Showing posts with label Engineering and Technology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Engineering and Technology. Show all posts
By Sarah Go | Strong Female Leaders

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The Rise of the Female STEM Leader
We often hear that there is a shortage of women in STEM (Science, Engineering, Technology and Math) fields. For example, former astronaut, Sally Ride, publicly referred to the "persistent gender gap in STEM fields” as a “national crisis that will be deeply detrimental to America’s global competitiveness." To boost her statement's credibility, statistics do show a pronounced gender gap in some of the hard core STEM careers such as Software Development and Engineering. As science and technology increasingly become a larger part of our lives, the drive forward in STEM fields also grows, along with the gender gap between men and women in these fields.

Our article today will not preach for more young women take an interest in STEM fields, or highlight the obvious gender gap that exists in these fields. Instead we want to focus on the STEM female leaders who have succeeded in these fields. We want young women to know that, despite having to face the persistent gender biases that exist in STEM fields, women can excel in a challenging STEM career, and that they do have incredible role models to look up to.

The future is bright in the STEM world; and women and girls must be empowered to contribute their skill sets to the future of STEM. The STEM females who contributed to closing the gender gap in STEM can inspire young women to follow in their footsteps and guide us to a better future.


Here are six of those women from both past and present:
1. Florence Nightingale
Florence Nightingale pioneered the notion of women in leadership roles in the medical field, by applying her statistician, nursing and design skills.

Known as “the Lady with the Lamp,” she maximized her nursing skills in the Crimean War during the 1800's, by greatly reducing the death rate in hospitals. Leveraging her visual statistic analysis ability to discover the cause of a high mortality rate among soldiers, she resolved to adopt better sanitary practices in hospitals and prevented an untimely death for many. She also designed hospital systems to apply better sanitary practices, and brought new ideas to sanitation in homes. Later, she opened her own nursing school to introduce modern nursing skills to other young women. Nightingale's leadership and innovation in modern nursing improved health care practices all over the world.

2. Rachel Carson
Rachel Carson was an early mover in the national environmental movement. Born in 1907 in Pennsylvania, she studied biology and became a Marine Biologist and Conservationist. She worked at the US Fisheries Bureau while publishing journals about the wildlife. Her growing popularity in the industry helped her achieved the Editor-in-Chief position for the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Combining her love for wildlife and writing, Carson eventually became a well-known writer, and authored popular books such as the "The Sea Around Us," "Under the Sea-Wind" and "The Edge of the Sea." Later in career, she shifted her focus towards wildlife conservation, including decrying the use of pesticides and banning the use of DDT, one of the most harmful pesticides used. aHer work propeled the environmental movement forward, paving the way for young conservationists and women leaders.

3. Mae Jemison
Mae Jemison is an American astronaut and physician. She graduated from Stanford University in 1977, with a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering. She then attended Cornell University Medical College, and became a physician. In 1985, Jemison changed her direction in life and decided to pursue her dream of becoming an astronaut. She applied for admission to NASA's astronaut training program. Jemison was admitted to the program, being one of only 15 candidates chosen from around 2,000. She was the first African-American woman to be admitted into NASA’s program. On September 12, 1992, Jemison flew into space with six other astronauts aboard the shuttle Endeavour. As she flew through the stratosphere, she became the first African-American woman in space.


4. Elizabeth Blackburn
Elizabeth H. Blackburn is an Australian-American molecular biologist and biochemist. In the 1970's, Blackburn completed both a bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in biochemistry from the University of Melbourne. She then became a graduate student in molecular biology at the University of Cambridge, in England.

At Cambridge, Blackburn studied nucleic acid compositions and also experimented with techniques of DNA sequencing, which would prove helpful later in her career. In 1975, she finished a Ph.D. in molecular biology and began her postdoctoral research. She joined the laboratory of American biologist Joseph Gall, at Yale University. Later she was a professor at the University of California, Berkeley and then at the University of California, San Fransisco.

In 2009, she and two colleagues were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine. She made discoveries about the genetic composition and function of telomeres, which are segments of DNA at the ends of chromosomes. She also won the prize for her part in the discovery of an enzyme called telomerase, which is an essential factor in maintaining chromosomes.

5. Gwynne Shotwell
Born in 1963 in Evanston, Illinois, Gwynne grew up as the middle child in a house of three daughters. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mathematics, from Northwestern University.

