Sunday, July 7, 2024

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 properly on my strategy to staying in academia and changing into a professor. After a yr into my post-doctorate, I noticed 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.

Niloo and her executive mentor playfully posing in front of white wall with records

As quickly as I joined Cisco, I immersed myself within the cutting-edge realms of safety, networking, and wi-fi communication applied sciences. Day by day 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 possibility to contribute to varied high-impact tasks, from indoor location providers using the most recent ultra-wideband know-how 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 unimaginable 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 information in tackling real-world challenges, discovering nice achievement in remodeling my concepts into merchandise that influence folks’s every day lives. Seeing my efforts make an actual distinction exterior a college or lab is really rewarding.

I’ve felt Cisco’s unwavering dedication to non-public {and professional} development 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, making certain that every one in all us has the chance to shine in our roles. At Cisco, this variety and inclusivity is the cornerstone of our collective success. It was additionally evident from the beginning of the onboarding course of once I noticed all of the superb Inclusive Communities you might be part of, like Girls of Cisco, which I instantly joined. As a girl in tech, discovering a office that really champions the presence and development of ladies 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 neighborhood.

After a while in my position, I puzzled learn how to achieve 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 he or she invited me to affix her at one in all 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 robust conditions and reaching my objectives.

Niloo and her team sit at a table in a restaurant with plates of food on a table in front of them while one man takes a selfie

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

As I mirror on my journey at Cisco to date, I’m stuffed with gratitude for the alternatives, help, and development which have come my manner. This isn’t only a job — it’s a satisfying journey the place day by day brings new challenges and alternatives to be taught and develop. With an organization tradition that nurtures variety 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 potentialities that lie forward.

Discover the methods Cisco empowers us and creates methods to help our skilled and private development and extra by means of the energy of our function.

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