The Autodesk Foundation is hosting TechWomen Emerging Leaders

Women make up about half of the population. Their ideas demand to be heard.

TechWomen is an Initiative of the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. TechWomen empowers, connects, and supports the next generation of women leaders in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) from Africa, Central and South Asia, and the Middle East by providing them the access and opportunity needed to advance their careers, pursue their dreams, and inspire women and girls in their communities. Through mentorship and exchange, TechWomen strengthens participants’ professional capacity, increases mutual understanding between key networks of professionals, and expands girls’ interest in STEM careers by exposing them to female role models. ^[TechWomen]

The Autodesk Foundation supports the people and organizations using design for positive social and environmental impact such as the design and creation of innovative solutions to the world's most pressing social and environmental challenges. Autodesk launched the Autodesk Foundation in 2014 to align its philanthropic giving with its core business and expertise in design and engineering. ^{[Autodesk.org]}

The Autodesk Foundation is a host of TechWomen, and this year's emerging leaders included 7 women from various countries with various levels of expertise.

Emerging Leader Professional Track Country	Professional Interests	What She Wants to Learn and Experience	Area of Expertise
Sadaf Shaheen Information Technology Pakistan	Information and communication technologies Social media and interactive storytelling Web programming	Digital entrepreneurship and innovative technology for mass awareness Digital marketing for female entrepreneurship Innovative breakthrough technologies with radical solutions for global problems	Educational Technology and E-Learning Digital Media Computer Science
Valeriya Tyo Green Tech / Clean Tech Kazakhstan	Green building and passive design Environmental impact of buildings, CO2 inventory Energy autonomy in residential building	Improve leadership skills and self-confidence Learn from female mentors and role models. New ideas and new concepts from global companies Network New cultures and languages	Architecture Engineering and Science, Environmental Renewable Energy
Peninah Mutonga Green Tech / Clean Tech Kenya	Affordable housing Sustainable design New building and green technologies in housing	Manage costs in a building project Green technology in buildings Develop a business model for providing affordable housing	Architecture
Fatima Zzahra Meziane Green Tech / Clean Tech Morocco	Aeronautical industry Factory of the future 4.0 Green technology	Augmented reality project deployment Part of strategy communication Business plan creation and negotiation	Engineering and Science, Materials and Industrial Information Systems Management
Pamela Chukwuemeka Information Technology Nigeria	Artificial Intelligence, machine learning and could computing Instructional design and technology IT service management	Hands-on experience on the processes for developing an interactive simulation educational cloud-based STEM curriculum learning platform Hands-on technical experience on dynamics and implementation of AI and machine learning in education Practical exposure to processes and practices involved in IT project and service management for international projects	Educational Technology and E-Learning Information Systems Management Database Administration
Ola Nada Science Egypt	Stem cell biology and tissue engineering Regenerative medicine Responsible science and active learning	Manage organizational complexity Improve skills in implementing, sustaining and improving change Improve skills as an influencer, including communication and presentation skills	Biology Educational Technology and E-Learning Bioengineering
Noella Nibakuze Green Tech / Clean Tech Rwanda	Educating the community about how to build green, sustainable and affordable homes Use of renewable energy in buildings and green buildings Research on locally available materials that have low or zero-carbon embodied energy	Learn the latest tools that will help inform the selection of construction materials based on their embodied carbon impact in the Rwandan and African context Learn the latest tools that will help measure the environmental performance of a building during the design process with thermal comfort analysis and passive design techniques in the Rwandan and African context Learn the latest design tools and research on affordable housing in the Rwandan and African context	Architecture Engineering and Science, Environmental Engineering and Science, Materials and Industrial

On October 10, I attended the TechWomen Emerging Leaders Breakfast at Autodesk. The event featured 4 women who shared their stories.

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Fatima Zzahra Meziane

Fatima is establishing an online platform to increase nonprofit organizations' access to funds and grants. She wants to provide development opportunities that empower young people to create positive change.

Ola Nada

Ola is furthering the work of Professor Mona Marei who developed the first application of tissue engineering in dentistry. Dr. Marei received a patent in tissue engineering in 2007.

Pamela Chukwuemeka

Pamela is building a community of learners from the higher institutions in Nigeria who can tap into the free resources made available on the Autodesk Design Academy website.

Sadaf Shaheen

As someone interested in innovative breakthrough technologies with radical solutions for global problems, Sadaf is working on social impact projects such as reducing the infant mortality rate in Pakistan.

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Autodesk has always been an automation company, and today more than ever that means helping people make more things, better things, with less; more and better in terms of increasing efficiency, performance, quality, and innovation; less in terms of time, resources, and negative impacts (e.g., social, environmental). The Autodesk Foundation supports TechWomen so the world can tap into the creativity of women whose circumstances might not have allowed their ideas to flourish. Regarding doing more and better with less, the world needs as much creativity as it can muster.

Empowerment is alive in the lab.