Her Story
About akila
I have been working in engineering for about 20 years, mostly in automotive, embedded systems, robotics and now focusing on autonomous vehicles and AI. My father being an engineer inspired me and I even did internships at his place. In leadership roles for 8-9 years, I lead software engineering teams, scaling products and bringing AI strategies. I am proud of getting autonomous vehicles into production which saves time, energy and makes things safer. I have also led or started women in engineering groups in companies to help other women.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with akila
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to continuing to work and do better, having supportive people, building relationships based on trust and reciprocation, being myself, discipline from my upbringing especially from my father, and keeping a positive attitude.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice is to not break during ups and downs, keep moving forward, have hope, be positive, and remember things change.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Have resilience, take breaks when needed but do not break yourself, be proactive, be open to taking breaks when things are not great, and remember it is okay to be ourselves especially as women who may be more emotional.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Good character and integrity even at higher cost, empathy and kindness as the differentiating factor between AI and humans, and remembering we are human.
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