International Women's Day Challenge! 👀

One of the things I was the most scared of that I've overcame was being President of Women in Science and Engineering at York University.  Initially, it was a daunting task to manage a team of 30 executive members for a community of over 500 members, as someone who hadn't tangibly lead a team of this scale before.  It felt almost like running a small company, as I needed to conduct interviews, assign teams and tasks, plan out events, coordinate with external clubs and companies, book spaces, manage finances, respond to emails, maintain our online presence and more!  However, this experience really was integral in enhancing my management, leadership and entrepreneurial skills which are transferrable and will be very helpful in the rest of my career!

Embarking on a technology career in the oil and gas industry immediately after university was both challenging and transformative. As one of the few women on-site and the sole IT professional at an oil refinery, I initially faced apprehension about navigating a male-dominated, 24/7 industrial environment. Through dedicated training, mentorship from experienced colleagues, a commitment to understanding refinery operations, and an attitude of never giving up, I overcame my fears—whether it was being the only woman in the room or grasping complex site functions. My career journey underscores the importance of resilience, continuous learning, and the invaluable support of mentors in breaking barriers and thriving in unconventional roles.

Recognizing that mastering a new role doesn't happen overnight, I also had to give myself the grace and time to learn (which was really hard for my type A personality :)).  I needed to learn that patience and persistence are key to building competence and confidence and that doesn't happen overnight.

Working in an industrial environment for over half of my career was an enriching experience, providing me with invaluable technical and leadership insights. Navigating the complexities of refinery operations deepened my technical expertise, while collaborating with diverse teams honed my leadership abilities. 

Reflecting on my time at the refinery, I can confidently say I don't regret a single day spent in that environment.

@Aleeya​ What motivated/interested you to take on the role of President?  Sounds like it was a great opportunity?

@peu7cad​ It was mainly because I had a lot of ideas for what I wanted to do with the club, such as a reverse career fair event, technical workshops (soldering, AI, coding), socials, large-scale conference collaborations across WiSE chapters and more!

@peu7cad​ That's a very inspiring story!  Good for you for conquering your fears and turning them into sources of motivation!

I was really nervous to do my study abroad term, since I was placed in the India project center, and I had never been that far away from home before. Leading up to leaving, I was both excited and very nervous, especially since I had only met the students in my cohort in the two months before leaving. I knew that the travel was going to be long and difficult. Though, once I got settled into my project center, I had an overall positive experience. There were definitely struggles, but I look back on the fond memories I made. Now, I am very proud of myself for participating in the experience, and I feel a lot more confident in travelling now. Facing something you're scared of head-on is very difficult, but the times that I have, I have been thankful for the opportunity to grow as a person, experience new things, and to see what I am truly capable of.

@stardew_laura​ love this post.  It is so hard to head into the unknown and with time it gets so much easier.  Your post just goes to prove that you have to keep trying.  You should be proud of yourself.  

I was afraid to get involved in computer science/tech related courses when I started university, since the courses were notoriously difficult and were GPA sinkers. I still ended up signing up for them as they were prerequisites to the data science in business focus I was interested in adding to my degree. Although they were difficult, I found out I was capable of finishing them above average (fingers crossed for the ones I'm enrolled in right now) if I put in the effort. The courses were generally fast paced or complex, so I would watch videos related to the topic online, or enroll in online courses outside of school to supplement my learning.

Throughout my time at university, I struggled deeply with imposter syndrome. Even though I excelled academically, I constantly hesitated to voice my ideas in group projects and class discussions. Two main reasons held me back:

1. I was one of only three women in most of my classes, which often made me feel out of place.
2. Many of my peers seemed far more experienced, whether it was keeping up with the latest tech trends, working on side projects, or having more hands-on coding experience.

Because of this, I often second-guessed my own knowledge and contributions, fearing they wouldn’t be as valuable. What ultimately helped me break through was a mentor who encouraged me to speak up and share my thoughts without fear. It wasn’t easy at first, but the more I participated, the more I realized that most people were figuring things out as they went(just like me!)

This shift in mindset was transformative. I learned that expertise isn’t about knowing everything from the start but about being willing to engage, learn, and grow. The more I spoke up, the more confident I became and in turn, I discovered that my perspectives were just as valid and valuable as anyone else’s.

@SejalShingal​ love this.  Even as a mentor and at a director level, i have to remember that I can't and will not know everything.  There is just no way that is going to happen with the amount of information that is being thrown at us everyday.  Great job with shifting your mindset, that is true transformation.    

@SejalShingal  Definitely an experience many of us can relate to, especially since many men in engineering often phrase their opinions (especially technical ones) as fact, rather than a proposal. Women tend to phrase proposals as a question - which leads to many doubts both from us contributing and from those listening. 

Im so happy to hear that you've pushed yourself forward through that, and found your voice. I hope it continues to grow and become stronger! 

I was part of the co-op program at UWaterloo (Canada), during which we complete six 4-month internships as part of our degree. No internship is guaranteed and it can feel like a rat race trying to balance interviews and applications along with a full course load. When for my 4th internship, I got an offer to work at a startup in California, I immediately thought they made a mistake. I knew some of the other applicants - my own classmates - and was convinced they'd made a fundamental error and didn't know it yet. 

That feeling of imposter syndrome didn't leave even when I had started the co-op. I went in super early and worked late, hoping they would see my hard work as a way to make up for the deficiencies they would undoubtedly soon see, if they had not already. I was convinced they made a mistake, and would sooner or later find out. This ate away at me.

My brother, who I was living with at the time, saw the toll it was taking on me, mentally and physically. Due to the long hours which I was mainly doing for appearances and to prove myself "worthy", he recognized it was unsustainable and gave me a hard talking to. He told me: "Throw yourself into the fire, but don't let yourself get burned. Don't break from the outside, build from within." 

He made me realize how it wasn't fair of me to question myself in this role. It is a lot, it is new, and it is in a new country. They hired me because they saw something in me, and to doubt everything and be convinced they made a mistake is to also doubt these people whom I really respect and want to learn from. It's not fair to them, nor to myself. They didn't give me this opportunity for me to be perfect, they gave it for me to show up and challenge myself to get there. If they wanted perfection, they would have hired a full-timer or someone else with more experience. They saw something in me, now it was time for me to see and cultivate that within myself. 

That changed things for me - I took better care of myself, and I started trusting my judgement more. I was more open to asking questions without feeling like I'm being a bother, because I recognized you need to do your research and ask questions to understand a specific company. I showed up for both work and myself, and I ultimately did a great job, got a return offer. While the company no longer exists after the pandemic, the lessons I took from that experience stay with me to this day. 

Also, fun bonus advice from my brother: 

"There are enough people who will doubt you. You cannot doubt yourself. Any opportunity would be lucky to have you because irrespective of anyone else who applies, YOU know you would kill it! You would put in the work and grow into it! The ups and downs of applications and rejections don't change that fact. Challenge the rubric, not just your performance."