6, 1989, Marc Lépine shot and killed thirteen female students and one female faculty member at École Polytechnique de Montreal, home to Canada’s largest engineering program. In the engineering classroom where his rampage started, Lépine separated the men from the women and declared that he hated feminists before he shot nine female students, six of whom were killed. In forty-five minutes, Lépine covered three floors, and entered several classrooms. In addition to the women killed, thirteen people were injured before Lépine took his own life. This event sparked outrage and a national debate about gun control and violence against women. </div>
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In the 2000 block of the Mackenzie Building, there is a bulletin memorial dedicated to remembering the Massacre. I had seen it many times coming down the stairs after tutorials, but I have to be honest and say that I hadn't given the event itself much thought. I felt that it was a horrific and tragic act, but I knew essentially nothing about the particulars of the event itself. This year, I decided to learn more about it and I was surprised by how much I was affected by what I learned. I couldn't help but associate myself with those women. They were female engineering students. I am a female engineering student. I really could not wrap my head around such a thing happening.
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There are many events on campus dedicated to remembering the fourteen women who had their lives cut short, and to honoring the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women (Dec. 6). On Tuesday of this week, a commemorative gathering was held by the Faculty of Engineering. On Thursday December 4, the Womyn’s Centre will be holding a candle light vigil in the Minto/Mackenzie quad (4:30pm), after which they will be showing the film “Polytechnique,” a documentary about the Massacre, at BECAMPS. On Saturday December 6, there will be a community gathering in Minto Park (Elgin and Gilmour) to honor the women killed. The Womyn Centre will have a table on the 3rd floor of the University Centre throughout the week providing information about the commemorative events, the Montreal Massacre itself, and the women who lost their lives as a result. </div>
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If you can, I would highly recommend that you take a moment to research a little about the Montreal Massacre or the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. These are not pleasant things to think about, but they are important nevertheless.
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This post is dedicated to the women who lost their lives so tragically twenty-five years ago, to women who have suffered violence because of their gender, and to those working to end violence against women everywhere. </div>
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- Lauren</div>
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The Montreal Massacre victims:
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Anne St-Arneault, 23; Geneviève Bergeron, 21; Hélène Colgan, 23; Nathalie Croteau, 23; Barbara Daigneault, 22; Anne-Marie Edward, 21; Maud Haviernick, 29; Barbara Klueznick, 31; Maryse Laganière, 25; Maryse Leclair, 23; Anne-Marie Lemay, 22; Sonia Pelletier, 23; Michèle Richard, 21; and Annie Turcotte, 21.
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<em style="text-align: justify;"><em>L</em><em>auren is a second year Architectural Conservation and Sustainability Engineering student. (Quite the title, she knows.) She is a big fan of good food, good friends and good conversation. Her collection of scarves and tea is matched only by the list of places she wants to visit and books she wants to read. She loves ballroom and Latin dancing, and can often be found dancing in the atrium or wherever salsa music is played. She is passionate about improving the lives of women and girls around the world and about encouraging girls to pursue studies and careers in STEM.</em></em></div>
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Lauren Folkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12310563093257843204noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-852955729036902191.post-51816008850986116892014-11-27T01:40:00.000-05:002014-11-27T01:40:42.111-05:00The Path of Science and Engineering!<div style="text-align: justify;">
When I was a kid, I was in Girl Guides. One unforgettable thing I learned at Girl Guide camp when I was ten was a lesson from my leader about why we stay on the path during a hike. She told us that it only takes ten people to walk on a patch of the forest before the foliage there starts to thin out. Now, my leader meant this in a forest-conservation kind of way; but a recent experience made me think of this lesson in a whole new light...</div>
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During my reading week this fall, I volunteered with the Carleton Chapter of Engineers Without Borders (EWB) at a career convention for eighth graders in the city. The convention was meant to give these students an opportunity to learn about different career paths and meet professionals in these fields. At this convention, I was manning (ironic word choice, I know) an info table on EWB with another girl from our Carleton Chapter. Our table happened to be located next to one on masonry, which had an interactive area where students could try their hand at building part of a wall with some bricks and mortar. The girl I was with is an engineering student, but she always loved the trades and working with her hands. She enthusiastically went over to the next table and joined the brick-laying lesson. What happened next made me smile! The masonry booth had been occupied mostly by groups of boys all day. But, as my fellow EWBer scraped around mortar and laid bricks, a few eighth grade girls came over and joined her, and then a few more. These girls seemed much less timid and self-conscious, and more engaged in the lesson than any of the previous solitary girls who had tried the booth earlier that day. All it took was one other girl there, one other person like them to make the girls realize that they could do masonry too, that working with your hands isn't just for boys!</div>
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I know masonry isn't STEM, but the trades are male-dominated fields, just like Science and Engineering. And here is where the forest lesson comes in: Each one of you, a woman in Science and Engineering, can play the same role for young women interested in STEM as my EWBer friend! You would be taking a step off the path into the forest and treading into the foliage! With every woman who does what she loves and pursues a career in STEM, the foliage thins out just a little bit more. With time, the new path becomes easier to find and follow for the next girl. You are one more female face in an engineering class that stops the next girl from thinking "I'm not a boy. I don't belong here". You are the successful older student or prominent figure in your field that reminds those girls in the initial struggles of Science and Engineering that "I can do this!"</div>
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In my Psychology class last year, I learned about how stereotype threat (the fear that if you fail, other people will say you failed because you are part of some minority or social group) can actually make people perform worse and fail more often. It has been said for years that women are not as smart as men and worse at math. This is not true, of course, but it can still trigger stereotype threat in girls and women in STEM; they worry that their failure will be attributed to them being a "dumb girl". Yet, every example they have that contradicts the stereotype, makes the stereotype threat diminish more and more. Every one of you is making that girl less and less afraid of being herself, and less scared of failing.</div>
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That's part of the reason I love Science! It lets me be a role model and encourage tones of young girls to pursue their love for STEM. And this is simply achieved by doing what I love and find SO interesting.</div>
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So stay inspiring ladies and keep treading that widening path through the forest!!!</div>
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-Sarah</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB1oUOorSrTnDBVaBXt_KDDYbm2KIqeH7PuJ_HMFBqPKXsHlSUIea32dphkLqadR8A415ecFb6sNhASQ-PqUm4cOssETq0ixekOrHQmSE1DO8vU8mgGCDSFpnyLWPO0TOutDti7vwjCKE/s1600/sarah.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB1oUOorSrTnDBVaBXt_KDDYbm2KIqeH7PuJ_HMFBqPKXsHlSUIea32dphkLqadR8A415ecFb6sNhASQ-PqUm4cOssETq0ixekOrHQmSE1DO8vU8mgGCDSFpnyLWPO0TOutDti7vwjCKE/s1600/sarah.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB1oUOorSrTnDBVaBXt_KDDYbm2KIqeH7PuJ_HMFBqPKXsHlSUIea32dphkLqadR8A415ecFb6sNhASQ-PqUm4cOssETq0ixekOrHQmSE1DO8vU8mgGCDSFpnyLWPO0TOutDti7vwjCKE/s1600/sarah.jpg" /></a><i></i><br />
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<i>Sarah is in her second year of Neuroscience combined honors at Carleton. She loves introducing young minds to the mind-blowing amazingness of science and encouraging girls and women to be whatever they want to be.</i>Sarah Kealeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17090879783338895444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-852955729036902191.post-85572670715703099652014-10-14T12:46:00.001-04:002014-10-14T12:46:49.427-04:00WISE conversations with inspiring womenBetween chunks of cheese and slices of cake, 25 women swapped career advice at WISE-Ottawa’s opening event at Carleton University on October 1, 2014. First year students mingled with PhDs and industry experts long past 8:00 p.m.<br /><br />The event began with brief presentations by Judith Lockwood, Gina Courtland and Catherine Lemay about their mentors. For the rest of the night the speakers led informal discussions. Here are their thoughts on some of the topics covered:<br /><br /><b>Gender discrimination</b><br /><br />“Ignore it, and if it’s too much to ignore, go through it,” said Gina. She never paid attention to discrimination. If your workplace is not supportive of women, find one that is. <br /><br />One of Judith’s mentors had a different view. According to him, women have an advantage because they exactly know what prejudices they will face at work, an advantage many men don’t have.<br /><br /><b>Jobs in a tough economy</b><br /><br />Judith said that today’s job market is much like the one she faced in the 80s; few jobs in science and engineering and no job security.<br /><br />For job seekers she advised making contacts in your industry, and knowing what you can bring to a company.<br /><br /><b>Mentorship</b><br /><br />Mentorship gives life continuity and direction. Mentors can be supervisors, peers or even family. They don’t need to work in your field, and they don’t even need to be female. “Ironically, I’m coming (to this event) and I don’t have any female mentors” said Judith.<br /><br /><b>Balancing family and career</b><br /><br />Students should consider their priorities before they start their career, advised Catherine. If you want to start a family, look carefully at a job’s benefits such as paid maternity leave and flexible work arrangements. If you value work-life balance, find an employer who does too.<br /><br /><b>Networking</b><br /><br />Everyone knows that networking is important, but not everyone likes cocktails and conferences. Networking just means meeting people, any kind of people. Get involved activities that interest you like volunteering or recreational sports. When you do things you’re passionate about, people will see you at your best. You never know who will be able to help you get where you want to go. <br /><br /><b>Confidence</b><br /><br />“As women, we always want to be liked” said Judith. “You don’t have to like the people you work with, you just have to work with them.”<br /><br />Reflecting on a mentor who ran an interior design firm, Gina said “She was stylish, she was confident, she was herself.” Gina says women should be risk takers, and even a little bit cocky. “You are strong, so be strong.”<div>