After her studies, she entered the automotive industry and headed down a corporate career path, but changed her mind to pursue a more practical use of her engineering education. For over a decade she did technical work in military space research and development, including thermal analysis as it pertains to spacecraft design. In 2002, she joined the space exploration company, SpaceX, founded by Elon Musk, where she combined her engineering knowledge with business. She signed on as Vice President of Business Development and was the eleventh employee at the company.

Currently, Shotwell is the President and COO of SpaceX, and manages overall company operations. She also oversees customer and strategic relationships. In 2010, SpaceX became the first private company to launch a spacecraft, achieve orbit, and then recover the spacecraft.

[ End of Article ]

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By C.J Renolds | Strong Female Leaders

Best Shark Tank Inventions Made By Women
1) CitiKitty and HoodiePillow
In 2005, after moving into a tiny New York City apartment, Rebecca Rescate had no space to keep a litter box for her cat, Samantha. Instead of being frustrated with this challenge, Rescate put her design background to work and developed a system to train her cat to use the toilette.

On the show, several Sharks laughed at the product, questioning whether it was too ridiculous to market. Barbara Corcoran, Shark Tank's most seasoned female shark, saw something special in the CitiKitty system, and offered Rescate $100,000 for 15%, but with contingencies from outside partners' agreement. Eventually, Kevin Harrington negotiated the same amount of investment for 20% of the company.

In a short time, CitiKitty became a runaway success. At one point, it held the top selling spot on Amazon for the Home and Garden department.

Because of CitiKitty's success, Rescate received another invitation to Shark Tank to demonstrate another invention, the HoodiePillow. Again, the Sharks, this time including Barbara Corcoran, expressed skepticism, Robert Herjavec stepped up to give Rebecca the exact deal she requested, $90,000 in exchange for 20% of the business.

Today, Both of Rebecca's products are successfully selling.
Website: https://www.citikitty.com/ and https://www.hoodiepillow.com/.






2) SmartGurlz
Founded by Sharmi Albrechtsen in 2016, SmartGurlz appeared on Shark Tank with their line of educational robotic dolls that taught young girls to code through an integrated app. Frustrated by how robotics toys in stores all seemed to target boys, Albrechtsen marshaled her MBA-trained business acumen to create a product to fill the much-needed market of STEM toys for girls.

Each SmartGurlz doll has its own personality and back story. For example, Maria the math genius and Zara the tech wizard. Albrechtsen ensured that her dolls represent diverse interests and appearances, just like the girls she created the dolls for.

During her pitch to the Sharks, Albrechtsen received a $200,000 investment for 25% of the company from Daymond John. Within a year, the product launched in mega-retailer, Walmart, and sold over $1 million units. What's most amazing about SmartGurlz is that the company continues to focus on giving young women fun, confidence-building tools to succeed.
Website:https://www.smartgurlz.com/






3) Grace and Lace
Grace and Lace, run by wife and husband team Melissa and Rick Hinnant, appeared on Shark Tank in 2013. With a winning pitch that showcased one of their most successful products, a line of stylish boot socks, the company emerged from difficult circumstances and is now a shining success.

In 2010, Melissa took up crocheting to make a baby blanket for the expecting couple's baby, but the couple faced tragedy when their daughter was stillborn. Desperately needing a new focus, Melissa began knitting beautifully-decorated boot socks and leg warmers. They became an immediate hit online.

Barbara Corcoran immediately recognized something special about Melissa's company, and offered Grace and Lace $175,000 for 10% of the company. Under Corcoran's guidance, the company has since sold over $20 million worth of their products. The Hinnats then partnered with several charities to provide shelter and resources for orphans and sex trafficking victims overseas.

With help from Barbara and Shark Tank, The Hinnants turned tragedy into triumph, and is now helping others as well.
Website: https://www.graceandlace.com/






4) Simply Fit
Simply Fit, a balance board used primarily for abdominal fitness, appeared on Shark Tank in 2015. The equipment cost very little to make, is easy to use and requires little room. Its Co-founders, Linda Clark and Gloria Hoffman, secured an investment from Shark queen Lori Greiner with a $125,000 offer in exchange for 20% equity in the company. Greiners' connections and marketing expertise helped Clark and Hoffman move fast. With Greiner's help, the Simply Fit boosted their sales from half a million dollars to over $9 million, starting from infomercial to retailing at stores internationally.

