To celebrate International Women in Engineering Day, we’ve gathered the thoughts of a few women in engineering in Wizeline. Below they share their challenges, top career moments, and advice for other girls and women interested in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).
What led you to a career in STEM?
Ana Laura Anguiano Cruz: My sister influenced my decision to pursue the STEM field. Because of her, I became interested in technology and decided to study computer science, and it’s the best decision I’ve made.
Mariel Ramirez Romero: Since childhood, things have piqued my curiosity. I always wanted to understand why and how to build things. That interest led to many changes in my career path while discovering my passion for UX Design. I was fascinated by building apps, websites, airport screens, and many things, so I started taking courses and encouraging myself to learn how to be a UX Designer.
Hayde Martinez: My dad was a Civil Engineer, always passionate about Technology, and a math genius. He was my superhero, so I wanted to be like him.
Sarahi Guerra: I wanted to help positively improve people’s lives through technology.
What has your experience at Wizeline been as a woman in STEM?
Ana Laura Anguiano Cruz: Incredible. I feel like I’m in a place where I fit in perfectly because I share a lot of interests with other developers. I feel like I’m back in college because I’ve learned a lot. Communication and support from everyone are excellent, and at Wizeline, I have the resources to exploit my skills and learn new technologies.
Mariel Ramirez Romero: Working for an international company with such a fantastic culture has been amazing. I’ve felt welcome and listened to since day one, and I love the Diversity and Inclusion efforts that Wizeline applies daily. So many internal initiatives and events help us as women develop skills to be successful in the industry and have the freedom to create our own internal initiatives.
Hayde Martinez: I feel safe to speak, to propose ideas, I feel listened to, and I feel like I matter. Wizeline cares about my growth and work-life balance and gives me the tools I need to feel empowered.
Sarahi Guerra: Wizeline has been a learning experience in all aspects. It has helped me grow in my technical skills. At the same time, it has given me the tools to eliminate my impostor syndrome, develop my communication skills, and learn from brilliant people while being a part of a great community.
What moment in your overall career are you most proud of?
Ana Laura Anguiano Cruz: During my professional career, I have had the opportunity to collaborate on international projects. I am very proud of the value I brought to those projects and the positive impact they had in different countries, including the USA, Germany, Japan, and Mexico. Those projects helped develop my communication, teamwork, and leadership skills.
Mariel Ramirez Romero: I’m very proud to be working on innovative projects as a UX designer using new technologies like VR and AR. An amazing moment in my career was when my team won an international contest at the European Union in 2019 with an application focused on solving educational issues using new technologies. In our case, we used artificial intelligence. We competed against 30 countries and were invited to Brussels, Belgium, to receive the first place award at the European Union. Since then, I’ve been very committed to continuing to solve problems for different industries from the UX side.
Hayde Martinez: Earning a scholarship to study AI in Japan changed my world, but above that, I am most proud of being able to work and share my knowledge in AI while inspiring other women.
Sarahi Guerra: The moment I eliminated my impostor syndrome, I believed in myself more and recognized that everything I had achieved was thanks to my effort and hard work.
What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a woman in STEM — professional or personal? How have you overcome those challenges?
Ana Laura Anguiano Cruz: Professionally, I think it was being accepted at my first job, fitting in, and having access to the same opportunities as the men in my field. I overcame those challenges by looking for opportunities that matched my ideas and would allow me to grow.
Mariel Ramirez Romero: The impostor syndrome has been something that has been following me along my journey. What has helped me a lot is expressing how I feel, working on my self-confidence, and being willing to be a better peer, contributor, and person daily. I think I’ve noticed an enormous change in overcoming impostor syndrome.
Hayde Martinez: I’ve been through a lot, from people ignoring my ideas to discriminatory comments, harassment, and more. To overcome that, I built a fort inside myself, where I work on my confidence, where I reaffirmed myself that external comments are just that, comments and opinions, and where I trust, accept, and understand my own needs. I try to find motivation by not giving up and following my dreams.
Sarahi Guerra: Being in STEM from a female point of view can be a bit difficult because the vast majority are men. As women, our opinions or ideas are not taken the same way, but this has never stopped me. On the contrary, it encourages me to continue participating, learning, and expressing my point of view, which has worked very well for me.
What do you think are the most significant benefits of women and girls pursuing a career in this field?
Ana Laura Anguiano Cruz: The reality is that women in STEM careers bring essential knowledge, skill sets, and ideas to the table. And it has been proven that companies that promote gender equality and diversity have increased their success.
Mariel Ramirez Romero: As women, we can do amazing things with a creative perspective, which could be a critical factor in innovation. Also, as women, we see people’s needs in more detail.
Hayde Martinez: Having women in the room ensures there’s less bias in tech, a more inclusive way to work, and the design and development of projects and tools with different points of view.
Sarahi Guerra: STEM is also for women, and I love that there are more and more of us. The more of us there, the larger our community grows, as does our support for one another, and it shows that women can exceed in this field as well.
What advice would you give to women and girls thinking about progressing in the STEM field?
Ana Laura Anguiano Cruz: My advice for women wanting to enter the STEM field would always be to trust their abilities and not be afraid to feel uncomfortable or think they won’t make it. It is normal to fail or make mistakes but remember that with practice, you can improve.
I believe that the key to everything is that you always believe in yourself and feel comfortable trying new things. Break the bias! Know your strengths and weaknesses, never stop learning, and always communicate your ideas.
Mariel Ramirez Romero: I would suggest following their intuition and hearts. I’ve learned that curiosity is crucial to success and good communication skills. Do not believe the stereotypes that society has built over the years because, despite our genders, we can successfully solve problems in STEM or other fields.
Hayde Martinez: Look for mentors, both women and men. However, remember that mentors are human too, and they will not always be correct. Believe in yourself, and trust your gut. Speak up, negotiate salaries, defend your point of view, don’t be afraid of failure, but be willing to accept it, own it, learn, deal with the consequences and move on. Most important, love yourself.
Sarahi Guerra: The STEM field is also for women. It’s for everyone! I learned that if this is what you like and are passionate about, then you are in the right place. Keep learning, be persistent and disciplined, and expand your network of people. The best advice I was given was: “Always treat people with kindness.”
What We Can Do To Encourage Women In STEM
Today, technology is intertwined in every aspect of our lives. The work of engineers continues to have life-changing outcomes for our future as a whole. While there is an unfortunate gender gap in STEM professions, the margin is shrinking with each new day.
At Wizeline, Diversity & Inclusion are embedded in our core DNA and values. Having an open environment of support and creating equal opportunities is our belief for every Wizeliner, regardless of gender, nationality, ethnicity, age, religion, or sexual orientation. We want our workplace to inspire all employees to achieve their full potential.
Through Wizeline Academy, we live our mission of making technology training accessible for all and empowering aspiring STEM professionals to launch their careers. At Wizeline, we recognize that women can do amazing things and know that the future for women in STEM is bright and plentiful.
Interested in joining our growing team of skilled engineers like these ladies? Check out our careers page and apply today!