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<b>Student Impression</b></div>
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As a student, this event was a great opportunity to speak with women of all ages and interests. It also helped me think about the big picture. For example, what networking can I do at the clubs I already attend? How will children fit into my career path?<br /><br />It was especially comforting to learn that ours is not the only generation to face a tough economy upon graduating. While it was good to get advice from women well into their careers, I also realized the value of networking with my peers. For example, I was able to connect a computer engineering student to a few of my friends who work in her field. It was a great night and I’m eager to attend future Ottawa WISE events.<br /><br /> ___________________________<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">_________________________________________________</span></div>
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<i><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">Amelia Buchanan is a journalism student at Algonquin College with a bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of Ottawa. She’s interested in communicating science to non-scientists. She blogs about urban wildlife at <a href="http://labbenchtoparkbench.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Lab Bench to Park Bench</a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">.</span></i></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13629188417418077008noreply@blogger.com0Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada45.3875812 -75.69602020000002145.3651567 -75.736532200000028 45.4100057 -75.655508200000014tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-852955729036902191.post-16078592840162415872014-09-24T12:12:00.000-04:002015-02-17T14:19:55.908-05:00Hai! Welcome Back!!!<div class="MsoNormal">
Darlings!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
You’re about three weeks in, but welcome back nonetheless.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Whether this is your first year at Carleton or 10<sup>th</sup>
(no judgment here). We hope that you have a productive yet fun year!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Since I have been here<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">
FOREVER, </i>I've complied a list of tips and tricks of the trade (yes I
equated being a student to a trade).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Read your course syllabus… Seriously. All the
important information is on there and it acts a contract between you and your
professor.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Use your TA’s, they’re job is to make sure you
are feeling comfortable with the material. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Use your Prof’s office hours. Again, get
comfortable asking questions.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Attend class. I know this seems like a no
brainer and granted some classes are <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">bruuutaal.</i></b> Try really hard to show
up. Make an effort. I know this goes without saying, but you guys are paying
$500+ per course… Seems like a complete waste if you’re not coming to class or
using the Prof and TA’s<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Keep up with the material. You don’t need to be
making an appearance at a house party every night of the week. You do need to
make an appearance at the library or an equivalent place to get your shit done.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Don’t compare yourself with anyone. We all know
those students….The ones that party all night, don’t show up to class<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(or show up only to fall asleep), that start
their assignments 1 hr before they are due, and that seem to never open a text
book <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">YET </b>the buggers end up with a
fantastic mark… <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<b>They are not you</b>. Recognize and appreciate how <b><u>YOU learn</u></b>. The earlier you
do this the less heart ache and potential awful marks you will experience.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Join at least one “social” group (salsa anyone?)
and one “academic” group (every department has a society, get involved). <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><b>Shameless </b></i>self
plug here, but ahem<a href="http://www.carleton.ca/wise"><b><u> </u></b><span style="color: purple;"><b><u>CU-WISE</u></b> </span></a>is both social (who doesn't love cupcake socials and
movie nights?) AND <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>academic (we have
smart people come in to talk about smart things) .</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">We also are changing the world</b>, seriously. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u>Our outreach efforts over the last 2 years alone has reached more
then 600 girls ranging from ages 10 to 18... </u> #NBD ;)</i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Our members are the absolute best (not biased at all) and
our events are AH-MAZING (again, cupcakes, roller coasters and nonstop giggling, can’t be beat).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Expand your social horizons, get to know people
that are your opposites... Makes for fun evenings<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Pack food. Campus food is …well.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">.. <b>you know...</b></i>(unless you go to Roosters… They’re
all right for certain things). But seriously, pack food or buy granola bars and
stuff them in your locker. Nothing is worse then setting down to study and
being hungry. It’s cruel and unusual punishment. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">10)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Workout</u></b>. I know I knooooow. “Sweating
is sooo awful” (this is the exact statement that my lazy labmate tells me when
we workout... but he’s has a lot of issues we need to sort out) Anyway. Find a physical activity
you enjoy, tennis, swimming, weights, running (barf), yoga etc. Get moving. No
one wants to be out of breath climbing the Uni Center stairs ;)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
I hope I see you folks at our upcoming
events!! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
As always,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
Stay fabulous,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast">
Rim<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
______________________________________________________________________________<br />
<br />
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<i>Rim is an institution within Carleton (that is to say she
has been here for so long that there has been talk to erect a statue in her
honour). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Word on the street is that she’s
“finishing up” her PhD in Neuroscience (don’t ever get her started on her
research, she’s turns into a 12 y/old on a sugar high..it’s terrifying. No one
should be that excited about science). She also happens to be the Science Co-Chair
CU-WISE (or as she calls it THE BOSS OF ALL THINGS), where she spends her time hustling , planning events, motivating
(coughharrasingcough) students and flirting with her Engineering Co-Chair. You
will see her around campus (she lives here) please stop her and say hello. She
responds well to cookies.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05358827545028316081noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-852955729036902191.post-79044486604318426002014-04-02T11:14:00.000-04:002014-04-02T11:14:02.724-04:00Experience : The Measure of Tomorrow<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<i><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="line-height: 21px;">Daniella was part of a delegation of four CU-WISE members who recently travelled to Toronto to attend the 2014 WISE National Conference. In the next coming weeks you'll get to hear from all the delegates. Here are Daniella's impressions.</span></span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">UofT WISE hosted its second National Conference on March 22-23 in downtown Toronto. The theme of this year’s conference was “Experience: The Measure of Tomorrow”. The mission was to provide us with inspiration and direction for leading our lives as we embark upon professional careers. [Aren't you excited about the rest of this post? I bet you are!]. For this post, I decided to take you to the Opening Keynote speech given by <a href="http://www.gecapital.ca/cs/Satellite?c=GECA_WRA&childpagename=Canada/GECA_WRA/Content_1_3_1_2_1_No_Frames&cid=1312483914762&pagename=GST/Dispatcher" target="_blank">Kathy Lee</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Kathy Lee, President & CEO of GE Capital Canada opened the conference with these words “If you’re not failing enough, are you challenging yourself enough?”. She went on and reminded us that we have to make things happen! Failure is an option but fear is not. [Quite a reminder since I (and maybe you do too) sometimes tend to let fear sit in a corner of my mind, but I’m not renting that space anymore!]. We should have a POSITIVE and CAN DO attitude. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">WISENC14 - Opening Keynote</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Now, what are the success factors to effectively gain experience? Her answers were the right environment and the right attitude. </span><br />
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<li style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Choosing a workplace you feel involved in</span></b></li>