Today, Simply Fit continues to help people improve their fitness.

Website: https://www.simplyfitboard.com/






5) Stasher
Arguably one of the most eco-friendly everyday products ever to appear on the show, Stasher is a self-sealing, food-grade silicone reusable storage bag. It aims to replace disposable plastic bags in home kitchens. The product's inventor, Kat Nouri, spent years perfecting the product before approaching the Sharks for an investment in a 2018 episode.

Having already secured retailers like Target for her product before appearing on the show, Nouri negotiated a $400,000 investment from Mark Cuban, and an additional line of credit, for 15% of her company. Since the show aired, Stasher has generated significant online buzz and secured a small army of fans on platforms such as Instagram, indicating strong momentum.

Website: https://www.stasherbag.com/






6) Wicked Good Cupcakes
Family business, Wicked Good Cupcakes, started with mother-daughter duo, Tracey Noonan and Danielle Desroches. What makes these Wicked Good Cupcakes amazing is that they are delicious cakes packaged in jars, ready to be scooped and devoured. These jarred cakes also comes with almost 20 different flavors, all made with no preservatives. Shark Tank's most tough shark, Kevin O'Leary, offered them a royalty-based deal, agreeing to an investment of $75,000 for a $1 royalty on each cupcake sold for the first 75,000 units, then a $0.45 royalty in perpetuity.

The deal proved highly profitable as Wicked Good Cupcakes has sold over $14 million worth of cakes and cupcakes since appearing on the show. Kevin later helped Tracey and Danielle expand the business by connecting them with his wedding-based businesses, inspiring the pair to propose other gift-based selling opportunities, and new products such as cookie jars and cheesecake jars.

Today, Wicked Good Cupcakes sells nation wide, and its success continues to skyrocket. Website: https://www.wickedgoodcupcakes.com/


7) Delighted by Hummus
Another delicious product that appeared on Shark Tank is the much-raved-about Delighted by Hummus. Founder Makenzie Marzluff used her background in nutrition to create a healthy cookie-flavored dip that combines hummus with chocolates. Many sharks offered to invest in the company, but Cuban was so enticed that he offered Marzluff a shocking $600,000 for 25% of her company.

Since debuting on Shark Tank, Marzluff has been growing her culinary creativity into a nationally-distributed brand, with over half a dozen flavors.

Website: https://delightedbyhummus.com



[ End of Article ]
By Christopher V. | Strong Female Leaders
What if there were no women inventors?
Then young women today would not have positive role models to look up to, progress forward, and push their limits and out of their comfort zones. We'd have less women in STEM fields like Engineering, Research, and Math and Science. We'd have even less women in leadership roles. Lucky for us, we DO have incredible women inventors to look up to. These women inventors have contributed substantial amounts of technical advancements that laid the groundwork for today's most cutting edge industries. We've selected 10 of these women whose inventions helped shape our world for the better:

  • Marie Van Brittan Brown - Home Security
  • Alice Parker - Heating Furnace
  • Josephine Cochrane - Dishwasher
  • Bessie Blount Griffen - Devices To Assist The Disabled
  • Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson - Caller ID
  • Olga D. Gonzalez-Sanabria - Batteries To Power The ISS
  • Stephanie Kwolek - Kevlar
  • Grace Hopper - Computers
  • Maria Telkes - Solar Powered Homes
  • Sarah E. Goode - Cabinet Bed
  • 1) Marie Van Brittan Brown – Home Security
    A hard working nurse in the mid 20th century, Marie Van Brittan Brown found herself alone in her home with her two children quite frequently due to her varied working hours at a local hospital. Around the same time, crime rates in her area began to rise leaving her feeling unsafe in her own home. Rather than cower in fear, Brown took action. This action led to the creation of the modern day security system. Using a camera, she was able to look through the peep hole of the door from another room in the house and decide if she wanted to answer the door or not. With a bit of help from her husband Albert, the first of its kind invention paved the way for keeping families safe in their own homes. Much like Brown, we should all motivate ourselves to make improvements to our everyday lives and innovate.
    2) Alice Parker - Heating Furnace
    Prior to Parker's invention in 1919, all furnaces burned wood and heated a limited amount of space. Parker felt that such heating device is insufficient in its heat production, especially during the rough New Jersey winters that she grew up in. Therefore, Parker invented a furnace that is powered by natural gas, and included ducts that fed heat to other areas of the house. Her invention enabled a practical yet sophisticated system that became the predecessor to modern-day furnaces.
    3) Josephine Cochrane - Dishwasher
    Sick of doing dishes and chipping her China, Josphine Cochrane invented the dishwasher, delighting both herself and thousands of women who also grew weary of slaving at the fore-mentioned common housework. Clever girl.
    4) Bessie Blount Griffin - Devices To Assist The Disabled
    Griffin always had a knack for helping others, hence she began her medical career with nursing. Eventually, her true passion for physical therapy and aiding the disabled surfaced, leading her to attend the Panzer College of Physical Education and Hygiene in New Jersey, where she obtained a degree in Physical Therapy.

