noun • re-si-lience • /rɪˈzɪlɪəns/ the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties, withstand and adapt to adversity; the ability to bounce back with strength
INTRODUCTION............................................................ 4 Editorial Note ..................................................................................................... 5 President and Vice President Address ............................................ 6 History of WIT .................................................................................................... 7
MEET THE TEAM.......................................................... 14 Meet the Executive ....................................................................................... 15 Meet the Subcommittee .......................................................................... 25
2020 WIT RECAP........................................................ 33 Statistics and Milestones ......................................................................... 34 Portfolio Recap .............................................................................................. 38 Event Recap ..................................................................................................... 50
TECH RECAP................................................................ 54 Business ............................................................................................................. 55 Culture ................................................................................................................ 57 Science ................................................................................................................ 60
MENTAL HEALTH....................................................... 63 CLOSING REMARKS................................................. 66 Special Thanks ............................................................................................... 67 2020 WIT Team Yearbook ...................................................................... 68
Founded in 2016, Women in Technology (WIT) is a society that helps build and foster this incredibly empowering, motivating and driven community of primarily women within STEM. With more than 2,100 members, our mission is to empower and inspire women to pursue their passions and interests in technology. Our members are technologically well-versed, well-connected ambassadors of gender diversity who can challenge prejudices and bring change to the tech industry. WIT alumni are sharing their technical knowledge and empowering women in companies worldwide, becoming rising leaders in their respective fields. 2020 has been full of surprises. We faced unexpected challenges from raging bushfires to a global pandemic. But every time we have fallen, we have stood up, standing stronger from overcoming hardships. Hence, the theme of our 2020 magazine is Flourishing After Fire, focusing on resilience and journeys. We hope that this magazine gives you the support, tools, inspiration, and knowledge to overcome whatever obstacles arise, and you will be reminded to reach out to your WIT community. Even though things get hard, they can always get better. We want to reassure you that you are not in this alone. Everyone has their own challenges to overcome. So, what can you expect in the pages of this magazine? Our WIT Magazine will feature technological developments, the impact of tech, and the development of WIT itself! We'll be showcasing WIT's growth and visions for the future. To show how far we've come, we intend to reflect on its impressive foundations. Last but not least, you’ll learn how to preserve your mental health during challenging times. We would like to extend a special thanks to everyone who contributed to this magazine. No matter what the rest of 2020 has in store for it, we’ll be able to flourish!
Vivian Wong 2020 Education Executive
LIENCE IS KNOWING THAT IT'S HARD NOW, BUT STILL PUSHING TOWARDS THE GOAL. RESILIENCE IS KNOWING THAT IT'S HARD
EDITORIAL NOTE
E IS THE ABILITY TO KEEP PUSHING FORWARD NO MATTER HOW MANY OBSTACLES YOU ENCOUNTER. RESILIENCE IS THE ABI
PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT ADDRESS Our inaugural Women In Technology (WIT) Magazine celebrates another extraordinary year of achievement for Women In Technology. We hope new students can use this magazine as a platform to understand what makes WIT unique, our community and the amazing people behind it. Our society is constantly changing, and each year brings about new beginnings and its own set of challenges. 2020 has been a year of unexpected and unprecedented challenges, but despite all this, our 2020 WIT team has persevered through it all and managed to foster astounding growth for our society and our members - truly Flourishing After Fire. We would like to thank the WIT Community for creating such a safe, supportive and encouraging environment - becoming the special place it is today. Thank you to our 2020 internal team for always putting their best foot forward, exceeding expectations, and striving to create valuable and relevant content. Thank you all for contributing to this publication, making it an informative and beautifully-designed magazine. WIT is a place of opportunity, and it has truly shaped our university experiences and the people we have become today. It has been such a privilege to be your President and Vice President for 2020 and to have the opportunity to serve our community.
We hope you enjoy this magazine and we leave you with this piece of advice:
If there is one lesson 2020 has taught us, it's resilience. Vivian Shen & Amanda Li
WIT
2016 - 2017 Women in Technology was founded in 2016 by Silvia Lin and her co-founders Rachel Lin, Emily Chen, Anushka Dutt, Chelsea Leung, Karen Huang and Kris Mansfield. The vision which sparked WIT was to empower and unite female students studying technology disciplines by providing a platform to share experiences and knowledge. In August 2016, Women in Technology launched digitally on Facebook, gathering over 100 likes in the first 48 hours of launching which has grown to 407 likes in April 2017. In February 2017, we held our very first stall at UNSW's Orientation Week, where we signed up over 100 students. From there, WIT doubled our membership base to 200+ students in 2017, and to 800+ students in March 2018. What inspired you to create WIT? When you started, what challenges did you face? The similarities we shared as cofounders were that reflecting our past, we all found that we felt isolated, confused and definitely questioned if we belonged in this course, degree and university. We bonded over the fact that if we reached out to each other earlier, knew there was a place for women in the technology space, we wouldn’t feel as we were the odd ones out.
I think the challenges we faced were not surprising for new societies i.e. promoting our society, brainstorming events and executing them, planning the vision for the future. We were very fortunate enough to have sponsors coming to us, as they understood the importance. I also expected students to ask if they were able to join since they were a male which contradicts with “Women in Technology”. Personally, there were few situations where I found myself defending or arguing with friends on why the society is important for future female/male students interested in technology, and it wasn’t simply just another new society who “hates men”. We were very appreciative that we received such overwhelming support from everyone, but what makes us the happiest is seeing younger female/male students telling us how the society has supported their growth.
Silvia Lin (2017 President)
ILIENCE IS HOLDING ON TO THE GOOD IN TIMES OF UNCERTAINTY AND TRIAL. RESILIENCE IS HOLDING TO THE GOOD IN TIMES
THE HISTORY OF
G ABLE TO OVERCOME CHALLENGES, NO MATTER HOW BIG OR SMALL. RESILIENCE IS BEING ABLE TO OVERCOME CHALLEN
How do you stay inspired and creative? What drives you to succeed? I think amidst all of the current happenings in the world, it has been quite hard to feel motivated and switched on at all times. And I had to constantly remind myself that it is okay to feel that way and try not to compare myself to other “more successful” colleagues. I think that is very important to keep in the back of your mind, as we tend to be the worst critic of ourselves. However, there have been a few realisations I’ve made on this journey that I’ve wished I had taken to heart earlier. Your health is important, with uni, work and societies, it is very easy to take your health for granted. Try to look and try an exercise that works for you - not everyone enjoys oz tag or bouldering. Get your body checked, no one wants to find any nasty surprises. Stop doing things/work that doesn’t make you happy. If you hate going into work in an auditing team every day, it is not worth it to hang in there for the sake of “completing it”. There are so many opportunities, teams, paths out there, which makes complete sense that we may not know what we want to do. One of my mentors taught me the moment you are unhappy and don’t enjoy what you are doing now, it is a sign to try out something new in a related or completely unrelated field.
I admit that I am quite competitive at times, but looking back I only really truly admit my successful moments are when someone told me I made an impact or helped them in some way. Because honestly if I was to die tomorrow, no one will remember if I got HD in INFS1602, they will only talk about how you came into their lives and what you did. Good luck! Silvia Lin (2017 President) What was the biggest eye-opening moment during your journey in WIT? The most eye-opening moment for me was understanding how much work it takes to establish a society. Usually, when one envisions a new society, we think of how great it would be to have a community of like-minded individuals gathering regularly. However, a lot of innovative work has to be done to make the voice of a new society heard since there are so many other societies out there. How does a new society brand itself and make this brand known across UNSW? The journey is definitely slower than I imagined, but it is wonderful to see how WIT has flourished in the following years! Emily Chen (2017 Treasurer)
During 2018, our second year of operation, WIT held numerous successful events which engaged with our growing student base of 900+ members. This included our Empowerment Program, our annual Hackathon (which hosted 100+ participants) and our very first high school outreach event.
What were some of your team goals when you were involved with WIT? In 2018, WIT focused on expanding our membership base to welcome students in a range of STEM degrees. There was a strong foundation built by the initial leadership team, so we wanted to grow the society to help WIT have a larger impact on UNSW student life and high school students. I’m so proud of the reach we achieved in 2018. It was a somewhat challenging year as we launched so many new initiativesnumerous that have now been reworked, but we were really proud of the large impact we made within our communities.
Moving ahead to after uni, how did your experience and the lessons you learnt from WIT help you grow as an individual, and in your professional life? I am constantly reflecting on my experiences from WIT. This is the best aspect about taking on a challenge- you continue to learn in the years to come as you unpack the experience. I have definitely learned more about myself and team dynamics as my time as President and apply these when connecting with others in group assignments and other team activities.
This experience also gave me an outlet to develop my leadership skills in a professional sense. It was a challenging role at times, but it has given me new perspectives on managing teams and the importance of building a community. I also learned how to delegate effectively and how important trust is between team members. I owe a lot to my experiences from WIT, as they have opened many doors to shape my character and begin my career.
