Showcasing the women building the future, with robots.
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, USA, September 25, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ — In 1923, Edith Clarke became the first woman to be hired by General Electric as a full engineer. She was also the first woman to earn a degree in electrical engineering in the US. Although robotics didn’t really become regarded as a separate part of engineering until the 1960s, there have always been women working on the front lines, forming companies, and conducting foundational research. The Women in Robotics organization is launching International Women in Robotics Day on October 4th 2023 to celebrate and showcase the jobs that women can do to build the future.
Already there are global labor shortages across every industry, in spite of disruption from AI. Robotics is growing, and hiring, and for every person directly employed in robotics 3 to 6 downstream positions are created to support and service the robotics industry. Not only is robotics a profession for the future, but robotics is a well paid job, even at entry level.
Andra Keay, founder of Women in Robotics and also the Managing Director of the Silicon Valley Robotics industry association, says “The robotics industry can not afford to wait for STEM education to graduate more girls with robotics degrees. There are jobs open right now that have no prerequisites, or that can be learned online or through a microcredential. Anyone worried about their jobs being displaced by technology, should absolutely consider working in robotics. We need every sort of skill.”
Women in Robotics is a 501c non-profit association with a mission of supporting women or non-binary people who work in robotics or who are interested in working in robotics. The community currently numbers several thousands of women across the globe with chapters in India, Australia, USA and Canada, UK and France. As well as offering an online community and local gatherings, the organization has been releasing an annual list of “50 women in robotics you need to know about” since 2013. So 2023 also marks the 10th anniversary of the showcase.
“We started the list in order to provide conference and panel organizers with an easy way to find speakers, regardless of the robotics topic. Then we realized we had an opportunity to reclaim some herstory, of women who were pivotal in the very first robotics companies and research, and who were being forgotten. It’s also very important for us to showcase junior women in a wide range of robotics jobs so that there’s a role model for everyone,” said Keay.
The next “50 women in robotics you need to know about” list will be released by Women in Robotics on October 4th 2023, and the entire month of October will have events celebrating diversity in robotics. Some highlights coming up will be Women in Robotics events in Silicon Valley, Boston, Detroit, Toronto, Brisbane and Bristol. Google in Mountain View will be hosting a Women in Robotics panel at the opening of their new Community Space.
For more information and to submit events, please visit: https://www.womeninrobotics.org/wir-day-2023
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About Women in Robotics:
Women in robotics is a global organization dedicated to advancing diversity, inclusion, and equality in the field of robotics. For over ten years we have championed the accomplishments of women in robotics and fostered a supportive community that encourages mentorship, collaboration, and innovation.
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