    While practicing her talents at assisting the disabled, Griffin learned that what her patients needed wasn't just physical assistance, but rather a sense of independence and dignity. With this knowledge, she invented a feeding system for those who lost their limbs during World War II. The system allowed amputees to bite down on a tube that released food, allowing them the freedom eat by themselves. Griffin later created several follow up feeding systems that served the same purpose of benefiting the human kind.
    5) Olga D. Gonzalez-Sanabria - Batteries To Power The ISS
    Because space ships burn a substantial amount of fuel, they may not reserve enough to reach the International Space Station. Long lasting batteries, therefore, are required to keep space shuttles well-powered through long trips. These batteries were invented by Dr. Olga D Gonzalez-Sanabria.

    A graduate of the University of Toledo, with a degree in Chemical Engineering, Dr. Gonzalez-Sanabria joined NASA in 1979, and served various leadership roles in the next 30 years of her career in space. She was awarded many medals and honors, including an induction into the Ohio Women's Hall of Fame under the category "scientist, inventor and executive".

    6) Stephanie Kwolek - Kevlar
    Law enforcement and the military have a woman to thank for the Kevlar that keeps them safe every day.

    After earning a degree in chemistry from Carnegie Mellon University in 1946, Kevlar went on to invent the material Kevlar, commonly known as the bulletproof vest. It has since saved hundreds of lives, deeming it an invaluable defense for the men and women who keep us safe everyday.
    7) Grace Hopper - Computers
    Computers were invented by a woman?

    YOU BET! And not just any woman. She was a Ph.D in Mathematics, a Yale Grad and a Navy Veteran. While still serving in the Navy, Dr. Grace Hopper developed the Mark I computer program which many believe to be the first operational computing system. Computers have since spread their dominating market in the world. Thanks to Dr. Hopper, who led the effort that revolutionized the computing technology, we now conduct our everyday tasks with machines that operate with lightening speed. Best of all, though, we also have an inspiring female role model in the computer industry to look up to.
    8) Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson - Caller ID
    Women love communicating with one another. Dr. Jackson made sure that with her work at Bell Labs, we can communicate even better. Her breakthrough scientific research enabled others to invent the fax machine, touch tone phones, solar cells, fiber optic cables, and the underlying technology of caller ID and call waiting. The significance of her research is that they drastically changed the telecommunications industry.

    What's more impressive about Dr. Jackson is that she was the first African American woman to earn a doctorate from MIT. After a thriving career in Technology, she now serves in a leadership position, as the the president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the oldest technological research university in the United States. With this role, she has the perfect platform to help others "apply science to the common purposes of life" and to inspire young women to thrive in STEM careers like she did.

    9) Maria Telkes - Solar Powered Homes
    Though solar powered homes are popular now, the first solar powered home was invented in 1948, by the brilliant Maria Telkes.

    Telkes, who graduated from the University of Budapest with a degree in Physical Chemistry in 1920 and earned a Ph.D in the same subject four years later, was the first to integrated solar technology into a home system. Her invention laid the foundation for more powerful and practical solar technology use, all of which leads to a bright future for the sustainable energy industry.
    10) Sarah E. Goode - Cabinet Bed
    City dwellers who live in small quarters love the Cabinet Bed, because it is a huge space savor. Thanks to Sarah E. Goode, who housed six children of her own, and turned her dilemma of needing space into a useful invention. Families that live in small homes can now create the space they need by folding up their beds. We like that idea!