Upon reflection, what advice do you have for women in tech and for anyone eager to make a difference? I would suggest to those women who are interested in technology but are unsure about where they may fit within the industry, that you do not need the best technical skills to be involved! It is a huge industry with so many avenues for great leaders and communicators. Anyone can have a role in technology if you understand your skills, are open to learning and enjoy teamwork. It is such an exciting and dynamic landscapenothing ever remains the same!
Aleisha Hewitt (2018 President)
SHOWING STRENGTH AND STRIVING TO BE YOUR BEST SELF, EVEN WHEN LIFE ISN'T SO EASY AND YOU ARE FACED WITH ADV
2018
RE AND IMPROVING FROM IT. RESILIENCE IS ACCEPTING FAILURE AND IMPROVING FROM IT. RESILIENCE IS ACCEPTING FAILU
If you are interested in opportunities that arise to make a difference, do not hold back and get involved- even if you feel unsure about how you can contribute! This is where great learnings happen and you never know the path it may take you. You will also find yourself connecting with many like-minded people and mentors while forming friendships that will last a lifetime. Creating and being involved with something meaningful to you will have a larger impact than you think!
What was your most favourable WIT experience? I absolutely loved O-Week at the beginning of 2018! It was so exciting to engage with so many students (many of whom are still part of WIT today) and there was such a fun vibe on campus around all the stalls! We also had some of the best merch on the walkway! It was a massive week but one I will never forget as our team began what was another foundational year for the society Aleisha Hewitt (2018 President)
2019 In 2019, our third year of operation, we aimed to go beyond and provide highquality events that connect with high school and university students with the objective to increase the impact on student life, increasing our membership base to 1, 400+ students.
What were some of your team goals when you were involved with WIT? Coming into the President role, I wanted to establish a strong sense of community amongst our WIT members and within the internal team. Owing to the previous executive teams, our presence on campus was growing. Our team sought to make sure that during this critical period, we nurtured and shaped the type of culture WIT would become in the future. My focus was to have WIT be welcoming, warm and open so that everyone would be comfortable in sharing their experiences and supporting each other. I likewise focused on cultivating the internal team who were likely to become future leaders and heavily involved in continuing WIT’s work. Helping to foster a safe environment then inspired some ambitious and fun ideas, which stretched our and WIT’s potential. Although we had to park a few initiatives, we learned a lot as a team, passing down the knowledge to future years, and I am so proud of the current team for bringing most, if not all, into fruition. Joyce Lin (2019 President)
Understand what you have a passion for, understand why you have a passion for it, and then surround yourself with a very strong support network. Regardless of what you want to pursue or issue you want to advocate, you’re likely to meet setbacks. I’ve found that having a strong inherent ‘why’ was able to drive me through almost anything. And for those moments I felt like faltering, I was able to turn to mentors, peers and friends who gave me the extra boost and clarity I needed to get back on track.
It is so easy to be trapped in constant comparison with other people’s achievements, however by taking a step back and looking at my own achievements, I was able to further my confidence which helped me a lot in my professional life. Lukia Huang (2019 Vice President)
Joyce Lin (2019 President) Moving ahead to after uni, how did your experience and the lessons you learnt from WIT help you grow as an individual, and in your professional life? There was a lot I took with me from WIT and two key lessons would be building my network and being appreciative of what I have achieved. Ultimately, we will be working with others regardless of which profession we choose, I think every individual can be as powerful of a connection as we make it to be, and that each person can bring in a unique perspective on different facets of life. I have learnt to appreciate the beauty of the opportunities our network can bring to us, as well as being able to reciprocate and give back to the community.
The theme of the WIT Magazine is “Flourishing After Fire”. How will you be applying it to your goals as well as your daily life? Resilience and journey both form part of the foundation for personal growth and development, and this has hugely impacted on decisions I make in achieving my personal goals and career aspirations. I think it is important to keep working towards my goals, even if it is baby steps, it still is taking me closer to where I was before.
NCE IS THE ABILITY TO BOUNCE BACK AFTER GOING THROUGH HARDSHIPS. RESILIENCE IS THE ABILITY TO BOUNCE BACK AFT
Upon reflection, what advice do you have for women in tech and for anyone eager to make a difference?
RE AND IMPROVING FROM IT. RESILIENCE IS ACCEPTING FAILURE AND IMPROVING FROM IT. RESILIENCE IS ACCEPTING FAILU
It is also NEVER too late to start and everything I commit to (regardless of positive or negative experience) will enable personal development, this is the mentality that has pushed me to pursue various opportunities which helped me achieve my goals, become self-aware and discover my passion in different industries.
2016
Lukia Huang (2019 Vice President)
2020 In 2020, we established our alumni network, hosted our very first completely online university hackathon and high school hackathon with CSESoc amongst other events. Released our inaugural First Years Guide, Careers Guide and WIT Magazine, created new initiatives such as WIT Crush Wednesday, Talk WIT Us (podcast) and expanded to new channels such as YouTube and Twitch. 510+ new students have signed up with WIT during UNSW's Orientation Week, a 70% increase from 2019. Starting with 1400+ students, we have grown into a community of 2100+ students. We’ve also grown our online social media presence on LinkedIn and Instagram. Our WIT Family is growing and will continue to grow in 2021, with many more new initiatives to come.
2019
2018
2020
NCE IS KEY; GIVING YOUR BEST EFFORT EVERY TIME. RESILIENCE IS KEY; GIVING YOUR BEST EFFORT EVERY TIME. RESILIENCE IS
6/17
My Tech Journey My tech journey started in high school, where I was fortunate enough to be at a school that saw the importance and the rising opportunities in technology. In year 12, a number of teachers offered to teach us a bit of HTML and CSS and found myself enjoying it and I wanted to learn more about it at university. At the time, many of my friends and family were apprehensive about me pursuing this. They haven’t really heard of many women being successful in STEM, there was a big gender disparity, and work-life balance seemed non-existent. Despite all this, I chose to pursue a tech discipline because it was an area I enjoyed and was interested in, and I thought that if I put in the work and effort, there's no reason why I wouldn't be successful. Stepping into university, I was definitely a bit worried and intimidated. Most of my friends went to USYD and only 5 people in our entire year went into tech. To make things worse, I enrolled late to COMP1511 (programming starter pack with a very steep learning curve) by 4 weeks đ&#x;˜ą. Though this course was anything but a walk in the park, I found myself enjoying every moment of it. I definitely owe it to the wonderful staff and friends I made in the course. They really helped ascertain my goals and made me think “yes, this is the right path for meâ€?. Career wise, I knew that employers valued industry experience, but I was not aware that as a first year I would be eligible for roles too until I started to hear that a lot of my peers received part-time jobs and internships. I remember for the entire year I felt so anxious because I did not have anything lined up. I applied to a whole heap of jobs and internships in my first year, I didn’t hear back from many and got rejected by all of them. I definitely had my moments where I thought everything was pointless, maybe I didn't belong and maybe I wasn't cut out for tech. In retrospect, I realised a lot later that it is important to recollect your thoughts, get through the slump and move forward. This might mean, reflecting on why you got rejected, reconcile with it, and make productive plans moving forward. Things really took off in my 2nd year when I got an offer for the 2019/20 Google STEP Internship as a frontend engineer on Chrome OS, Canvas. This time around, I did my research, I practiced and most importantly, I didn't let my past experience deter me from applying to the job. What I want you to take from this is that everyone’s journey is unique. You might be discouraged from pursuing your passions. You might discover your passion later than others. You might not get a 1-way ticket to your dream company. It's important to make moves at your own pace, be resilient and keep walking towards your goal one step at a time.
Insta: @toto_the_chonk
NCE IS BELIEVING THAT YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO SUCCEED AND NEVER GIVING UP. RESILIENCE IS BELIEVING TH
VIVIAN SHEN - PRESIDENT
NCE IS STANDING BACK UP KNOWING YOU MIGHT GET KNOCKED DOWN AGAIN. RESILIENCE IS STANDING BACK UP U
AMANDA LI - VICE PRESIDENT Welcome to My Channel
Hi, I’m Amanda, Vice President of WIT 2020 đ&#x;˜Š . I’m in my third year studying Software/Biomedical Engineering. I was actually considering Civil/Architecture but didn’t want to pull all-nighters (ended up still pulling all-nighters đ&#x;˜˘ ) and switched lanes last minute. Despite only choosing software to avoid physics and my coding experience being limited to editing my Tumblr, naive me made the right choice.
FAVOURITE MEMORIES/EXPERIENCES FROM UNI
I’m really glad I joined societies because the camps, balls, road trips and Airbnb nights would have to be my highlights of Uni. There’s also that rush of adrenaline when an event you helped envision and create is finally happening and that sweet feeling of relief and pressure being lifted when it’s over.