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<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Vision</b>: “The only thing worst than being blind is having sight with no vision” Helen Keller </span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Networking</b>: Have Coaches, Role Models, Connections and Sponsors </span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Continuous Learning</b>: Never stop learning! </span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Risk Taking</b>: “The biggest risk is not taking any risk” Mark Zuckerberg </span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Personal Branding</b>: Differentiate yourself. Value what you are good at and have your personal signature. </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Kathy also warned us about the battle that always takes place between our Plan (e.g. I’m going to graduate, have an awesome position, climb the career ladder, have kids by 30…) VS Reality (e.g. You don’t see any career ladder at all. It’s your 30th birthday and you are wondering if the father of your children is lost in another dimension because you have no kids yet). It’s okay if your reality does not match your plan. In fact, nobody has it all figured out and you won’t have all the answers. So, don’t get too attached to your plan and be open to change. We have to learn how to deal with challenges and change. Do not only embrace change, thrive with it! Plus, what we think as failure might <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zSVu76AX3I" target="_blank">not be failure but strength</a>. You learn from every experience you gain and every risk you take. So, be bold, be fierce and be fearless!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Besides, Kathy also recommended to surround ourselves with people who will give good advice (Family, friends, ….)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The President & CEO of GE Capital Canada concluded with these notes : “Keep Calm and Enjoy your Life” and beware “There’s no such thing as work-life balance. There are work-life choices, and you make them and they have consequences” (Jack Welch) [See <a href="http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB124726415198325373" target="_blank">this Wall Street Journal article</a>]</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I really had a great experience at the WISE National Conference and I hope you appreciated your ride to the opening keynote! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Stay great,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Daniella</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheDYCM7tcGSiQJnvbRflNXwM2-yIrLUD-q75JOb9PKoy87uf2on7rXBhUPjjjyOrDv1eEj3gf6GFPtzShAjYq5VNgOalYH2qOSor17WNiEgBzDXz_Us6Awss9hFgZte_VuERDw5M3RFcc/s1600/Daniella_Bio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheDYCM7tcGSiQJnvbRflNXwM2-yIrLUD-q75JOb9PKoy87uf2on7rXBhUPjjjyOrDv1eEj3gf6GFPtzShAjYq5VNgOalYH2qOSor17WNiEgBzDXz_Us6Awss9hFgZte_VuERDw5M3RFcc/s1600/Daniella_Bio.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Daniella is a Master's student in Electrical and Computer Engineering. One of her dreams is to inspire more women to embrace STEM careers and unleash their full potential. Although she is hardworking and can be very serious, she enjoys comedy and dancing, has a big sense of humour, and believes that a little kindness goes a long way!</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">@niyodanie</span></i></div>
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Daniella Niyonkuruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15740305357398942787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-852955729036902191.post-83641840601442497452014-03-31T12:58:00.004-04:002014-03-31T14:44:35.781-04:00Gaining Inspiration from Successful Women at the 2014 WISE National Conference<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<i style="line-height: 23.999998092651367px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 21px;">Francisca was part of a delegation of four CU-WISE members who recently traveled to Toronto to attend the 2014 WISE National Conference. In the next coming weeks you'll get to hear from all the delegates. Here are Francisca's impressions.</span></i><br />
<i style="line-height: 23.999998092651367px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14.44444465637207px; line-height: 21px;">_________________________________________________________________________ </span></i><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">The returns
of a 4-hour train ride along with three other goal oriented ladies as delegates
to the Women in Science and Engineering National Conference 2014 hosted by the University
of Toronto’s WISE chapter at the </span><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">, Toronto
only proved that indeed nothing is more important in life than experience, and truly it is “The Measure of Tomorrow”. The experiences benefited between the
22-23rd of March only reiterated, the quote “Learn what not to do from the
experience of others. It's cheaper than your own” (J. Winter Smith). And for
the organisers, know that the purpose of providing the delegates with
inspiration and direction for leading our lives as we embark upon our
professional careers has totally been fulfilled.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">The
experiences gained from successful women who have strived against all odds to
make an impact in this tidal ocean of voracious challenges, daring obstacles
and unmovable barriers has left an indelible mark filling me with invaluable
experience. They have painstakingly given their time, shared their experiences
with me and now I know.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">From Kathy
Lee, President and CEO of GE Capital Canada, I have learnt to have a vision, to
cultivate good relationships, to strive to continue learning, to be a wise and
articulated risk taker, and have a personal brand. I have learnt to devote
myself to the next idea, to give myself a year to change, survive and thrive
knowing that everything would look similar when I get back. From her
experiences, I now know that in the early stages of my career, when I think it
is not happening I would only be surprised by how much I have learnt and how
many people I know.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">From Lesley-Ann
Scorgie, a trusted financial advisor and best-selling author of ‘Rich by
Thirty’ and ‘Rich by 40’, I have met Oprah Winfrey (Interesting!!!!). I have learnt how to harness my financial
potential by curbing excessive spending, gaining financial literacy, having
good money management skills, and being financially independent by saving
better, spending wisely only on things that grow in value and most importantly,
increasing my income through creative ideas. Now I can follow the right path to
being a self-made millionaire. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">From Swati
Mylavarapu, leading Canadian business growth and development at Square, I know
that the term career path is not expected to be a one way street but in some
cases even a maze-like road which only keeps on unfolding as I met a corner. I
know that only the decision to succeed come what may and make an impact in this
world of ours would in the end propel me to greater heights and navigate me
through the thick bushes of the fierce career circle. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">From Marilyn
Mcharg, President and CEO of Dignitas International, I have learnt that
investing my time in order to reach out to others just as she gave her time to
many souls opening up opportunities to improved health and access to quality
treatment is not only the right thing to do but also because its ripple effect
travels millions of miles all over the world saving lives. I have realised that
rest can only be found when working in saving the lives of people dying
day-by-day from terrible diseases cutting short their lifespan untimely. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">And then it was time to return. "There was no need to cry because the
event was over, rather it was to smile because it happened"</span><span lang="EN-CA"> </span><span lang="EN-CA"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/61105.Dr_Seuss"><span style="color: #181818; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Dr. Seuss</span></a></span><span lang="EN-CA" style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">. Now to me, as all of these women encompassed
in my experience bosom deeply rooted in my fragile framework, and knowing that
“Experience is not what happens to a man; it is what a man does with what
happens to him”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span> </span><span lang="EN-CA"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3487.Aldous_Huxley"><span style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Aldous
Huxley</span></a></span><span lang="EN-CA" style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">, I am back
to my lectures, assignment deadlines and research thesis, with a clear goal and
vision and new pool of strength to strive beyond whatever limit I had set for
myself going beyond borders to explore, impact and most of all have fun as the
best , unbeatable and unstoppable female Systems Engineer the world is yet to meet. M</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">y mind once enlightened by this cannot again become dark (Thomas Paine).</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">I am more
than I was before.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;">_________________________________________________________________________</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 21px;">Francisca F. Adaramola is a Graduate Student in Systems and Computer Engineering at Carleton University. </span></i></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11441451265627465635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-852955729036902191.post-74651430820271337602014-03-04T15:42:00.000-05:002014-03-04T15:42:13.225-05:00Celebrate Yourself - A woman is the full circle. Within her is the power to create, nurture and transform! <a href="http://www.internationalwomensday.com/">International Women’s Day</a> is celebrated all over the world on March 8th. This year, the official theme is “Inspiring Change”. March is also the <a href="http://www.nem-mng.ca/nem/home.html">National Engineering Month</a> and the theme of National Engineering Month Ontario 2014 is ‘Make a World of Difference’! [I bet you guessed where I’m going with this! And yes, I’m very excited about being a woman AND in engineering!]<br />
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I absolutely love that there is a day dedicated to women, and I couldn't help but write a post. As women, we can make a world of difference by inspiring change for more women in science, engineering, and technology. Every time, I hear girls afraid to embrace STEM careers because they might not be good at it [See <a href="http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=109939">myths about girls and science</a>], or because it’s a man’s world [but again as the song says “it would be nothing, nothing without a woman or a girl”], my heart breaks a little. It’s important to close the STEM gender gap [Check out why <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/celia-islam/closing-the-stem-gender-g_b_3779893.html">here</a>]. Here are few 'natural' reasons that show that women have what it takes:<br />
<ul>
<li>Diane MarieChild once said that “A woman is the full circle. Within her is the power to create, nurture and transform”. This is not only valid in the “Carrying babies” context. It also applies to a plethora of domains. Engineering is about creating, designing, transforming what was before into greater things for the humanity welfare. So, ladies … Engineering might turn out to be more natural to us than we think.</li>
<li>Engineering is about using scientific knowledge to solve problems. I find it fantastic to solve problems on a regular basis in a way that might change people's lives [It’s almost like being a superhero]. Again, women also have problem solving skills and love to help others.</li>
<li>Women’s brains do not freeze when they encounter equations or complex mathematical tables and formulas. <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2013/08/29/are_women_bad_at_math_graphs_refute.html">Here</a> are graphs that refute the idea that women are bad at Math.</li>
<li>I could go on and on with arguments but today is about celebrating Women in Science and Engineering! </li>
</ul>
Why is it essential to do so? Because as Women in Science and Engineering, we are going against the stereotypes. We are also the ones responsible of changing implicit biases [Read <a href="http://scieng-women-ontario.ca/en/2014/02/natalies-blog-my-experience-on-gs3na/">Natalie’s blog post</a> and <a href="http://www.nature.com/scitable/content/chapter-8-implicit-bias-18255126">this chapter</a>]. Recent studies indicate that people don’t think implicitly of females being associated with STEM related careers when compared to other careers such as teacher, secretary, etc. These unconscious beliefs or implicit biases may be more powerful than explicitly held beliefs and values simply because we are not aware of them.