    What else makes Sarah E. Goode special? Because of her ingenuity, she became the first African American woman to receive a U.S. patent. Now that's a fact that women of all colors should be proud of.
    Final Thoughts
    Even though history often overlooks the things invented by women, and undermines the brilliant women inventors themselves, a road has indeed been paved to lead young women of the future to thrive in STEM and create more life-changing innovations. As we honor the women inventors of the past, we picture a better and more open culture for women in the future. At last, we look forward to seeing, learning about, and advocating more inventions made by women.

    [ End of Post ]

    Once upon a time, girls who wanted to learn coding had to join the Girl Scouts! Fast forward to 2018 as more young girls become enamored of coding—-so much so, women in IT are beginning to make their voices heard. According to the founder of Girls Who Code, this explosion of interest has caused 90,000 young women to proclaim themselves techies-in-progress by joining this group. By 2027, says CEO Reshma Saujani, “We are on track to achieve gender parity in computer science.” 

    When these girls finish their educations, companies will want the best and the brightest to retain reputations for being top tech companies to work for. Whether you’re just entering this field—-or you're seeking new opportunities--this list of top tech companies to work for can help you target and find employment with companies that know the value of women in technology and intend to promote, advance and pay them accordingly. 


    1. Company name: Accenture 
    Location: Dublin, Ireland 
    Industry: Global management consulting and strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations services. 
    Culture: To date, more than 1,800 women have participated in Accenture’s “Developing High Performing Women” course to help build confidence and “provide roadmaps for successful careers and position women in the right roles” The corporation assesses what female employees want annually and deliver programs and initiatives geared toward helping them succeed. In fact, Accenture has “identified 40 workplace factors that create a culture of equality.” This research is published to promote Accenture’s desire to help women advance as they close the gender pay gap. Accenture's generous benefits package reflect this commitment to women, as well. 
    Website: https://www.accenture.com/us-en/careers/jobsearch 

    2. Company name: Apple 
    Location: Cupertino, California 
    Industry: Designs, develops and sells consumer electronics, computer software and online services. 
    Culture: Women hired by Apple for their IT expertise are surrounded by artists and engineers, thinkers and doers, so for those who are both right- and left-brained, Apple is Nirvana. Affiliated with a long list of female-focused organizations, Apple is proud to partner with Women Who Code, Black Girls Code and the National Center for Women and Information Technology. Women@Apple DNA is a popular in-house initiative offering a wide range of empowerment, mentoring and networking opportunities. Additionally, employees benefit from lactation stations, maternity leave coaching, backup child care and eldercare benefits for staffers caring for aging relatives. 
    Website: http://www.apple.com/jobs/us/index.html 





    3. Company name: AppNexus 
    Location: New York, New York 
    Industry: Enables and optimizes real-time sale and purchase of digital advertising. 
    Culture: Small but mighty, AppNexus makes many of the best tech places to work for women lists because diversity and empowerment are prioritized by giving staff members ownership of interesting, complex projects. Flexible work schedules allow parents to adjust work hours to coincide with family life and perks like gym discounts, recognition programs and on-site educational opportunities give staffers plenty of reason to celebrate being part of this family. Eager to support every staff member’s passions, volunteerism is encouraged, but moms are especially fond of the fully stocked kitchens and family lunch Friday. AppNexus is an active supporter of Girls Who Code and HR is constantly seeking to fill job slots with talented IT women. 
    Website: https://www.appnexus.com/careers

    4. Company name: CDW 
    Location: Lincolnshire, Illinois 
    Industry: Multi-brand technology solutions provider to business, government, education and healthcare organizations. 
    Culture: For women who want to grow professionally while juggling family obligations, this northwest Chicago suburban company makes the job manageable. Women in IT enjoy CDW-subsidized temporary child care benefits, financial help with fertility treatments and flexible maternity and leave benefits. At the corporate headquarters, on-site lactation stations for nursing moms and training and advancement opportunities showcase CDW’s corporate culture and eagerness to retain the best and brightest IT stars. Employees are also eligible to take advantage of the Bright Horizon Years Ahead program for staffers who are looking after aging parents. 
    Website: www.cdwjobs.com 

