Women working in science, technology, engineering and mathematics aren’t just leading the way for important innovations. They are also role models for young girls
International Girls in ICT Day was instituted by the United Nations to call attention to the gender gap in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines in the world. The global celebration, which is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of April, encourages more girls and young women to pursue STEM education and careers and, in particular, cultivate digital skills that will lead to success in these fields.
For the UN—and indeed for all of us—it is important for more women to engage in scientific research and technological fields, as their participation opens more doors for scientific discoveries and crucial innovations for the rest of humanity. This also contributes in no small part to wider economic development for everyone.
It is important, too, that young girls see prominent women scientists, researchers, professors, or business leaders like the bright female minds on Asia’s Most Influential list, so they are inspired to start their journey in science and technology. With support from global institutions and local governments, more young girls and women can become AI specialists, space explorers, renowned researchers or medical innovators, all working to improve the state of the world.
Ayesha Khanna, co-founder and CEO, Addo (Singapore)
As founder and CEO of tech company Addo, Ayesha Khanna is on the pulse of innovations in artificial intelligence. Tapping into the power of machine learning, data engineering and data governance, her AI solutions firm builds data platforms that optimise the processes of global companies and governments. For its clients, Addo has created an AI engine that calculates the likelihood of shoppers buying products, an analytics platform that monitors Covid-19, and a machine-learning platform that predicts the status of containers in a port.
A believer in technology’s ability to empower, Khanna pays it forward by supporting the next generation of female tech leaders. “I founded 21st Century Girls in 2014 to equip girls in Singapore with the skills and knowledge they need to lead future industries, by offering free classes in coding, AI and Web3,” she said in an op-ed for Tatler. “Now we want to extend that with Squad, a global collective for Web3 that we’re about to launch... for women to learn about all things Web3.” The proponent of technology was recently featured as the keynote speaker at InnoEx 2023, where she discussed automation and, of course, artificial intelligence.
Read Ayesha Khanna’s full profile on Asia’s Most Influential