We need to remind ourselves [yes, sometimes we hold ourselves back!] and the society that women have a lot to offer and their potential can't be reduced to just sitting and being pretty. As Nancy Rathburn said “A strong woman understands that the gifts such as logic, decisiveness, and strength are just as feminine as intuition and emotional connection. She values and uses all of her gifts.”<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilEtvpB5-ahBHup-ZjZbcWw6-tugttiFM_IS5SzdS8HordeY15IK8NpDIKX0crQGzcCNx5d5t8isTwwxUM5QUJER9rzdK9Fyrga8Kprm7XABNUFCDIn3cdAwQvbUzSe7b8FKnNFho_iYc/s1600/AllTogetherSit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilEtvpB5-ahBHup-ZjZbcWw6-tugttiFM_IS5SzdS8HordeY15IK8NpDIKX0crQGzcCNx5d5t8isTwwxUM5QUJER9rzdK9Fyrga8Kprm7XABNUFCDIn3cdAwQvbUzSe7b8FKnNFho_iYc/s1600/AllTogetherSit.jpg" height="260" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">CU-WISE is celebrating you!</td></tr>
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Being present, leaning in and talking about our experiences as Women in STEM are ways to change these biases and have more girls embrace STEM! We are creating, nurturing and transforming the image of Women in STEM.<br />
So Celebrate Yourself!!! You are inspiring change and making a world of difference!<br />
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Stay great,</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Daniella</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheDYCM7tcGSiQJnvbRflNXwM2-yIrLUD-q75JOb9PKoy87uf2on7rXBhUPjjjyOrDv1eEj3gf6GFPtzShAjYq5VNgOalYH2qOSor17WNiEgBzDXz_Us6Awss9hFgZte_VuERDw5M3RFcc/s1600/Daniella_Bio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheDYCM7tcGSiQJnvbRflNXwM2-yIrLUD-q75JOb9PKoy87uf2on7rXBhUPjjjyOrDv1eEj3gf6GFPtzShAjYq5VNgOalYH2qOSor17WNiEgBzDXz_Us6Awss9hFgZte_VuERDw5M3RFcc/s1600/Daniella_Bio.jpg" /></a></div>
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<i>Daniella is a Master's student in Electrical and Computer Engineering. One of her dreams is to inspire more women to embrace STEM careers and unleash their full potential. Although she is hardworking and can be very serious, she enjoys comedy and dancing, has a big sense of humour, and believes that a little kindness goes a long way!</i></div>
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Daniella Niyonkuruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15740305357398942787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-852955729036902191.post-55188674400710291582014-01-15T20:24:00.001-05:002014-01-15T20:24:56.043-05:002014 - Retrospective and Resolution<div style="text-align: justify;">
A brand new year is upon us! I thought it would only be fitting to write a retrospective post on how my CU-WISE experience has gone in 2013. [Yes, I’m the kind of person who does retrospectives, looks back on events, tracks opportunities for improvements and celebrates achievements!]. So, ladies and gentlemen fasten your seat belts, we are about to time travel!!! </div>
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It all started in September 2013! I was new at Carleton and looking for some extra curricular activities. I've always been interested in encouraging girls in engineering and couldn't resist when I discovered that CU-WISE was looking for volunteers for the <a href="http://cuwise-events.blogspot.ca/2013/09/throwback-kids-activities.html">Throwback Kids Activities</a>. I met wonderful ladies who volunteered as well and the experience was quite memorable. It’s outstanding how little kids can remind you all you love about what you do, and re-sparkle your interest. I was in charge of the Snap Circuits activity [By the way, I still can’t believe that Santa never got me one of those electronic snap circuits!] which is a great and fun way to learn about electronics and get a working project (From adjustable light control to FM Radio).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-AkN4I2nwT4RQmrGp2_Nq2laONzzGUNUqhUUpXx-E3RUWgDeP4eJxxYqYtRoC0vpBxbjagP8Se-VHYoZDzyoUAsW06L_ZLivogvlSgmuNEZFVpNpvRqR5oJZ_IfhMBfDGYUbfgNJJF84/s1600/IMG_1220.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-AkN4I2nwT4RQmrGp2_Nq2laONzzGUNUqhUUpXx-E3RUWgDeP4eJxxYqYtRoC0vpBxbjagP8Se-VHYoZDzyoUAsW06L_ZLivogvlSgmuNEZFVpNpvRqR5oJZ_IfhMBfDGYUbfgNJJF84/s1600/IMG_1220.JPG" height="200" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Testing her flying saucer, Snap Circuits at the Throwback Kids Activities</td></tr>
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<a href="http://cuwise-events.blogspot.ca/2013/09/go-eng-girl.html">Go Eng Girl</a> took place shortly after. We had girls in grades 7 to 10 come to learn more about engineering. This event included hands-on design projects.This time, I was leading the Scratch team. <a href="http://scratch.mit.edu/">Scratch</a> is a tool developed by MIT that uses simple blocks and offers an easy way to learn programming. For this activity, we asked students to implement their own interactive story/game. Again, young minds amazed us with creative ideas and projects.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhegY9MUqS4IdAWmdfLb0eULd6T-vYyTDb89_CR6VHt9peqFI2xTp_JUsPKz-wcmmgpi8IBQhRmZXhuervrbB9mga-9PWwiHil2knS8zrJPfrBbepF0ydjbvZqTi8wOmvfMvd3O08glJjk/s1600/Amazed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhegY9MUqS4IdAWmdfLb0eULd6T-vYyTDb89_CR6VHt9peqFI2xTp_JUsPKz-wcmmgpi8IBQhRmZXhuervrbB9mga-9PWwiHil2knS8zrJPfrBbepF0ydjbvZqTi8wOmvfMvd3O08glJjk/s1600/Amazed.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The girl who amazed us all, SCRATCH at Go ENG Girl 2013</td></tr>
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Finally, the <a href="http://cuwise-events.blogspot.ca/2013/12/women-in-research-2013.html">Woman in Research Event</a> was held in mid December. The event invites High School girls to hear from Carleton leading female researchers about what inspired them to go into science and engineering. It’s always awesome to volunteer for this kind of event as you might be inspired along the way. And that’s what happened to me! Every speaker made me realize that we are not fully aware of our capabilities and we have to keep going [Keep in mind that doing it right doesn't always feel like it] :<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnKSyL7XceGPwnKavKjgxDkfmrFloYAWkHol5Ck_QjwlVALYmIAvVmIopx92vggaGYJ4L9OmRq0hETX0MYSvUMLvBgxsBivTZTavzvEIGzBAlQpjXGUVyMvQd9S3OoyYGhyphenhyphenZYt2bMnpzQ/s1600/WomenInResearch1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnKSyL7XceGPwnKavKjgxDkfmrFloYAWkHol5Ck_QjwlVALYmIAvVmIopx92vggaGYJ4L9OmRq0hETX0MYSvUMLvBgxsBivTZTavzvEIGzBAlQpjXGUVyMvQd9S3OoyYGhyphenhyphenZYt2bMnpzQ/s1600/WomenInResearch1.jpg" height="151" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Keynote Speakers, Women In Research Event 2013</td></tr>
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<li>“Engineering is for everyone!” Dr Cynthia Cruickshank</li>
<li>“Education is important and it’s an investment in you!” Natalie Linklater</li>
<li>“I didn’t know that I had that capability! You have to tell yourself that you can do it.” Dr Winnie Ye</li>
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The point : All the presenters turned out to be just as human as you and me! They all faced struggles, doubts and setbacks but kept going and achieved the amazing results that you can read on each biography!</div>
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Along the way, I became more than a volunteer and joined the WISE team. </div>
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So, if you are looking for a resolution for 2014, volunteering for WISE might be a great one! Imagine the university becoming a place where you can inspire, be inspired and leave a legacy… How awesome would it be? </div>
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Happy New Year!</div>
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Stay great,<br />
Daniella</div>
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<i>Daniella is a Master's student in Electrical and Computer Engineering. One of her dreams is to inspire more women to embrace STEM careers and unleash their full potential. Although she is hardworking and can be very serious, she enjoys comedy and dancing, has a big sense of humour, and believes that a little kindness goes a long way!</i><br />
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Daniella Niyonkuruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15740305357398942787noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-852955729036902191.post-30146057646344148562013-11-26T14:46:00.002-05:002013-12-19T11:16:52.909-05:00The power of Thoughts: You can do anything you set set your mind to!I recently attended a lecture on the power of thoughts and I was literally floored [Feels awesome when you have tons of projects]! It’s a subject near and dear to me because it can be life changing. Now, you may already know that you should care about your self-talk. Let me tell you why it’s important, especially for women in science and engineering.<br />