WIT EXPERIENCE
I joined WIT at the start of 2019 when I was applying for the Externals Subcommittee. I decided to apply to be more involved in the technology, computer science side. I got to experience networking nights, interact with sponsors and learnt how to deal with those awkward pauses. I learnt so much about the tech world that I wanted to take on the challenge of being VP and help others experience new opportunities too. The biggest thing I learnt from WIT would be trying to view projects holistically from every angle and yet still remember all the tiny details.
OUTSIDE OF UNI
Apart from being cooped up at home trying to study, I’ll usually be on Netflix, dancing at ICC Darling Harbour or eating brunch food and taking photos for Instagram that I never post anyways. I also occasionally draw, paint (Exhibit A Bob Ross Costume) and sew.
PLEASE LIKE AND SUBSCRIBE
That’s all for today folks, enjoy the rest of this magazine! The moral from today’s episode is: Keep a balance between your studies and extracurriculars/hobbies. If you look back on high school, you’ll only remember the formals and camps and not your grades and this will be the same with Uni. Remember that you get out only as much as you put in. In honour of our favourite activity during Week 1 tutorials, I’ll finish this with an icebreaker. If I could describe myself as a food, I would be  Mac and Cheese  just because it’s the definition of comfort food. It can be a no-fuss instant meal or could be turned gourmet and fancy. And I can be a bit too cheesy sometimes too đ&#x;˜….
Lost, and Possibly Found? When I was first presented with the UAC form that decided my university degree, I was helpless and had no idea what to do. I was in my final year of high school, and to be honest, the furthest I saw into the future was my Economics exam which marked the end of the HSC. So, I asked around. Tech is the future, they said. Tasks will be automated and completed by AI. That was really the extent I knew about technology - I had no hands-on experience. I scoured the UNSW handbook, and haphazardly chose a path that I believe best suited me: B.Comm and Information Systems. My first year started and I was (figuratively and literally) lost. After completing a hellish term of INFS1609, I wasn’t sure if STEM was suited towards me. If I were to do this every day for my job, I didn’t think I would enjoy it and besides, I was always a student that thrived in the humanities. It was then a friend told me about UNSW Women in Technology. I applied as a subcommittee member, and became part of the community. It was then I realised the flexibility and diversity of the STEM discipline. There were so many career possibilities ranging from technical to creative. After attending workshops, networking nights and seminars, I realised just how much potential and fun a tech degree could be.
I realised how important it is for students to be exposed to various aspects of the tech industry. In high school, I never really understood what coding was (my idea of coding came from that one scene in the Transformers) - we were never able to dabble in different coding languages, or advanced software beyond the Microsoft Office suite. Had I known that the tech discipline could have been so diverse and colourful, I would have stressed a lot less over my career path. I hope that the technology industry is one that becomes more diverse, as we strive to spread awareness of the discipline. And you, if you’re reading this and are thinking of choosing a tech degree - why don’t you dip your toes in by attending some of WIT’s events? After all, who knows what the future holds? One thing’s for sure - technology won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.
NCE IS PUSHING YOURSELF ABOVE AND BEYOND EVEN WHEN YOU ARE UNMOTIVATED OR OUT OF YOUR COMFOR
KELLY LIANG - GENERAL SECRETARY
NCE IS POWER. RESILIENCE IS POWER. RESILIENCE IS POWER. RESILIENCE IS POWER. RESILIENCE IS POWER. RESILIEN
ELIZABETH ZHONG - TREASURER Taking a shot... then many more shots
Hi! I’m Elizabeth, the 2020 WIT Treasurer! I go to uni to study and to socialise :)
MY JOURNEY WITH TECH
My first experience with programming was in high school when I picked IST (information software and technology) for an elective. I had a project where I had to build a game that would roll two dice, and you would win if the numbers matched. It sounds simple now but I became so frustrated with not being able to understand the coding. I was just copying code off the internet and the undecipherable errors I encountered led me to dislike programming.
So, what made me choose software engineering for uni? Honestly, I was quite unsure about what I wanted to study. When I went through all the degrees that were available, none of them were particularly appealing to me. During year 10 work experience I had the chance of experiencing the business side of an IT firm. Whilst I disliked that programming project, I found I disliked the business side even more and IST was still one of my favourite classes of all time, and I just felt like I had to give it another go. Overall, I’m super glad I stuck with it because now I enjoy what I do and wouldn’t have it any other way!
EXTRACURRICULARS
I used to be afraid of trying out for things because I was never confident in what I was doing and thought I wouldn’t be qualified enough, and that resulted in a lot of regret and missed opportunities. Because of that, when I came to uni, I decided that I was going to take every opportunity I was given. Subcoms? Mentoring programs? Internships? You name it, I tried out for all of them, and as a result, I realised the truth behind “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” I honestly attribute my current enjoyment at uni to the extracurricular activities I took up. I’m pretty sure I would have had no friends if I tried to only make them through the 10% of lectures I go to. This year, I’ve had the pleasure of being WIT’s treasurer, and it has opened up so many more opportunities that I probably wouldn’t have experienced otherwise.
A Letter to My Future Self
Dear Vivian, This is your younger, 20-year-old self. I want to remind you to chase after your goals. You’ve proved over and over that you can reach challenging goals, but sometimes it will require patience and creativity. Remember the first time you pushed yourself outside of your comfort zone? You didn’t like high school. Your teachers didn’t care about you, and you weren’t thriving. You dreamed of studying abroad but you had to learn English and get good grades quickly to stand a chance. You didn’t think that was possible at your high school. So you did the unthinkable. Your conservative family members thought you would fail. But then, you discovered amazing teachers and resources online. You learned on your terms--and it worked! You earned awards in economics and accounting, learnt English, and got accepted to UNSW! Remember what you discovered in Australia? Life didn’t revolve around grades and learning English. You needed to become well-rounded. So, you set a new goal to get real-world experience. But despite your best efforts--submitting dozens of applications, interviewing, and spending time in the testing centre, you didn’t reach your goals. Remember how you were discouraged and wanted to give up? Instead, you got creative - found mentors, built your network, and learnt how to write and speak better. And it worked! You got accepted to societies, landed a security analyst internship at Accenture, and became an executive for WIT. Remember that you almost didn’t apply for the WIT position in the first place? You didn’t have subcom experience, so how could you possibly be an exec? But the former WIT president suggested you run. If she thought you could do it, then maybe there was a small chance after all. So, you ran and got selected! Then, you got to do something that really mattered - help other young women discover that they could build successful careers in tech. Before achieving every challenging goal you set, you doubted yourself but pushed forward anyway. And once you arrived at your goals - at UNSW and as the WIT Education Executive, you proved you belonged there. Please don’t ever forget the self-doubt, challenges, and joy you felt when reaching your goals. I don’t think reaching goals will ever get easier, but you know you can do it. So keep dreaming big, stepping outside your comfort zone and reaching your goals. Sincerely, Your 20-year-old self, Vivian
NCE IS LIVING LIFE LIKE A MARATHON AND NOT A SPRINT. RESILIENCE IS LIVING LIFE LIKE A MARATHON AND NOT A S
VIVIAN WONG - EDUCATION EXEC
NCE IS THE STRENGTH TO OVERCOME ANY CHALLENGE THAT LIFE THROWS AT YOU AND TO LEARN FROM IT. RESILIE
GABRIELLE YOUNES - EVENTS EXEC A Recipe for Cake - But Make It a STEM Student
250g ambition 250g persistence 1 ½ cups of competitiveness 2 tsp integrity 4 shots of coffee
1 ½ tsp comedic genius (self proclaimed) A pinch of imposter syndrome (a dollop when applying for an internship) 2 eggs
As an avid baker, passionate stress eater and part-time scientific thinker, I believe that all our values, experiences and interests are ingredients, which when stirred, cooked at 180ÂşC and left to cool, enable us to become improved versions of ourselves. All it takes is a catalyst. My name is Gabrielle Younes, WIT’s 2020 Events Executive, and a 2nd year student studying a Bachelor of Bioinformatics Engineering/Adv. Science (with a pharmacology major and a statistics minor). With a degree that has more syllables then I can count on two hands, and a 6 year duration, I started uni with the mentality that a good WAM and fancy degree name would be the key ingredients to landing a job. However, upon joining WIT in the first few weeks of my first year, I found the catalyst to kickstart my personal and professional development, which has been transforming day by day ever since. Whilst I never had a clear vision of what I wanted to study at uni, or the job I wanted to pursue, I always knew that I wanted to be challenged, in a position where I can constantly learn new things, be thrusted into new experiences and avoid doing physics at all costs. In fact, it wasn’t until I had been exposed to the professional tech industry through organising and attending the events we hosted, making new connections with graduates and senior workers, applying for and experiencing internships and participating in WIT’s industry mentoring program, that I truly gained direction for where I wanted to navigate my career. I have now learnt to love the breadth of what I study, focusing on the cross-section of technology and how we as humans (both biologically and socially) interact with it. Whilst I consider my intrinsic traits as my ingredients, my methods through this growth have been slightly more difficult than just stirring some cake batter. Rather, it is the product of continuously pushing myself out of my comfort zone, saying ‘yes’ to every opportunity that comes my way and prioritising my mental and physical health. As ironic as this may be coming from the most competitive person I know (myself), I try to constantly remember that we can only forge our own futures by competing with the expectations that we have for ourselves, not others - so avoid spiralling down the rabbit hole of LinkedIn, you are on your way to where you should be. Serve with a side of ice-cream and enjoy đ&#x;˜‰
My Victorian strawberry sponge cake
4 Life Lessons from My Dog
I’ve realised that some of the best life lessons I’ve learnt were from my Maltese, Max!