    5. Company name: Cisco Systems 
    Location: San Jose, California 
    Industry: Develops, manufactures and sells networking hardware, telecommunications equipment and more. 
    Culture: Visit the Cisco website and you'll discover this statement: “Colorful hair? Don’t care. Tattoos? Show off your ink." If that’s not an invitation to fly your freak flag by showing off your impressive IT background and skills, you may want to take a pass on applying here. For women who land a job at Cisco, it’s a rarified environment. About half of all leadership teams are women in technology. Cisco was represented at the White House when the Equal Pay Pledge was signed, work flexibility is prioritized, and staffers enjoy parental leave time. After returning to work, the company reimburses nursing moms for costs incurred when shipping breast milk home to baby while traveling on Cisco business. 
    Website: www.cisco.com/careers

    6. Company name: Ericsson 
    Location: Stockholm, Sweden 
    Industry: Networking and telecommunications. 
    Culture: You don’t have to move to Scandinavia for a job with this cutting edge company; the company's U.S. presence has seriously enhanced this nation’s tech business scene. Ericsson’s pioneering programs for females include sponsorship of the Lesbians Who Tech Summit in San Francisco and UPWARDS, a support initiative targeting senior-level women leaders. Ericsson is a worldwide employer of women and the company's international aim—-by 2020—-is to make sure the company sustains a gender diversity profile that keeps the ratio of female employees to at least 30-percent of its workforce. That goal has already been surpassed on the administrative level: currently, 31-percent of the corporation’s executive staff is comprised of women. 
    Website: https://jobs.ericsson.com/ 

    7. Company name: IBM 
    Location: Armonk, New York 
    Industry: Cloud platform and cognitive solutions company. 
    Culture: The brand name may be iconic but at IBM, women have been “creating meaningful roles for female employees since the 1930s.” This company has an equal opportunity policy written in 1935 that remains in effect to this day: “Men and women will do the same kind of work for equal pay. They will have the same treatment, the same responsibilities and the same opportunity for advancement." In 1943, Ruth Leach was named the first female vice president and Virginia Rometty became IBM’s first CEO in 2012. Between on-site lactation stations to emergency, onsite child care, perks are numerous, which is why IBM remains a favored employer for women in IT. 
    Website: https://ibm.com/careers 

    8. Company name: Microsoft 
    Location: Redmond, Washington 
    Industry: Develops, manufactures, licenses, supports and sells computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers and related services. 
    Culture: GLEAM, Microsoft’s global Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender (LBTTQ) resource group, is but one of the ways employees from all walks of life feel valued and accepted at this corporation. Women working for Microsoft enjoy one of the closest salary spreads in the industry; “for every dollar earned by men, female employees in the U.S. earn $1.00 dollars in the same job title and level.” A typical benefits package includes wellness programs. Eager to build a reputation for being family friendly, Microsoft announced that it intends to stop doing business with companies unwilling to offer their employees paid family leave. 
    Website: https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/ 





    9. Company name: Salesforce 
    Location: San Francisco, California 
    Industry: Produces cloud-based, CRM applications. 
    Culture: President and Chief People Officer Cindy Robbins is proud of the fact that Forbes has named Salesforce one of The World’s Most Innovative Companies and the company has earned placement on Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work nine times in a row. Making the inclusion of women a priority, Salesforce is “committed to women having the same executive roles…and given the same career opportunities as men.” It’s Salesforce policy to interview “one or more female candidates for every executive position.” In addition to generous benefits, bias training, mentoring, remote work opportunities and sabbaticals, employees are invited to join these unique Salesforce’s groups: Lean In circles and an internal parenting network. 
    Website: https://www.salesforce.com/company/careers/ 

    10. Company name: Ultimate Software 
    Location: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida 
    Industry: Develops and delivers cloud-based human capital management solutions. 
    Culture: Thirteen powerful core beliefs give this company an edge that belies a software enterprise that’s only been around since 1990. Ultimate has been recognized by Fortune magazine (Best Workplaces for Women) and it’s easy to see why: among the perks exempt employees receive include expenses associated with in-vitro fertilization treatment, same-sex legal spouse health coverage, unlimited personal time off, paid maternity and adoption leave, child sponsorship for extracurricular activities and the usual complement of perks that are offered only by companies highly-focused on the personal needs of employees. Living and working in Florida can’t hurt either. 
    Website: https://www.ultimatesoftware.com/careers/

    Resources 
    https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/295224 
    https://anitab.org/accountability/top-companies/2018-results/ 
    https://fairygodboss.com/best-companies-for-women-technology 
    https://www.chipchick.com/2018/06/top-tech-companies-women-work-according-women-actually-work.html 
    https://www.techrepublic.com/article/the-top-8-companies-for-women-in-tech-as-ranked-by-female-employees/ 
    https://mashable.com/2015/04/09/women-in-tech-top-companies/#T3K5HDWjhaqf 
    https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2017/11/28/godaddy-costco-adobe-among-comparablys-best-companies-women/889348001/


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    Technology in the 21st century is no longer a male-oriented career, but a place for women to take the lead at. Women in technology grow in numbers; and conferences that help these women take on leadership positions are springing up all over the world.
    If you are looking for Women in Technology Conferences during 2019, here are 10 of the best Women in Tech Conferences worth looking into.