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Few weeks ago, Sheryl Sandberg shared at the <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505263_162-57605683/facebooks-sheryl-sandberg-wed-like-to-be-more-transparent/">CBS This Morning</a> show that "The data says that stereotypes hold us [women] back. The reason girls don't think they're good in math and science is because everyone tells them they're not good at science. Studies show that if right before a math test you tell girls, 'Girls are good at math' or 'Girls do well on the test,' they do better." Of course, people are not always available to tell you how awesome you are and how great you are going to do! That’s why you need to help yourself [and those around you]: Tap your back and convince your wonderful mind that you can do it [exams, projects, whatever awesome dream you have]! You will be amazed at the results.<br />
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Back on my lecture about “The Power Thoughts”, the professor - a well-known engineer - showed us how thoughts are converted to chemical, physiological actions and reactions. The next experiment perfectly proved how thoughts can induce a chemical reaction: <br />
<ul>
<li> Think about a lemon - a sour candy - a green lime </li>
<li> Imagine cutting a wedge of lemon or lime </li>
<li> Imagine smelling the lemon or lime </li>
<li> Take the wedge of the lemon and put it in your mouth. </li>
<li> Chew the wedge of the lemon - the very sour juice of the lemon now comes into your mouth and stimulates your taste buds </li>
<li> Concentrate - close your eyes and don’t block your thoughts - make it a reality for yourself. </li>
<li>You will notice that your mouth became more watery. Salivary glands have responded to the sour taste of the lemon/lime thoughts. QED!</li>
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Don’t let that impostor syndrome fool you! Shut “anti-self” thoughts and shine bright. Success begins in your mind! So, next time negative thoughts creep in your mind, remind yourself (yes, you!) that you are awesome, smart and ready to rock the world! <br />
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Stay great! <br />
Daniella <br />
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P.S.:
Just because I love quotes, here is a related to today’s topic:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_rMj5VKHHHsPzViv5wLg9Zj3yL3AIyafgd1ogdW8LoqwUzxH4NpOeoqEHUMD-YLq_rZxkOjTkn1dXfEXjDPnVibb2HKf-SCU8vrGZz7bnt2dX7V26ic1N85hFSIRIiyQax4Qi2NKIi4s/s1600/GA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_rMj5VKHHHsPzViv5wLg9Zj3yL3AIyafgd1ogdW8LoqwUzxH4NpOeoqEHUMD-YLq_rZxkOjTkn1dXfEXjDPnVibb2HKf-SCU8vrGZz7bnt2dX7V26ic1N85hFSIRIiyQax4Qi2NKIi4s/s320/GA.jpg" /></a></div>
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For more:<br />
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Check out this blog about the power of choosing your thoughts:
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lisa-firestone/choosing-your-thoughts_b_3461686.html">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lisa-firestone/choosing-your-thoughts_b_3461686.html</a><br />
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Also watch the following TED talk to find out how your power posing can boost your confidence. It might help you if you feel nervous every time you have a presentation or an interview ;-)
<a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are.html">http://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are.html</a>
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<i>Daniella is a Master's student in Electrical and Computer Engineering. One of her dreams is to inspire more women to embrace STEM careers and unleash their full potential. Although she is hardworking and can be very serious, she enjoys comedy and dancing, has a big sense of humour, and believes that a little kindness goes a long way!</i></div>
Daniella Niyonkuruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15740305357398942787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-852955729036902191.post-87869159451387328232013-10-10T10:12:00.000-04:002013-10-10T21:12:35.070-04:00GHC 2013 Highlights Reel<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
Since I wasn't able to blog during the conference, I thought I would write a short (actually not that short) highlights reel! Enjoy!<br />
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The opening keynote for GHC was, in a word..no wait. I can't encapsulate this in a word. It needs several. Amazing, Passionate. Thought provoking. Poignant. And every word true. The keynote, by Sheryl Sandberg, and discussion that followed, with Maria Klawe and Telle Whitney, brought a lot of things to the forefront of my mind that I hadn't considered before. And all of them were true. I'd never really thought about why I was one of only four girls (that I knew of) when I started my CS undergrad. In fact, that number soon dropped to 3. </div>
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The speakers really explored deep-rooted biases and stereotypes. There were two things that really stuck with me through this session. The first of these was the analogy of women in the technical field being likened to a race. If a woman and a man were to start a race at the same time, both equally fit, what voices would the hear? Sheryl stated that the man would hear things like, "Good job! You've got this! Great start!". However, the woman would be hearing, "Are you sure this is something you want to do? Should you start a race you won't finish? Is this the kind of example you want to set for your kids?" As the race goes on, these voices get louder on both sides. The man is hearing, "You're doing great! Just a bit farther! You're almost there!". And the woman hears, "Should you be working this much? What about maternity leave? Are you sure this is the field for you?" This lead nicely into the second point that stuck with me--that this bias starts very, very young. Sheryl asked us to think about this scenario: If you go to a park and watch a bunch of children playing, what are the reactions to the children that take the lead? If the child is a boy, a lot of the time the reactions are, "Oh look! How sweet. He's going to be a great leader one day." However, if the child is a girl, the reactions, both from children and adults, is more along the lines of, "You're so bossy!" Why are little boys leaders while little girls are bossy? This story really drove home the point that we need to start fixing these biases, and we need to start doing it early if we want our little girls to grow up and feel like they have a shot at a leadership position. Sheryl told us the next time we saw this happening that we should march right up and go, "That little girl isn't bossy. That little girl has executive leadership skills."</div>
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The second keynote speaker, Megan Smith, was just amazing. She focused on the really cool things that she's been doing lately, and that she did in the past. She showed as that being a woman in this field doesn't always need to be a bad thing. It can be taken advantage of to learn new things and have great opportunities. Just hearing about all the projects she has worked on, and all the projects she still wants to work on, was inspiring. It sounded like she had done more in one year of college than I have my entire academic career! It seems I'll need to set my sights higher.</div>
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There were three panels in particular that really stuck out to me through the conference. The first panel was a, "Quiet Success" panel, which focused on how introverts can be successful and thrive in the extrovert-centred environment of leadership roles. The entire panel was made up of self-identified introverts who were really pushing themselves forward in typically extrovert-dominated roles. One of the things that was discussed was a key difference between introverts and extroverts that I had heard outlined in a TED talk before: where introverts and extroverts get their energy. Extroverts get their energy by being with people and getting hyped up, being alone too often can be stifling for them. However, introverts get their energy by "recharging" with some alone time. They can spend time with people, it just costs us energy to do so, contrary to an extrovert. The panel also emphasized that this wasn't a hard-and-fast rule as everyone can be any mix of introverted and extroverted tendencies. Each panelist outlined some of their coping mechanisms both for dealing with other introverts, extroverts, and being in stressful situations. The one tip that I really loved was something along the lines of, "Love yourself and project that to the world. You don't need to have mountains of confidence, just project that you are okay with who you are, and it will all be fine." This reminded me very much of another TED talk (are you sensing a theme here?) where a woman was talking about the typical advice of, "Fake it 'til you make it." She stated that, instead of faking it until we make it, we should fake it until we become it. That's always stuck with me.</div>
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The second panel that I really loved was the talk by Thad Starner on wearable computing. He walked through a bunch of the wearable computing devices that have been made and research--many of which he has worked on himself, including very early prototypes of a Google Glass like system (spoilers he worked on Glass too). It was amazing hearing the different types of wearable computing that he's been working on both to benefit a typical end user as well as those with special needs. Two of the particularly inspiring projects he detailed were a glove that trained a hand's muscle memory (they used it to teach a hand to play a song on the piano) and the work he's been doing to use wearable computing to help young deaf children, as well as their parents, learn American Sign Language.</div>