After a long hot day, when the sun has set and the moon shines, it begins to rain. Rain turns to shower and then turns to storm. While our family sit cozily in the mainroom watching the latest Bollywood film, the sounds of the thunder and the intermittent flashes of lightning is far from our minds- at least, for most of us. Max sits in the corner shivering and scared of the thunder. He walks towards me and I pick him up, perch him on my lap and put my hands over his ears in an effort to minimise the intensity of the sounds of chaos outside. Within a few minutes he rests his head and closes his eyes in solace. Don’t be afraid to seek help from others. Have a support system and conversely, be a reliable support system for others.
Argh! The deadlines are approaching and all my responsibilities are suffocating me. I’m overwhelmed. I look over to Max who is rolling around on the carpet without a care in the world and I wonder, ‘God, in my next life, please make me a pet dog’. As he rolls around on the carpet trying to scratch his back, I catch a glimpse of his eyes. So content. So full of life. It's easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. Make sure to stop once a while and enjoy the little things. As I eat sweet potato, Max sits patiently staring at the bowl. He loves sweet potato and I can almost read his mind. Come on, just one piece! I lift the piece above his tiny head and command him “Max, Sit!”. He promptly sits. I throw the piece in the air and he jumps, chomping it midair. If you want something, work hard for it, and the universe shall grant it. It’s 11pm and my family goes upstairs to sleep. I’m busy downstairs cramming for tomorrow’s exam. Max’s eyes are red and tired and it is time for him to sleep too. “Go Sleep” I command him, in hope of him. But he doesn’t- he lays on the floor and stays till late night until we both go up to sleep. When life gets hard for your loved one, stay with them.
NCE IS STRENGTH. RESILIENCE IS STRENGTH. RESILIENCE IS STRENGTH. RESILIENCE IS STRENGTH. RESILIENCE IS STREN
RHEA THOMAS - EXTERNALS EXEC
NCE IS BEING ABLE TO STAND UP AGAINST ADVERSITY AND PICK YOURSELF UP AGAIN. RESILIENCE IS BEING ABLE TO
ALISON CHIN - HR EXEC Taking a leap of faith
EXTRACURRICULARS
HOBBIES
HR Director for WIT Arc Delegate/ Marketing Lead for UNSW Digital Society
Hiking Baking Painting Watching Kdramas
Hi there! My name is Alison, and I’m a third year Information Systems Student interested in product management and digital strategy. I am particularly passionate about technology being used to make an impact on social issues. My particular interest in tech started after my first year of university. I started off with a Biotechnology degree, but after a year in science I realised it wasn’t the path I envisioned myself. Personally, I wanted to pursue something where I could interact with people, clients, and other teams to come up with solutions and strategies.
After talking to a lot of people, I decided to pursue an Information Systems degree. It looked like a discipline that required understanding the technical side and skills whilst and collaborating well with others. During second year, I grew inspired by concepts such as cybersecurity, design thinking and business analysis. It has really opened my eyes to the diversity of career paths in design, strategy, and data.
Being involved in Women in Technology has greatly impacted my journey in technology. I have never met such a passionate group of women who are striving to make a difference within fields in STEM. As a member of the society for almost two years, it's been amazing to see how our events and initiatives have inspired others to explore their potential and not be afraid to diversify into interests outside of their studies. I am very grateful to be part of the leadership team of 2020 because we have grown so much despite the rough circumstances. Being part of the society has shaped my interest in digital strategy and design and vision for the future.
Taking a Chance with a #GirlWhoCodes
Hi, I'm Elicia, a second-year Commerce / Computer Science student and the 2020 WIT IT Executive. Here is what you should know about me: I love making things look ~aesthetically pleasing~ My favourite colour is rose gold Some of my hobbies include reading, puzzle-solving, photography, bike-riding and calligraphy
TECH JOURNEY
I always knew I wanted to go into the technology industry. Inspired by my dad, I started my journey in tech back in high school, studying Information Processes and Technology (years 9 10) and Information Software and Technology (years 11 - 12). Curious to try out more recent technologies and start coding, I was introduced to the NCSS Challenge in 2015. Through this annual challenge and attending the NCSS Summer School in 2017 as well as the Girls Programming Network workshops, I developed đ&#x;˜‹ my passion for technology through learning to code in Python, HTML, and CSS. Choosing to study Commerce / Computer Science was a nobrainer. Though I must admit, it can be a struggle through late nights of coding and trying to figure out why your function produces the wrong output, then later realising that you used multiplication instead of addition . Nevertheless, I am excited to be studying in a fast-paced field.
EXTRACURRICULARS
I was never the kind of person who would try new things, I liked my bubble. But once I started university, I was an eager first-year looking to dive into activities and societies that I was not prepared for. It was a complete mind shift.
The first society I joined was WIT. After accidentally submitting a blank application and anxiously messaging the recruitment team, as well as getting lost on my way to the interview, I somehow managed to land a position in the IT Subcommittee. Being a part of WIT for almost 2 years has definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone. From meeting new friendly faces around campus (though not so much this year) to the giant leap of building the WIT website from scratch, it has been a wild ride. I’ve also explored a more creative role as the Graphic Designer / Brand Designer for Redback Racing, designing merch, packages and graphics for the student project. To fuel my passion for protecting the environment, I volunteer at Stationery Reuse by distributing re-purposed stationery to students. This year, I also joined the Volunteer Army and helped researchers identify over 1000 classifications across 5 different projects. So, if you’re looking to try something new, take a chance. Take it one day at a time, and you’ll get there sooner than you realise. Be kind, have fun and stay safe!
NCE IS THE STRENGTH TO BOUNCE BACK FROM DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES AND POWER THROUGH YOUR STRUG
ELICIA AU DUONG - IT EXEC
NCE IS SURVIVING, RECOVERING, AND COMING BACK BETTER. RESILIENCE IS SURVIVING, RECOVERING, AND COMI
FELICIA EE - MARKETING EXEC How I Fell In Love with Design BACKSTORY
According to my mum, toddler Felicia wanted to be a makeup artist. Today, I am incapable of applying makeup even to myself, but maybe this was the first sign.
FIRST DATES
In high school, I was fortunate to have Photoshop installed on my school laptop. Our first date was, naturally, putting teachers’ faces on various things. The date went well and I wanted to learn more. I put too much effort into posters. I made wallpapers of dumb things my friends said. I became obsessed with fonts (I still am). But it hadn’t gotten serious yet. A new challenger entered the scene: coding.
SOMETHING AWESOME
Through online classes, I learnt to love the analytical skills and creativity programming demanded. In year 11 I took UNSW’s high school course HS1917, where I had a great deal of fun and learnt a lot about programming - and surprisingly, a lot about Photoshop too. The ‘Something Awesome’ assignment had us choose any tech-related skill and work on it throughout the course. I ended up learning a bunch of photo manipulation techniques via YouTube. But to me, this was just a one-off fling - and as I entered uni, design was far from my thoughts.
THE ULTIMATE INSPIRATION IS THE DEADLINE - NOLAN BUSHNELL As an impressionable seng/commerce first year at O-Week, I saw WIT’s sign about subcom applications and thought, “why not?”. I’m so glad I did. In marketing subcom I ate lots of food, met new people, honed teamwork skills - and started falling in love with design. Making posters for fun was one thing; having a blank canvas and a deadline was another. I loved designing with a purpose - to excite and inform - and creating something that no one else would. I knew I didn’t want to stop there.
GOING STEADY
I started my year as Marketing Exec with a new WIT logo, a design I’m rather proud of. It caught the eye of a lecturer, who hired me to design a logo for a website - and suddenly I realised this didn’t have to be a fling. I can’t imagine coding not being in my future, but that doesn’t mean design can’t be as well, whether that means UX design, contracting on the side, or something else that might not exist yet. I’m incredibly grateful to WIT for being my matchmaker. Having heard about many winding career journeys, I know I’ll fall in and out of love with many things throughout my life. I can only hope I’ll be brave enough to chase each love story when it comes.
