Zahra Shah

Try a bit of everything and pursue what you enjoy the most

Country of origin

UK/Pakistan

Which company do you work for?

Iraqi Innovators

What is your specific area of specialisation?

Tech education and entrepreneurship

How long have you been in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) fields?

9 years

As a woman in a male dominated industry, what has been the biggest challenge you have faced in your career, and how did you overcome it?

My biggest challenge was in being taken seriously by men I’ve encountered throughout my work.

What inspired you to join this industry?

I fell into it, not knowing what a tech start-up was. I was just looking for a part-time job to do alongside university and before I knew it, I was a part of one of the fastest growing start-ups in the world. My exposure to this was what made me pursue it further and find opportunities at the intersection between humanitarian work and technology.

What changes, if any, have you seen in your field with regards to women in your field?

I’ve seen more and more women be intrigued about the field and eventually join it, whether it’s working as a software developer, or starting their own tech business!

How can we attract more women to consider a career in the STEM fields?

We need more role models that represent the diversity of the field. The poster women for women in tech should represent women from all over the world.

If you were to advise other young women starting their careers in the tech or within the STEM fields, what is the one thing you would say to them?

Try a bit of everything and pursue what you enjoy the most.

When not working, what do you do for fun?

Play on my PlayStation!

SOCIAL MEDIA

LinkedIn

Twitter

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