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The final panel I'm going to talk about really took the cake for me, as I'm sure many other people would agree to as well. It was the panel by Brenda Chapman, the writer and director of the Pixar movie Brave. And who has worked on just about every other awesome movie from my childhood (e.g., Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Lion King, etc.). She talked about trying to break into and working in a male-dominated field, and some of the key principles she has learned over the years to really help her succeed. One of these was to make the most of opportunities. She outlined how she had been thrilled to learn she had been hired as a novice story artist by Disney after she had graduated from art school. For about three seconds, after which the guy telling her she'd gotten the job said it was because she was a woman, as they needed to really start filling out that quota. She told us how crushed she was, and then her resolution to make the most of it. I loved when she told us that, "It's okay. I have my foot in the door. I don't *like* how my foot is in the door, but it's in the door. Now I'll just work as hard as I can to prove to these guys that I deserve this job. And to prove to myself that I deserve this job." What an absolutely fantastic way to deal with the situation, and what an inspiration. I'm definitely going to be keeping the things she told me in mind as I move forward in my career.</div>
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The final highlight I'll go into detail about was the dancing. I don't know how to explain to coworkers that there was dancing at a conference! And not just one night of it, but two! And it was the most fun I've ever had at a dance in my life. There was just this amazing unself-conscious atmosphere. There was no one there to impress. Everyone was just there to have fun. And boy was it fun! I had a great time dancing with the other girls from the group from Carleton (plus one from Western). We all went in saying we couldn't dance, but I think we had some great moves! I'll have to say one of the most memorable things was watching Telle Whitney not only dancing, but encouraging others to have the time of their lives! And of course, who can forget the dancing dots of the Anita Borg Institute? (I can't really figure out how to explain the dancing dots..perhaps that will be another blog post)</div>
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All in all, this conference made me realize a lot of the things that women in technology have to face. These were things I hadn't previously been aware of so, for me at least, the conference was eye-opening. However, these revelations also made me feel incredibly grateful. It made me realize how lucky I've been throughout my life, as I've never personally experienced these things. My parents have always supported my education and career choices. Every job I've had, everyone around me have been incredibly supportive of the roles that I've filled. In high school, I had an absolutely fantastic female role model in my computer science teacher. I've been very lucky. I hope that conferences like GHC will help make this type of thing more prevalent. I would love it to be a common thing that when women discuss being in a technology-based field, they won't have to have been lucky to have gotten opportunities or to receive support, that it will be the norm. I hope that I'll be able to contribute to making this vision a reality.</div>
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Sorry for the long-winded post. Thanks for reading!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-852955729036902191.post-67389606666429042942013-10-09T20:19:00.002-04:002013-10-09T20:19:25.498-04:00GHC13 RoundupAs usual, I blogged about the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing on my personal blog. And, as usual, it was a fantastic experience! Here's what I wrote about:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://compscigail.blogspot.ca/2013/09/a-preview-of-my-ghc13-grams-house-poster.html">A Preview of My GHC13 Gram's House Poster</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://compscigail.blogspot.ca/2013/08/introducing-ghc13-communities-committee.html">Introducing the GHC13 Communities Committee</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://compscigail.blogspot.ca/2013/09/gearing-up-for-grace-hopper-next-week.html">Gearing Up for Grace Hopper Next Week</a></li>
<li><a href="http://compscigail.blogspot.ca/2013/10/an-exciting-first-day-at-ghc13.html">An Exciting First Day at GHC13</a></li>
<li><a href="http://compscigail.blogspot.ca/2013/10/cs-principles-and-cs-10k-initiative.html">CS Principles and the CS 10k Initiative / GHC13</a></li>
<li><a href="http://compscigail.blogspot.ca/2013/10/computational-art-using-processing-for.html">Computational Art Using Processing for CS0 / GHC13</a></li>
<li><a href="http://compscigail.blogspot.ca/2013/10/why-are-we-still-geeks-correcting-media.html">Why are we still geeks? Correcting media images of Computer Science / GHC13</a></li>
</ul>
Thanks to everyone involved for a great conference, and thanks especially to the awesome students I travelled with!<br />
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<br />Gail Carmichaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14173555781667297996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-852955729036902191.post-62924795412474878802013-10-09T01:10:00.000-04:002013-10-09T01:10:11.734-04:00GHC and Gender Issues<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I remember,
as a child, learning the history of the oppression of women in my country and
that in some countries far away, women were still not accepted as equals. This
made me very uncomfortable and, admittedly a little outraged, but glad that I
lived in a time and place where gender equality was prevalent. As a pre-teen,
however, I learned (to my dismay) that even in my own country, women were still
underrepresented in important fields like politics, science and technology (not
to mention, often paid less than men in the same roles). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I believe
that increasing the number of women in technology (and other important fields)
enriches the field as it introduces new perspectives and talent. In most
systems, diversity increases the quality of the output. Gender diversity in the
workplace is no exception. An increased number of women in computing also
amplifies the voices of women in society, coming one step closer to true gender
equality. The relationship is symbiotic in that the field of technology
enriches the lives of the women involved as well. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">The
Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing puts these gender issues on the
table and actively works to rectify them. It unites women in computing creating
a community that celebrates, encourages and inspires thereby helping to keep
women in computing in the field and encourage outreach. This conference offers
a uniquely welcoming, supportive and fun (ice cream and dancing!) atmosphere,
brilliant academic presentations and discussions as well as informative skill
development presentations. The success stories of how women have leveraged
technology to make an impact are truly inspiring. I would absolutely recommend
this conference to other women in technology and will certainly be attending
again in the future. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-852955729036902191.post-14457742156580223262013-10-07T13:11:00.004-04:002013-10-07T13:11:59.700-04:00Mobile Technology for Sign-Language Communication and Eyes-Free TextingI attended the PhD forum for mobile technology on Thursday morning, and found out about some fascinating research for helping people with deafness or blindness communicate using mobile smartphones.<br />
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Human-Centered Approach to Evaluating Mobile Sign Language Video Communication<br />
Presenter: Jessica J. Tran, University of Washington, Seattle<br />
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Video communication on smartphones require a lot of data and bandwidth, which can be expensive and difficult to get a hold of. When your source of communication is through video sign language and not through just voice-calling, this doesn't seem very fair or accessible. People who are deaf should not have to pay more to have enough data to communicate. Jessica J. Tran's research involves studying how low frame-rates and bandwidth can go before video sign language is no longer intelligible. Volunteers would look at videos of a man signing sentences to them, ranging from 1 to 12 frames per second and varying kilobytes per second. They would then rate the video for intelligibility and answer a question about the sentence being signed. This research could allow companies to use the best combination for intelligibility and price, lowering costs yet still being understandable.<br />