EDUCATION Fun Fact: I spend all of my free time at the beach Success is: being truly happy in yourself. Advice to my younger self: Don't sweat the things you cannot control.
ELISA SANJURJO
Resilience is trying again after failure, learning from these mistakes and responding to new challenges with courage.
Commerce/ Advanced Science
Fun Fact: I can play Pachelbel's Canon on the violin, on the back of my head Success is: challenging yourself and learning something new. Advice to my younger self: Don't doubt yourself, just take the opportunity, and keep trying. Resilience is knowing that it's hard now, but still pushing towards the goal.
GEORGIE MANSFIELD Chemical Engineering/ Science
Fun Fact: I once went 60 hours without sleeping in order to finish an assignment Success is: If you are growing, you are succeeding. Advice to my younger self: When things get rough, keep trying your hardest. Things have a weird way of working themselves out when you do.
VICTORIA RUMING Mechatronic/ Biomedical Engineering
Resilience is tenacity — the fierce urge to never give up.
NCE IS LIVING LIFE LIKE A MARATHON AND NOT A SPRINT. RESILIENCE IS LIVING LIFE LIKE A MARATHON AND NOT A SPRINT. R
2020 SUBCOMMITTEE
NCE IS THE STRENGTH TO OVERCOME ANY CHALLENGE THAT LIFE THROWS AT YOU AND TO LEARN FROM IT. RESILIENCE IS TH
2020 SUBCOMMITTEE EVENTS
Fun Fact: I love chocolate! Success is: leading your life with kindness, grace and no regrets! Advice to my younger self: There's always a reason for your key decisions and constantly aspire to desire, improve and learn. Resilience is the magical key to unlocking your dreams and success!
ARIANE NOTARAS Commerce (Finance)/ Information Systems
Fun Fact: I like collecting vintage classics! Success is: the freedom to pursue whatever you desire. Advice to my younger self: Try everything out! It's better to fail early on than later.
JANE WANG
Resilience is the ability to keep pushing forward no matter how many obstacles you encounter.
Commerce/ Information Systems
Fun Fact: I have a four coloured cat Success is: achieving everything you want. Advice to my younger self: JUSt dO iT, doNt lET yOUr dReAMs bE dReaMs. Resilience is accepting failure and improving from it.
JUSTIN CLARKE Data Science
EVENTS
Success is: persevering, even after failing, to achieve your goals. Advice to my younger self: Be less self critical and to enjoy the present moment as it comes, to worry less about the future and the past.
NISHMI KAPOOR Commerce/ Advanced Science (Honours)
Resilience is the ability to keep pushing forward even in adversity to achieve your own goals.
Fun Fact: My cheeseburger order includes extra pickles Success is: challenging yourself to experiment everyday. Advice to my younger self: BE CONFIDENT Listen to your Mum It’s ok to make mistakes and have moments of doubt, but don’t sit out Resilience is showing strength and striving to be your best self, even when life isn't so easy and you are faced with adversity.
SHIRLEE SALARIA Commerce/ Information Systems
NCE IS THE STRENGTH TO OVERCOME ANY CHALLENGE THAT LIFE THROWS AT YOU AND TO LEARN FROM IT. RESILIENCE IS TH
2020 SUBCOMMITTEE
NCE IS STRENGTH. RESILIENCE IS STRENGTH. RESILIENCE IS STRENGTH. RESILIENCE IS STRENGTH. RESILIENCE IS STRENGTH. RE
2020 SUBCOMMITTEE EXTERNALS
Fun Fact: If you see me on a skateboard and tell me to do a kickflip, there's a 6% chance I'll manage to do it! Success is: when you make a positive impact on the people around you. Advice to my younger self: Please stop trying to be cool lol
ANGENI BAI Computer Science
Resilience is understanding that the only thing you can control about a situation is how you react.
Fun Fact: I'm a black belt in taekwondo Success is: to be proud of who I am and what I've accomplished. Advice to my younger self: Sleep more and try out as many things as you can because time waits for no one! Resilience is blood, sweat, and tears.
RUE TEH Software Engineering
Fun Fact: To date, I haven't lived in one country for over 9 years Success is: overcoming fear and learning something new every day.
SRIJA MUKHERJEE Software Engineering
Advice to my younger self: Don't be afraid of the unknown, embrace new opportunities with open arms and never stop believing in yourself. Resilience is putting yourself in the shoes of a baby and taking baby steps, remembering that it is okay to fall many times before learning to stand up straight and walk.
HR
Fun Fact: I am really good at making cupcakes :) Success is: working alongside people I look up to and respect. Advice to my younger self: Slow and steady wins the race :) ALSO don't cut your own bangs !
CLAIRE YU
Resilience is courage.
Commerce
Fun Fact: I am a god in PUBG Success is: doing something that you enjoy and are passionate about. Advice to my younger self: Be more confident in yourself and to not be afraid of failure.
VICTORIA YU Information Systems
Resilience is being able to bounce back after facing an obstacle.
NCE IS BEING ABLE TO STAND UP AGAINST ADVERSITY AND PICK YOURSELF UP AGAIN. RESILIENCE IS BEING ABLE TO STAND
2020 SUBCOMMITTEE
NCE IS THE STRENGTH TO BOUNCE BACK FROM DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES AND POWER THROUGH YOUR STRUGGLES. RESI
2020 SUBCOMMITTEE IT
Fun Fact: I draw in my spare time Success is: achieving what you couldn't previously. Advice to my younger self: Overcoming imposter syndrome is like training a muscle. Keep striving towards opportunities and build self-confidence. Resilience is being able to bounce back in the face of challenges.
ALANA HUA Software/Biomedical Engineering
Fun Fact: I love sketching and painting! Success is: the pride of trying until you no longer fail.
CHELSEA CHAFFEY Computer Science
Advice to my younger self: Don't be worried about what others think about you - it's what you think about yourself that really counts. Resilience is key; giving your best effort every time.
IT
Success is: giving the best contribution for great results. Advice to my younger self: Be resilient. If you keep moving forward in a positive attitude, you can overcome anything. Resilience is the ability and choice to keep moving forward closer to our goal, despite the hardship and challenges we face along the way.
GIANFELIX GOENAWAN Computer Science/ Commerce
Fun Fact: I use children’s toothpaste because I can’t handle the heat of peppermint. Success is: to live grounded in humility, grace and love (like Jesus!)
LILY YANG Computer Science
Advice to my younger self: Don’t worry about how you compare to people in the moment. Grow at your own rate and ability! Resilience is holding on to the good in times of uncertainty and trial.
NCE IS THE STRENGTH TO BOUNCE BACK FROM DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES AND POWER THROUGH YOUR STRUGGLES. RESI
2020 SUBCOMMITTEE
2020 SUBCOMMITTEE CE IS SURVIVING, RECOVERING, AND COMING BACK BETTER. RESILIENCE IS SURVIVING, RECOVERING
MARKETING Fun Fact: I'm an avid reader and I sometimes find myself getting lost in the world of fiction! Success is: feeling content with myself. Advice to my younger self: Be less critical of yourself and don't give much thought to what others might think. Resilience is the ability to bounce back after going through hardships.
ANISA ISLAM Media (Communications and Journalism)
Fun Fact: I started learning photography recently, yet funnily enough, I'm extremely camera shy Success is: when I've learnt and experienced everything I've wanted to
CONNIE SHI Commerce/ Information Systems
Advice to my younger self: Believe in yourself and put yourself out there :) Resilience is being able to overcome challenges, no matter how big or small.
Fun Fact: I used to live in a bakery Success is: feeling satisfied in what you do. Advice to my younger self: Go at your own pace and keep trying new things out! Resilience is like a muscle, it is a sign of strength.
VY KIM NGUYEN Bioinformatics/ Biomedical Engineering
LOOKING BACK ON
2020
CRUNCHING TH
47
15
30
events
sponsors
team members
OUR FIR
First Year Guide, Careers Guide, and WIT magazine!
Website built from scratch
NEW INIT
Weekly blogs
Willow the Wombat
#WITCrushWednesday
LOOKING BACK ON
2020
HE NUMBERS...