    1 BlogHer

    Place: Los Angeles, CA | When: Jan 24, 2019.
    Ticket Price: $125 - $175
    The BlogHer tech conference is one for women thriving in the blogging niche. However, it is not limited to bloggers only. The conference is also open to content creators, strategists, SEO practitioners and anyone who wants to learn more and network inside Digital Marketing.

    2 Women in Cloud Annual Summit

    Place: Redmond, WA| When: Jan 26, 2019
    Ticket Price: $99 - $200
    This headline event has a reputation for not only bringing women in the cloud technology niche together, but helping them make quality connections too. From starters to the top executives of the cloud industry, every woman in this field is welcome.

    3 MAKERS Conference

    Place: Rancho Palos Verdes, CA| When: Feb 6, 2019
    Ticket Price: 
    MAKERS conference provides a place for women of different backgrounds but the same interest to come together, debate on important issues in the tech fields, and work towards a viable solution. It allows MARKERS from diverse paths an opportunity to come together and make a difference.

    4 NEXT

    Place: Dallas, TX | When:  Feb 7, 2019
    NEXT is a conference streamlined for executives in the mortgage industry to come together and look for ways to drive better business outcomes that involve technology.

    5 WE-Code

    Place: Cambridge, MA | When: Feb 22, 2019
    Ticket Price: $40 - $200
    If you are a student and love to code, mark this on your calendar. This will be the largest student-run conference for women in computer science across the country.
    During the conference, you will pick up new skills, broaden your ideas, and network with like-minded peers.
    More information at WE-Code Harvard University

    6 Lesbians who Tech

    Place: San Francisco | When: Feb 28, 2019
    During this conference, some of the biggest discussions will be held, on subjects such as health data, cyber security, big data and much more.
    Register at Lesbians Who Tech.

    7 Johnson Women in Technology

    Place: New York, NY| When: Mar 1, 2019
    Like WE-Code, this is another student-run conference.  Graduates come together to discuss current problems in technology and present possible solutions.  Attendees also get a sneak peek into the industrial life that they will be entering after school.  It is a great insight for budding technologists.

    8 Women in the World

    Place: New York, NY| When: Apr 10, 2019
    Ticket Price: $900
    The Women in the World conference gathers women leaders in technology from all around the world to tell their stories of achieving success. The stories consist of challenges that help to strengthen these women’s motivation and drive, leading to the fact that gender is, truly, never a factor in one’s road to success.

    9 Diversity in Technology

    Place: London, UK| When: TBD
    This sold-out event last year focuses on embracing the diverse backgrounds of women who are making a foray into tech, proving that promoting more women to leadership positions in the technology sector really is not as far-fetched as it seems.
    This conference also provides participants with groundbreaking technologies, empowerment for minority groups, and encouragement for organizations to embrace a diverse culture in their recruitment strategies.

    10 We RISE Tech Conference

    Place: Atlanta, GA | When: TBD
    What better way to show that women are truly breaking new grounds in tech than to put them front and center? At We RISE, the focus is on the extraordinary women leaders in technology, curated from the strongest women in the industry from all over the world.  The result?  Massive motivation for the audience and future leaders in technology.

    As promised, we delivered a fantastic list of Women in Tech Conferences.  Which one of these conferences will you be attending in 2019?  Let us know in the comments below.


    This post was written by O. Christopher. For more information about the author, please contact us at STRONG WOMEN LEADERS CONTACT FORM.





    On the eve of July 16th, 1961, we have successfully put on man on the moon. As America celebrated Apollo 11's moon landing, Sally Ride was just a middle school student, falling in love with science. Years later, after becoming a successful scientist, and qualifying as a space shuttle crew trainee at NASA, Ride announced in an interview that she had always seen herself as an astronaut.