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Perkinput: Eyes-Free Text Entry for Mobile Devices<br />
Presenter: Shiri Azentot, University of Washington<br />
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On iPhone, non-visual text entry is possible, but very slow. The user must hover over the screen and have the buttons read out to them, and then tap again to select the button. This approach is also prone to errors. Perkinput is an application that allows users who know Braille to type quickly and with less errors. On an iPhone, the user calibrates the app by placing down all four fingers, and then types each column of Braille using their index, middle and ring fingers as required. On an iPad, the user can use both hands, one for the first column of a Braille character, and another for the second column; and go even faster. The application combines maximum likelihood and tracking to ensure that it is always reading the right fingers. The application has been successful in testing so far, with faster speeds and fewer errors and a greater rate of improvement over time than voice-over.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-852955729036902191.post-82019446617057286412013-10-07T12:51:00.001-04:002013-10-07T12:51:52.400-04:00How an old, not-so-smart phone can be used for health care in AfricaThroughout the Grace Hopper Celebration, I attended various talks in various realms of study, like new technologies and research, how to make the most of your career, and gender issues. The below talk is definitely one of the more inspirational ones I went to. The speakers really showed how such simple, outdated technology here can be changing lives for the better somewhere else. Below is my summary and impressions<br />
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Talk: "Software and Not So Smart Phones Providing Health Services in Africa BoF"<br />
Facilitators: Charlene Tshitoka and Liandra Bassiane (Thoughtworks)<br />
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Not everyone can afford a smartphone. Most people can't, and in Africa, it isn't really a priority when you can use and reuse a simple phone until the battery completely gives out. Those who want to use mobile technology to improve health care must use simple phone technologies... and it's making a big difference.<br />
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Not-so-smart phones have speech and text; internet and data is expensive. The basic phone is shared in a community, passed down and reused until the phone is completely dead. So how can we use simple SMS messages to improve health care?<br />
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30% of the medication is fake, and thousands of people die each year from counterfeit drugs. How can a consumer pick up medication and be completely sure that this medicine will help them get better? mPedigree (<a href="http://mpedigree.net/mpedigreenet/">http://mpedigree.net/mpedigreenet/</a>) allows users to check the authenticity of their medicine by scratching a one-time-use code on the bottle, texting the code in, and receiving a text back with whether the drug is genuine or not. Pharmaceutical companies pay for this service since they don't want counterfeiters selling drugs under their names.<br />
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Motech (<a href="http://www.motechsuite.org/">http://www.motechsuite.org/</a>) is like an open-source mobile midwife service. Pregnant women can sign up with the service, and receive reminders about their appointments, as well as information about their pregnancy. There is a strong culture and women tend to trust in what their elders tell them. Sometimes what they pass down are little things like, "if you eat too much fruit during your pregnancy, then your child will grow up to be a thief." When the women receive texts and calls from health professionals, they can learn what helps their pregnancies and what hinders it. The service keeps in touch after the child is born, calling and asking after the health of the woman and child.<br />
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In India, millions of women wish to avoid getting pregnant, but they do not have access to effective and affordable methods. CycleTel (<a href="http://www.thoughtworks.com/clients/cycletel">http://www.thoughtworks.com/clients/cycletel</a>)is a simple service provided by ThoughtWorks which sends texts to women informing them about their menstrual cycle using the Standard Days Method. Women can make their own choices about whether or not they want to have children and when.<br />
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There are some problems that arise when considering mobile health options:<br />
Confidentiality. If a phone is being shared, how can we send confidential information? Most services send a unique password during registration, and only the person with the password can access their information<br />
Standardization. There are multiple phone companies, and the application has to be available with every one.<br />
User experience. People need to want to use your application, or they won't.<br />
User adoption. Most people are used to face-to-face communication, but that's not always possible. Usually a trusted health-care workers recommends the application and helps the person register.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-852955729036902191.post-32859921226198116922013-10-06T13:37:00.001-04:002013-10-08T12:33:59.852-04:00Grace Hopper HighlightsWhile the entire experience of Grace Hopper was fantastic, I wanted to take some time to point out some of the talks from the conference that really stuck out in my mind.<br />
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While maybe a bit obvious, seeing <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheryl_Sandberg" target="_blank">Cheryl Sandberg</a> speak was a really inspirational way to start the conference. Her convictions on the topic are so strong it's impossible not to be motivated in her presence. Especially during the panel with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Klawe" target="_blank">Maria Klawe</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telle_Whitney" target="_blank">Telle Whitney</a>; what a wonderful mix of backgrounds and personalities.<br />
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Similarly, while seeing <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megan_Smith" target="_blank">Megan Smith</a> was unexpected, I am grateful I had the opportunity to hear her speak. The work she does with Google is a pretty good definition of "Thinking Big". She covered so many topics in her talk with such enthusiasm and still left me with the feeling she had a hundred more worthy projects she would have loved to talk about.<br />
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If I had to choose just one session that really impressed me, it would have to be the tech speaker <a href="http://physiology.med.cornell.edu/faculty/nirenberg/lab/" target="_blank">Sheila Nirenberg</a>. She presented some work on creating a prosthetic eye for people with degenerative blindness. The technology is amazing, but easy to follow and will improve the lives of millions of people around the world in a tangible way. She has a <a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/sheila_nirenberg_a_prosthetic_eye_to_treat_blindness.html" target="_blank">TED talk </a>about the project which I highly recommend.<br />
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<a href="http://www.cc.gatech.edu/~thad/" target="_blank">Thad Starner</a> did a talk on wearable computing, where we were able to see Google Glass in action. Clearly this is a hot topic and very cool. He also went into some of his other projects, such as teaching and learning ASL through wearable computers which was very interesting.<br />
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The ABIE awards offered me the great experience of being exposed to truly inspirational women of our time. I was especially impressed with the ABIE Change Agent Awards Winners (<a href="http://www.dotrust.org/blogs/news/dotcongratulatesdotrwandacountrydirectorvioletteuwamutaraonprestigio" target="_blank">Violette Uwamutara</a>, <a href="http://www.expatriate.co.za/index.php/articles/38-profiles/66-kc-rottok.html" target="_blank">Shikoh Gitau</a>, <a href="http://pulse.changemakers.com/leaders/2012/08/unoma-okorafor/" target="_blank">Unoma Okorafor</a>).<br />
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One of the most popular talks I went to was <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brenda_Chapman" target="_blank">Brenda Chapman</a>, the writer and director of the Pixar movie Brave. She had the room mesmerized with clips from iconic movies that she was responsible for, including the Lion King, The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast. She definitely had the crowd pegged :)<br />