685
462
512
new Facebook followers
new LinkedIn followers
new members at O-Week
ST EVER:
h
Fully online Hackathon
Non-flagship event with 100+ attendance
TIATIVES
Memes and inspirational posts
Weekly podcast
Twitch channel
NCE IS TENACITY — THE FIERCE URGE TO NEVER GIVE UP. RESILIENCE IS TENACITY — THE FIERCE URGE TO NEVER GIVE UP. RE
In 2020, our WIT Internal Team has held many successful events, launched many new initiatives this year, and we've reached great heights amidst the many challenges 2020 has brought! We would love to share some of our accomplishments for 2020! 70% increase from 2019 in signups from O-Week, 510+ new students Created our WIT Alumni Network Released 33 blog posts, a significant increase from the 3 blog posts in 2019 Released 3 inaugural flagship publications: First Years Guide, Careers Guide in collaboration with the School of Information Systems and School of Computing, and our WIT Magazine Created 47 events this year reaching 79.4k people and averaging ~45 people event attendance (excluding flagship events), a 50% increase from 2019 Created event guides for events such as Tea Talks with Tech and in-depth complete revamp of the Empowerment and Hackathon Guidebooks Higher quality events - highly commended by sponsors and students alike 15 sponsors, securing 6 new sponsors since 2019. This is a 111% increase in sponsorship revenue from 2019
AlumNight in Term 1
of WordPress. New opportunity for our members to learn practical web development skills Additional website features: Publications, Marketing Archive, Events and Marketing Archive, the addition of Subcommittee. Currently working on: loading screen, mobile view, previous teams and more! More cross-portfolio bonding events than 2019 despite COVID!
One of our online bonding nights
Logo change and creation of WIT's first branding guidelines With our branding guidelines, we have introduced opportunities for our members to learn practical design skills using Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and After Effects (taught by our talented Marketing Exec) Growth on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn Facebook: grew our followers by 74%, reaching 2197 followers LinkedIn: Started with 27 followers collated from 2018 and 2019, we currently have 489 followers Instagram: 75% growth in followers over the year
Hoodie design by Vice President Amanda Li WIT merch release: badges and our first new hoodie release since 2017
Some of our internal team wearing our 2020 hoodies
Creation of our mascot Willow the Wombat! Launched Talk WIT Us, a weekly podcast and tWITch, a weekly gaming stream
So here's to a great year for WIT and for more great things to come in 2021! Read on for more details on what each of our portfolios has achieved this year.
NCE IS KEY; GIVING YOUR BEST EFFORT EVERY TIME. RESILIENCE IS KEY; GIVING YOUR BEST EFFORT EVERY TIME. RESILIENCE IS
Completely rebuilt the website from scratch using React JS, HTML and CSS instead
M E E T
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T E A M
The WIT Education portfolio hit the ground running in 2020, rolling out many new exciting initiatives. The all-new WIT Careers Guide includes 84 pages of knowledge and tips for those wishing to learn about the tech ecosystem and career options for a wide-range of degrees. Included are company profiles from our incredible sponsors such as Telstra, Amazon, Google and more. Readers can learn about all the companies, what they look for in candidates, and the recruitment process. Reading testimonies from industry professionals can help them understand the industry and discover resources that will help them succeed in the interview process, and get their dream job!
BLOGS & #WITCRUSHWEDNESDAY Our blogs allows us to explore interesting tech topics and careers, such as Mechatronics and AI in the workplace. Additionally, Education and Marketing have collaborated to bring to our members WIT Crush Wednesday which showcases and celebrates the career journeys of women in STEM. What’s not to love about successful women in tech? From a software engineer to product manager, we have already celebrated 23 inspiring women working in STEM for leading companies such as Atlassian and KPMG.
EDU uns TIO
TALK WIT US PODCAST We wanted to deliver some great content and engage with our members in a new format. So, we came up with the Talk WIT Us podcast! We have had so much fun chatting about uni and creating a Career Deep Dive Series with interviews from industry professionals. You can find our weekly podcast on Spotify!
THE WIT MAGAZINE We have been busy creating the 2020 magazine, themed Flourishing After Fire, focusing on resilience and journeys. It features technological developments, impact of tech, and the development of WIT itself, showcasing our growth and visions for the future. We wanted the magazine to celebrate and capture everything we have achieved this year and the talented people working behind the scenes.
UCA sw wit ON
Victoria Ruming: “Suddenly, I could write Assessment Centre breakdowns, market-sizing and case study solutions, many tips and tricks, and more.” Georgie Mansfield: “These blog posts have been an amazing source of creativity and inspiration, allowing me to devise new and interesting content and learn about some of the most motivating people who prove that women are true forces in the world of STEM.”
Elisa Sanjurjo: "Being apart of the Education portfolio has been a fantastic experience. I have had the opportunity to work with incredibly talented women and learn new skills for a career in STEM." Vivian Wong: "I have really enjoyed my experience on the education portfolio! It allows me to come up with different initiatives and deliver content with my team and other portfolios. I enjoy guiding the subcom members and having finished products that we are proud of."
ALUMNight - Kicked off our alumni network
T 1 WIT x WIRE x WIS IWD brunch
W1
W2
W3
W4
W5
W6
W7
W8
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Atlassian Make an App from Scratch Workshop First non-flagship event to reach 100+ signups WIESOC x WIT: Games Night
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WIT x CSESoc StuNet: Pen Pals Program WIT's first pen pals program
Tea Talks with Tech First virtual networking event W1
W2
W3
W4
W5
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W7
W8
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Empowerment Mentoring Program 3 times as many signups as last year
Hackathon + workshops with MCIC and JA Australia
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CSESOC x WIT x IBM: High school Hackathon
T 3 O-Week
Baraja Tech Talk
W1
W2
W3
W4
W5
W6
W7
W8
W9
W10
Nine Data Analytics Competition
IBM Code and Conquer
WIT x SecSoc x Deloitte: Case Crack
M E E T
T H E
Our Externals team is in charge of maintaining an exhaustive network of company sponsors who help us facilitate events for all our members. Our sponsors are the lifeblood of our society and hence timely and professional external communication is a very important priority for our portfolio. This year, we managed to increase our base sponsorship by 111%.
T E A M
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I'm Angeni (but call me Genie!), and I'm in my first year studying Computer Science. In my spare time, you'll find me stacking it on my skateboard, convincing myself I know how to play guitar, and spending way too long looking for photos for my Spotify playlists. In lockdown I finally solved the Rubik's cube that I got from the Easter Show in primary school :) My life goal is to replace my Google Calendar with an actual personal assistant. I really love how friendly everyone is in WIT - it never feels too intimidating to start a conversation with anyone. This of course extends to my External Relations team, who've been amazing to work alongside!
Hello! I’m Srija and I’m in my first year of Software Engineering at UNSW. When I’m not coding, you can usually find me immersed in a mystery novel, binging on some trendy Netflix series or smashing Badminton. During lockdown, I discovered that I am not a terrible baker and that a microwave can be just as capable as an oven. I also tried to keep myself as engaged by attending society events, where I enjoyed bonding with other students and learning about emerging trends in technology. My passion for technology is what drove me to pursue a role in the WIT Family through which I have hoped to contribute to encouraging others to explore, love and pursue careers in STEM. I love my role in the Externals Subcommittee which allows me to develop my communication skills as I network with our wonderful sponsors!
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I’m Rue, a 2nd year software engineering student and full time fruit tea addict! During lockdown, I’ve been creating my own concoction, my current one being a lychee and berries green tea. Fruit tea is definitely not the only addiction I have, anime, kpop, kdrama, league of legends, EDM you name it! I’m also a black belt in Taekwondo so don’t be fooled by my small appearance! Other than that I’m also really passionate about learning what technology is all about and what is out there.
My favourite thing about WIT is definitely the people! Everyone is really welcoming, supportive and ~wholesome~. I was able to find my place within ER and the society, and felt a sense of community which I believe is very important. ER gave me the opportunity to learn invaluable skills in working cross portfolio, engaging with sponsors as well as that atmosphere of working towards and making a difference together as a team, and not just individuals.
Leading Externals for the past year has been an invaluable opportunity for me to grow in my management style, professionalism and communication skills. It is only through this role, through which I've been able to meet amazing inspirational women in industry and within our society!
M E E T
T H E
T E A M
HR’s role is to establish our society culture by supporting personal growth and creating social events where our members can get to know each other and become friends.
T 1 COFFEE CHATS Random subcommittee members were paired together, encouraging them to get to know each other by completing fun challenges together.
WIT X WIESOC ONLINE GAMES NIGHT As part of one of WIT’s first social events of the year, we collaborated with WIESoc to bring a three part gaming competition to all our members.
AMAZING RACE
A stimulating internal social event as teams competed against each other in their path to solve riddles and challenges, further facilitating bonding
H uns I T
T 2 DINNER AT VAPIANO As restrictions eased up, we held our first in-person meet up. It was a night filled with delicious Italian food, fun chats and ended with a trip to Messina in Darling Square.
WIT X ROBOGALS MEET & GAMES In collaboration with RoboGals, WIT hosted their second games night consisting of three different rounds of Skribblio.io, Scattegories and Cards Against Humanity. This event encouraged all members to participate in night of fun and friendly competition.
EXEC SERIES WITH VIV AND KELLY Our President and Secretary both demonstrated their passion for technology and passed on some valuable life advice to all subcom members.
UBEREATS SECRET SANTA AND BRUNCHES
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Two subcommittees were paired up, and individual members bought food for their allocated partners. Some portfolios also went for brunches together instead.
