From Academia to Cisco: How I’m Impressed and Empowered as a Girl in Tech

Graduating with my Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and securing a post-doctorate place, I used to be effectively on my approach to staying in academia and turning into a professor. After a 12 months into my post-doctorate, I spotted I sought one thing past the satisfaction of publishing in scientific journals and peer recognition. I discovered myself standing at a crossroads, considering my subsequent transfer. That’s when an thrilling alternative at Cisco arrived. The place — Wi-fi System Engineer — appeared tailor-made completely to my educational background. So, I made a decision to take a leap of religion.

As quickly as I joined Cisco, I immersed myself within the cutting-edge realms of safety, networking, and wi-fi communication applied sciences. On daily basis is intellectually stimulating. I’m surrounded by sensible friends who encourage me to be taught and develop. The collaborative spirit right here is infectious and fuels my ardour for skilled improvement. Regardless of being comparatively new to the corporate, I’ve had the prospect to contribute to numerous high-impact tasks, from indoor location providers using the most recent ultra-wideband expertise to Automated Frequency Coordination (AFC), OpenAFC, tapping into potentials of 6 GHz band spectrum for Wi-Fi, FCC radio rules, and I’ve even been given an unbelievable alternative to use my experience in AI and machine studying to the event of Wi-Fi 7 merchandise. The work I’m a part of is making wi-fi extra accessible for all. I get to use my data in tackling real-world challenges, discovering nice achievement in remodeling my concepts into merchandise that affect folks’s each day lives. Seeing my efforts make an actual distinction exterior a college or lab is actually rewarding.

I’ve felt Cisco’s unwavering dedication to private {and professional} progress since my first day. Right here, each particular person shouldn’t be solely valued, however celebrated for his or her distinctive contributions. Our leaders are devoted to recognizing every particular person’s distinctive strengths and try to match tasks with our superpowers, guaranteeing that every certainly one of us has the chance to shine in our roles. At Cisco, this range and inclusivity is the cornerstone of our collective success. It was additionally evident from the beginning of the onboarding course of after I noticed all of the wonderful Inclusive Communities you might be part of, like Girls of Cisco, which I instantly joined. As a lady in tech, discovering a office that actually champions the presence and development of girls has been important for my profession contentment. At Cisco, I don’t simply really feel like an worker. I really feel like a part of a supportive group.

After a while in my position, I questioned tips on how to acquire extra visibility for my work. With Cisco being such an enormous firm, I needed to learn to navigate the company panorama and attain new heights in my profession.

So, I joined the Govt Shadow Program, a novel Girls of Cisco initiative tailor-made to its feminine and male ally members. I matched with my government, and she or he invited me to hitch her at certainly one of her offsites, the place I noticed how she managed her day-to-day duties for a number of days. We had nice conversations. She listened to my issues and gave me recommendation on navigating powerful conditions and reaching my objectives.

Shadowing her was an eye-opening expertise, offering precious insights into management communication, decision-making in unsure circumstances, and the profession trajectory of our leaders. If you see feminine leaders who began the place you probably did, took a path like yours, and confronted comparable challenges, it provides you energy and evokes you to do the identical factor. The networking alternatives exterior my quick crew have broadened my horizons and enriched my skilled community, and I proceed to attach with my government mentor recurrently. Due to this invaluable expertise, I higher perceive how completely different organizations work internally and in reference to others at Cisco.

As I replicate on my journey at Cisco to this point, I’m stuffed with gratitude for the alternatives, assist, and progress which have come my means. This isn’t only a job — it’s a satisfying journey the place day-after-day brings new challenges and alternatives to be taught and develop. With an organization tradition that nurtures range and inclusion and fosters skilled improvement, I’m excited to proceed down this path and see the place it leads subsequent. Right here’s to navigating new horizons and embracing the infinite prospects that lie forward.

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