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One of the smaller talks that left a real impression with me was the lightning talks on career on Friday. While I enjoyed all of the talks, two really stood out for me. Google's <a href="https://plus.google.com/100741774829046962446/posts" target="_blank">Sabrina Williams</a> did a frank talk on Nailing your Technical Interview, which gave great real advice for those stressful situations. Not to be outdone, Microsoft's <a href="http://www.mattwallaert.com/" target="_blank">Matt Wallaert</a> gave a presentation based on<a href="http://getraised.com/" target="_blank"> GetRaised.com</a>, a project he is involved with. Besides his exceptional public speaking skills, Matt offered great realistic advice on how to close the gender based pay gap.<br />
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Finally, I have to mention the 30 minute <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMfELzvXpBo" target="_blank">Remembering Anita Borg Documentary</a> which was shown on Thursday evening. While the movie itself offered insight into Anita's life, we were lucky enough to have several of the people interviewed for the movie have a conversation afterwards. This turned into an open mic for people to share the experiences they had with Anita. It was a wonderful celebration of her life, of which the Grace Hopper Celebration is a product.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-852955729036902191.post-79346902961627875892013-10-03T00:29:00.000-04:002013-10-03T00:29:25.240-04:00Grace Hopper Celebration 2013 Swag InventoryDisclaimer: I did not acquire all available swag, this list comprises the items I was able to grab before my (free) bag started busting at the seams.<br />
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T-shirts (7) - Stripe, Square, Palantir, Athena Health, Bloomberg, FireEye<br />
Water Bottle (3) - Juniper, IBM, Palantir<br />
Sunglasses - Google<br />
Android Puzzlebot - Google<br />
NHL 2014 for PS3 - EA<br />
Make-up bag (2) - NetApp, DropBox<br />
Laundry Bag (2) - eBay, Juniper<br />
Compact Mirror - IBM<br />
Pens (6) - USC Viterbi, BNY Mellon, Two Sigma, Mastercard, Google, Juniper<br />
Sharpie - ThoughtWorks<br />
Pen Screwdriver - Building America<br />
Car Charger to USB converter - Redhat<br />
Ear buds - TeraData<br />
NailFile (2) - JMU, FireEye<br />
Nail Polish - Aruba Networks<br />
Playing Cards - Yelp<br />
First Aid Kit - ACM DL<br />
Screen Cleaners (2) EA, gemalto<br />
Chap stick (2) - NetApp, Yelp<br />
Bottle Opener Key Chain - Airbnb<br />
Outlet to USB converter - Thomson Reuters<br />
Card Holder - Adobe<br />
USB multicharger - Raytheon<br />
Notepads (4) - Thoughtworks, Microsoft, UCIrvine, Bloomberg<br />
Hand Sanitizer - Northrop Grumman<br />
Stickers (many)<br />
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Best: NHL 2014 (EA)<br />
Worst: Un-branded Post-Its (Microsoft)<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-852955729036902191.post-51341749832017208172013-10-03T00:03:00.000-04:002013-10-03T04:02:05.239-04:00Grace Hopper Celebration 2013<p>So great to finally be here at Grace Hopper! I found the talks I attended Tuesday to be very informative personally, while they also raised points that I did not foresee. In particular, the "Preparing for promotion" talk was interesting to me being since I am at the early stages in my career, and I wanted to get more perspectives on the career planning process. </p>
<p>Miche started off with an industry view and went spot on to confirming my hunches, mainly regarding the process and hurdles, while also providing valuable comments from her own personal experience. Her talk was very inspiring, yet practical.</p>
<p>Main takeaways being that you have to figure out what you really want and then start moving towards the goal right away. The path will be riddles with obstacles, be it gaining sufficient and relevant experience for the position/level wanted, and then making a compelling case. <br>
The interesting thing I found was that although companies such Google may have a policy of promoting based on hard proven qualifications, one can ask for the promotion as soon as one feels entitled in order to show willingness to move in that area and to receive feedback. <br>
Another interesting fact was that women sometimes simply do not bring up this topic with their managers, and they would rather move up by moving around, whether in the same company or other.</p>
<p>Julia, the second speaker on this topic, focused more on the research/academia path. I find that as a relatively freshly graduated undergrad, the fact that professors' tenure is not very impacted by their teaching abilities a bit disappointing, although I assumed that for a long time (rant alert). This unfortunately makes professors feel good about being average in teaching, while decreasing the value of an education that students pay for. </p>
<p>Moreover, I had a class, and I am sure I am not alone in this one, where the professor simply uses some slides from the publisher while presenting on a monotone voice, about a topic that he/she has no passion about, thus losing 95% of class participation because people fall asleep. The astonishing fact is that some good students will still do well...and maybe even do research with this professor, of which the research experience is independent of the teaching one. However, for the purpose of higher education, how many potentially good researchers were lost? Seems to me like the educational system performs a bit of self-sabotage. Extrapolating this to the lower grades, the keynote this morning clearly showed that increased interest in even basic courses has a great effect on retention, as her university was able to retain 48% female students in the CS program by making the courses more fun.</p>
<p>Coming back to Julia, she spelled quite nicely the requirements for tenure: high quality papers, strong letters of recommendation, and grants. She also mentions several other pitfalls except the teaching above, such as balancing masters and PhD students, building good relationships and collaborating with others. Her piece of advice for researchers outside of academia was to continue publishing even if the culture at work may not promote it in order to keep options open add far as academia is concerned.</p>
<p>In terms of collaborations and visibility she mentioned that as far as tenure its concerned being the first name on the paper will matter, so publishing individually may be more appropriate in order to make a name for oneself. She also referred to the importance of being timely when submitting papers and grants, as well as collaborating with such researchers. In terms of students, she recommends asking for references from fellow professors about students and to avoid bad students in a graceful manner.</p>
<p>Julia also mentioned a new trend that some people have adopted to ask for early promotions, which reminds me of Miche's comment about reaching out and asking for a promotion when one its due. Communication of caterer objectives is important.</p>
<p>Miche and Julia had both very insightful talks on the topic on promotions and I greatly enjoyed them. As far as the industry goes, one needs to track their progress and broaden their scope as per the "ladder" specifications in the organization while maintaining visibility and incorporating feedback, and as far as academia/research goes high quality papers backed by good collaborations, and strong reference letters backed by good relationships, are very important for a tenured track.</p>
<p>If you want to see my notes from the session, check out the conference notes wiki:<br>
http://systers.org/wiki/communities/doku.php?id=wiki:ghc:ghc13:ghcbloggers</p>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-852955729036902191.post-46634565367439667142013-10-02T23:57:00.000-04:002013-10-03T00:02:57.618-04:00GHC 2013 Day 1Today I spent the entire day with females. I don't think this rare phenomenon has occurred since I was a pre-teen. Certainly not since university. Not to say that I'm not extremely appreciative of my wonderful male friends, but it was so refreshing to hang out with only women for once. And fantastic, brilliant women at that. As a woman in Computer Science, it's easy to get used to always being around men. I can honestly say that I'm usually even more comfortable with men because that's simply my typical environment. It was definitely a treat to be reminded today of how nice it can be to be surrounded by women.<br />
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Aside from the pleasant "culture shock", as I will call it, so many other great things went on at the convention centre today. I was extremely impressed by variety of topics covered. From gender equality and women empowerment to leadership/research/publishing skills to straight up academic content, especially in the poster session. The poster session was actually a great academic networking opportunity. It was easy to find people that were interested in and working on things similar to myself, and I did make some awesome connections during the session. </div>
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The career fair was amazing. I learned about so many interesting companies that I didn't know existed, and visited big name companies that everyone knows exists (Google, Facebook...). And let's be honest, the swag was pretty fantastic (see for yourself in Bridgette's post which she will be posting later tonight).</div>
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Looking forward to another exciting day tomorrow!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0