T 3 WIT X DIGISOC FRIENDS TIL THE END At the start of the Term 3, we hosted a speed friending event with UNSW DigiSoc as part of welcome for new students and start of the very last term of 2020.
VIRTUAL ESCAPE ROOM WIT HR hosted a Virtual Escape Room as an internal bonding event. It was night filled with many challenges and riddles, allowing for a last bit of fun before the start of T3.
EXEC SERIES WITH AMANDA AND ELIZABETH The Exec Series was a four-part zoom event conducted throughout the year with the intention of getting subcommittee to become closer to the exec team. It was not only incredibly fun to attend but also very informative for younger sub comm members looking to gain experience in societies, uni and the workforce.
WIT WEBSITE
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Alana Hua: "My time on the WIT IT subcommittee has been an enriching learning experience. I got to create WIT's website from scratch in React.js and had the opportunity to lead the website's mobile design, which required me to produce Figma wireframes and explain the design choices I made in meetings." Chelsea Chaffey: “These blog posts have been an amazing source of creativity and inspiration, allowing me to devise new and interesting content and learn about some of the most motivating people who prove that women are true forces in the world of STEM.” Gianfelix Goenawan: "Being on the WIT IT subcommittee in 2020 gave me the chance to hone my technical skills in React.js, Git, and even VS Code to create our first running website from scratch. I really enjoyed the weekly meetings we had discussing deadlines, bugs, and ranting along the way while playing online games (shoutout to Skribbl.io!). Overall, it has been an amazing journey together as a team and as part of the society!" Lily Yang: "Redesigning the WIT website alongside the IT team was a valuable experience. Joining the subcommittee as a first-year student, without much prior development experience, was definitely daunting. However, owing largely to my team’s encouragement and the wider WIT community, I was able to learn a lot, and I’m excited about the website we built!"
M E E T
T H E
Since the founding year of 2016, UNSW WIT has grown into a platform that empowers, unites and up-skills both female and male students that are passionate about our mission. This year, we have witnessed immense change and growth with over 685 new members on Facebook and over 462 new followers on LinkedIn!
Growth in Facebook followers!
Growth in LinkedIn followers! Growth in Instagram followers!
The Marketing Team also introduced a new initiative where we create weekly memes that feature our very own mascot, Willow the Wombat!
T E A M
M MA A uns EE TT I
Two months ago, WIT held its first ever fully online Hackathon in collaboration with Google. While this event came with many challenges, Hackathon was a huge success and accomplishment for the team! In preparation for the event, we aimed to inspire and enforce creativity by creating a teaser and theme reveal through a series of animated slides to explain the different aspects of the event.
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During Term 1, we introduced an exciting new series, ‘WIT Crush Wednesdays’ where we celebrate inspiring women specialising in the STEM field and use this opportunity as a testament of their hard work, passion and desire to learn. Over the past few months, we have celebrated the achievements of more than 18 women and their efforts in shaping the history of technology today!
E AND IMPROVING FROM IT. RESILIENCE IS ACCEPTING FAILURE AND IMPROVING FROM IT. RESILIENC
EVENT RECAP Women in Technology’s Events portfolio works to plan, organise and host a range of technical and professional skill development workshops, competitions and talks as well as social meets. With the 2020 team comprising of the dedicated and driven individuals, Ariane Notaras, Jane Wang, Justin Clarke, Nishmi Kapoor, Shirlee Salaria and led by Gabrielle Younes, WIT’s vision of facilitating the opportunity for students to enhance their potential in the technology sector has been transformed into reality. WIT’s event team reached new milestones averaging 45 people per event, a 50% increase in event attendance from 2019, averaging 1-2 events per week. Read on for our event highlights of the year so far!
ALUMNIGHT Women in Technology kicked off the first professional event of 2020 with ALUMNight, where students were given the opportunity to network with, and hear the stories of those who had walked in their footsteps and beyond! The night started with a Q&A session, where eager students heard from 3 distinguished panellists: Angela Su, Software Engineer at Microsoft, Pasha Rayan, CTO and CoFounder of InsideSherpa and Amelia Carrozzi, STEM advocacy and Scholarship Manager at Westpac. The floor was opened up to questions, where students learnt about finding their career paths, tips and tricks for applications, life after university and more.
Students then participated in an open floor networking session to have deeper conversations and learn more about the personal stories of the representatives from Canva, Google and EdgeRed, whilst enjoying delicious cheese boards and drinks. The WIT community was given access to the WIT Alumni Network, where students could further reach out and connect with alumni.
WIT X MATHSOC: NINTENDO & CHILL At the beginning of T1 2020, WIT and Mathsoc held a collaborative games night to welcome new students and members of both clubs’ communities, providing the opportunity to find friends whilst bonding over games. Attendees played a wide variety of board games with many friendships being made and destroyed over Uno, as well as other strategic card games. Students battled each other in Nintendo Switch classics such as Super Smash Bros and Mario Kart, and mingled over the Roundhouse’s catering. Whether it was picking up four cards in Uno or chatting over some hot chips, WIT’s first event of 2020 brought students together from both societies for a fun and interactive meet and greet.
ILIENCE IS HOLDING ON TO THE GOOD IN TIMES OF UNCERTAINTY AND TRIAL. RESILIENCE IS HOLDING TO THE GOOD IN TIMES
Card games and board games at WIT x MathSoc: Nintendo and Chill
G ABLE TO OVERCOME CHALLENGES, NO MATTER HOW BIG OR SMALL. RESILIENCE IS BEING ABLE TO OVERCOME CHALLEN
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY To celebrate International Women’s Day, the Women in Technology Society (WIT) collaborated with Women in Science (WIS) and Women in Renewable Engineering (WIRE) to hold a casual brunch, celebrating the achievements of women in STEM and encouraging an attitude of equality amongst all STEM students. We had the pleasure of hearing from Dr Clara Grazian, senior lecturer at UNSW, and Dr Anastasia Soeriyadi, Postdoctoral Research Fellow at UNSW, as they shared their own experiences of how they entered the STEM industry.
Welcoming students to our IWD brunch
With the International Women’s Day 2020 theme being #EachforEqual, it was an amazing way to kick off the year as attendees mingled over the delicious catering with these inspirational women on an auspicious occasion.
WIT’s Tea Talks with Tech event ultimately proved extremely successful, as 16 industry representatives connected with UNSW students virtually to offer advice in the form of an intimate networking session. Representatives from prestigious technology companies including Amazon, Atlassian, Deloitte, IBM, Lendlease, McGrathNicol and Nine, offered their valued knowledge and wealth of experiences. Everyone was encouraged to sip on a cup of tea or coffee, while listening to various insights about working in a leading technology firm. Overall, this event proved so memorable as students had the ability to kick-start their personal career by making professional connections with the sponsors.
HACKATHON This year, WIT’s annual Hackathon was held online for the first time, in collaboration with Google as a major sponsor for the event, in addition to MCIC, Atlassian, JA Australia, Nine and Arete Assessment and InsideSherpa. We were extremely grateful and excited about the huge support we received from students and sponsors, with ~100 participants, 15 teams and 3 workshops.
The theme of this year’s Hackathon was ‘After the Storm’. As a part of this, teams were challenged with developing a technical product or service and business model to combat Australia’s natural disasters. To aid participants in solving this problem, they had the opportunity to refine their design thinking and lean canvas skills in two workshops hosted by the MCIC, and improved their pitching skills in an insightful workshop held by JA Australia. As a result of two challenging days of ideating, brainstorming and coding, teams were able to showcase some exceptional and well thought out ideas, guided by experienced mentors from our sponsors. A huge congratulations to the winning teams, Spearf1sh (1st), Debugging (2nd) and Ip Wo(man) (3rd), as well as our runner ups #PleaseGiveUsInternships, Fruitloop and Good Team. Despite the challenges of an online transition, the success of this event is a testament to the amazing, growing WIT community at UNSW, and we look forward to what 2021 holds in store for all of us!
SHOWING STRENGTH AND STRIVING TO BE YOUR BEST SELF, EVEN WHEN LIFE ISN'T SO EASY AND YOU ARE FACED WITH ADV
TEA TALKS WITH TECH
2020 has been an exciting year for technological advancements in the business domain. New inventions and ideas are changing the way the world does business. Here are some interesting technologies that have marked the year thus far.
VIRTUAL AND AUGMENTED REALITY Virtual and Augmented reality (AR) are providing exciting opportunities for new immersive experiences in the Arts and Retail Industries. Technology is an important disruptor of the Art scene offering new theatrical experiences. At the Sundance Film Festival, a concept performance called “Breathe” enabled audience members to visualize their breath using mixed reality headsets.
Augmented reality applications also prove to be very useful educational tools. Medical students use apps to visualize the human body's anatomical features, including muscles in motion, to capture body movement and physiology.
HYPER PERSONALIZED MEDICINE
In the Retail Sector, AR enables customers to “try” before they buy. For instance, a mobile application called “IKEA Place” uses AR to allow customers to visualize IKEA products in their own home before purchase.
