The Best Grace Hopper Celebration Publisher Platform Posts
Grace Hopper was one of the first women to earn a PhD in mathematics. She went on to lead the team that developed the first computer language compiler and serve as a rear admiral in the Navy. (And yes, she somehow got a profile on LinkedIn!) Today she is celebrated as a pioneering woman in tech, and the event named for her is the world’s largest gathering of women technologists.
This year, we had over 100 employees attend the Grace Hopper Celebration, so we asked them to share their own perspectives on what the the women in tech movement means to them. In my own post, I reflect on my yearly aha-moments at GHC, which inspire me to create change within my community by ultimately leading LinkedIn’s Women In Tech initiative. Below you'll find some of the best insights from the Grace Hopper Celebration, as written by members of LinkedIn’s team who traveled to Houston for it.
"Women in Tech is a 100% Focus at LinkedIn"
By Deepa Sethi, Technical Program Management Leader at LinkedIn
Deepa, whose full time job is managing LinkedIn's Women in Tech, writes about why challenging the gender imbalance among engineers and developers is crucial to LinkedIn's mission. The Women in Tech program is not a volunteering initiative, it's strategically structured as part of R&D, so as to truly empower women at LinkedIn to transform themselves, their careers, and the company.
"Passing Down Power and Influence"
By Sarah Clatterbuck, Director of Engineering at LinkedIn
Sarah writes about how she gives equal opportunities to her female teammates intentionally, rather than just allowing existing power structures to take their natural course. This move to pass down influence, she says, is a key component to growing confidence and power within women in tech.
"Five Years Later: My Second GHC"
By Kamilah Taylor, Senior Software Engineer at LinkedIn
Five years ago, GHC completely changed Kamilah's life. Today, she is a successful engineer. Kamilah reflects on her second experience at GHC, this time as a speaker and leader of WIT. While the talks were educational and the people inspiring, Kamilah explains that the reason why the conference is so powerful is because of the community it has built.
"The Women in Tech Movement-- It's not about Women or about Tech"
By Tiffany Lim, Software Engineer at LinkedIn
While the more obvious theme around GHC is women in tech, the more nuanced argument is acceptance of the "other." Tiffany writes about how her experience at GHC made her understand that women are not the only underrepresented minority we need to talk about and that tech is not the only industry with diversity problems. Diversity in tech, in the workforce, and in the wider community is crucial to creating a more open, welcoming society.
"Calibrating for Success as a New Grad"
By Charu Jangid, Associate Product Manager at LinkedIn
Charu had attended Grace Hopper before, but this was her first year attending as a non-student, which brought a whole new perspective to the event. Not only did she attend workshops and discussions purely for the thrill (rather than for the job search), but Charu also had the opportunity to speak on a panel about excelling in the real world post-college. In her post, she explains four key takeaways from the panel.
"The importance of mentorship"
By Ketaki Deo, Web Developer at LinkedIn
In preparation for the Grace Hopper Celebration, Ketaki describes the benefits of having strong female mentors in her personal and professional life. Cultivating a combination of role models and mentors helps you answer the questions life throws at you, technical and otherwise, she writes.
“I'm Attending the Grace Hopper Celebration for the First Time!”
By Tonya Wu, Web Developer at LinkedIn
Tonya gears up for the pre-eminent conference for women in tech. She writes about taking flack as a woman for focusing on front-end development instead of advanced algorithms and machine learning. But a successful career path is about doing what you love, regardless of whether it’s considered “hard core,” she says.
"3 Mentors, 3 Ways to Build Confidence"
By Elysa Stein, Manager of User Experience Research at LinkedIn
Confidence is the key to progressing in your career. Whether you are presenting to a large audience, trying something new at work, or building relationships, trust in yourself is necessary. Having a mentor demonstrate confidence along the way is invaluable.
“Grace Hopper 2015”
By Neha Jain, Software Developer at Slideshare at LinkedIn
Neha explains why she is proud to be representing LinkedIn at one of the biggest gatherings of women working in the science and computing industry. Excited to receive advice from her peers and mentors at the conference, Neha also gives her own advice to the young men and women joining this field.