The medical field is also seeing vast improvements in the treatment of genetic disorders through Hyper Personalized Medicine. They can create new specific drugs that target rare genetic mutations that currently do not have common cures. In late 2019, a young girl named Mila Makovec, who was suffering from a rare genetic mutation, the drug Milasen (named after her) was developed to treat her Spinal Muscular Atrophy. This drug is the first of its kind and has enabled Mila to stand and walk without assistance.
IENCE IS BLOOD SWEAT AND TEARS. RESILIENCE IS BLOOD SWEAT AND TEARS. RESILIENCE IS BLOOD SWEAT A
BUSINESS
ENCE IS COURAGEOUS. RESILIENCE IS COURAGEOUS. RESILIENCE IS COURAGEOUS. RESILIENCE IS COURAGEOUS. RESILIENCE I
Technology has enabled hyperpersonalized medicine to treat incredibly novel mutations through gene replacement, gene editing, or antisense, like a molecular removalist that works to erase or fix incorrect cellular signalling. This drug therapy, however, is incredibly expensive. It takes a team of drug developers and researchers to treat only one person. Hyper personalized medicine creates an attractive space for pharmaceutical companies to harness and develop this technology for more scalable results.
DIGITAL MONEY Digital money is a game-changer in how people and businesses use and think about money. With the pandemic in mind, companies are switching to being cashless, thus paving the way for digital money to be scaled globally. Facebook announced last year that they were developing a Global Digital Cryptocurrency called ‘Libra’. The aim is to promote financial inclusion for more than one billion people worldwide who do not have access to creating bank accounts. Originally envisioned as a global digital currency free of regulation and open architecture, Facebook faced severe backlash from US regulatory bodies over fears that central banks will lose institutional power. Facebook has revealed a less ambitious design for
ambitious design for Libra, in which coins bought will be tied to national currencies to improve local business They will additionally introduce a separate coin which will be used to move money between countries. Libra will be a closed system such that only members with permission (from the founder or network administrator) can build on the infrastructure and join the blockchain, rather than an open, public, “permissionless” architecture such as Bitcoin. The future of Libra and its implementation will be of great interest
to the finance industry. How they will succeed in creating a Digital network that meets international regulations while ensuring security and privacy is of great public concern. Additionally, Libra has led countries such as China to design and implement their own digital currencies before Libra is rolled out worldwide. With competition leading to innovation, the future of digital currencies is quite near.
Throughout history, people’s needs prompted technological advancements. So, our ideas, values, and knowledge have been shaped by technology. But do we actually see the presence of technology and culture in our daily lives?
TECHNOLOGY AND CARS With the invention of the wheel in 3500 BC and its application to the chariot 300 years later, the notion of commute, suburbs and even road-trips possible by newly-found mobility all came into existence. Since then we have been trying to optimise these notions with the introduction of the modern car in 1885, extending all the way to the 2010s with the development of self-driving cars.
In 2008, Tesla, the American electric vehicle and clean energy company, designed the world's first ever premium all-electric sedan from the ground up. This achievement was possible, because of other groundbreaking technological advancements. One such advancement has been in Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) from companies like Baraja, which builds revolutionary LiDAR to support revolutionary thinkers.
MUSIC AMPLIFICATION Radios allow you to select and entertain an audience and maintain their attention. Audiences of all cultures have long listened to music as a form of entertainment. This form of entertainment has constantly been adapted, refined, and altered to meet its contemporary audience’s tastes. Radios allow the sharing of cultural music, including traditional songs with a larger audience, which allows for greater connectedness within cultural groups and understanding between each other.
IENCE IS BEING ABLE TO BOUNCE BACK IN THE FACE OF CHALLENGES. RESILIENCE IS BEING ABLE TO BOUNCE BACK IN
CULTURE
ENCE IS THE KEY TO UNLOCKING YOUR DREAMS AND SUCCESS. RESILIENCE IS THE KEY TO UNLOCKING YOUR DREAMS AND S
TECHNOLOGY, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND COMMUNICATION Hello late 1990’s, and hello blogs! This era brought with it the notion of shared expression and opinion that extends beyond the living room...well, not quite. With the initial introduction of blogs, everyone now has the opportunity to share their voices and opinions to a bigger audience than ever before. People can write about anything ranging from opinion-piece on contemporary politics to someone’s favourite kind of cereal.
Some might suggest that virtual communication replaced face-to-face communication for the worst. Yet social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter allowed people to not only connect with families and friends that were further away, but also explore common interests with others across the globe, and voice one’s opinions. Social media became the biggest herald of technology creating a newfound sense of connectedness locally and globally, transforming global communication so that it is accessible to practically everyone, everywhere. And yes, all in the comfort of your own living room.
First, with kerosene lights, then the invention and implementation of electricity, the simplicity of street-lights introduced a culture of nightlife. Before implementing electricity, social interactions were limited to daylight hours, minimising conversation, connectedness, and activity between individuals. Today, thanks to the street lights, nightlife and activities have become a common time for social gatherings, meetings, and other social activities.
SHIPS
Perhaps surprisingly, the ship was invented 500 years earlier than the wheel, and with it, the cross-cultural interactions, and notions of global business and trade for the betterment of the world.
The Digital Divide is the unequal distribution and access to technological resources (particularly ICT) due to factors such as geographical location, age, and socio-economic differences. The decreased access to opportunities and the ability to participate in the connectedness that technology creates results in a Knowledge Gap. The Knowledge Gap has particularly affected children in low socio-economic areas or in conflict-zones who have limited access to technology. So, a whole segment of the population has limited knowledge of technology and how to use it. The World Bank estimates nearly 60% of the world’s population is still offline and cannot participate in the digital economy. The better educated, connected, and more technologically capable have received the greatest gains from the digital revolution, leaving those less fortunate at a significant disadvantage as a result of the Digital Divide.
TECHNOLOGY AND CREATIVITY
THE DIGITAL DIVIDE AND THE KNOWLEDGE GAP Undeniably, the benefits and ease of access provided by technology have changed our ideologies associated with education. Nowadays, computer skills such as using Microsoft Office and/or coding have become commonly accepted learning outcomes in schools. However, social, economic, and even age differences have introduced ‘The Digital Divide.’
Throughout history, technological advancements have been prompted by the requirements of culture, and through this, technology has sparked creativity and perseverance.
CONCLUSION
Technology has undoubtedly disrupted our modern landscape in almost every part of everyday life, impacting our values, beliefs, ideas, and social notions. As technology has changed, our culture has adapted alongside it. The roots of traditional culture have not been forgotten, and we have shared them with the world.
ENCE IS REMEMBERING THAT IT IS OKAY TO FALL MANY TIMES BEFORE LEARNING TO STAND UP STRAIGHT AND WALK. RESILIE
STREET LIGHTS
E ABILITY AND CHOICE TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD CLOSER TO OUR GOAL, DESPITE THE HARDSHIP AND
SCIENCE COVID-19 VACCINE In May 2020, the US-based company Novax started human clinical trials of a COVID-19 vaccine in Melbourne and Brisbane. The promising vaccine has had positive results in animals. In the phase-one trial, 131 volunteers injected the vaccine. If a suitable immune response is measured, phase-two will commence, which will involve 2,000 volunteers in Australia and the US. As of July 2020, clinical trials of the Australian-developed COVID-19 vaccine, COVAX-19, have commenced at Royal Adelaide Hospital’s PARC Clinical Research facility. After administering two separate doses of the vaccine or a placebo in volunteers, researchers will measure each person’s production of antibodies and their T-cell response. This particular vaccine was developed by the company Vaxine and researchers at Flinders University. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), an establishment from the National Institutes of Health in the US, has supported the development of the vaccine. Both vaccines produced by Norovax and Vaxine use the “recombinant method.” This method focuses on the virus’s spike protein, a surface protein which allows the virus to bind to the receptors of human cells. This protein was inserted and grown inside a cell in a lab, allowing it to take on the appearance of the virus without holding any dangerous genetic material. When injected, this protein triggers a person’s immune system so that it is prepared to fight the virus.
In late 2019 and early 2020, Australia experienced one of the worst bushfire seasons in history. In NSW, these fires claimed the lives of 25 people, 800 million animals and incinerated 6% of the land. Australia's environment is always prone to catastrophic bushfires, prompting scientists and officials to invest and develop new fire-prediction technologies. The Government has offered to provide $100,000 AUD to the fund, ‘FireTech 2020’ to assist in the development of such technologies.
Currently, analysts at the NSW Rural Fire Service headquarters in Sydney utilise a program called Phoenix RapidFire, which models how embers may blow ahead of a fire, igniting new areas. While this program helps determine where firefighters and resources should be sent, it cannot outperform human analysts. The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization has developed computer software called Spark, which aims to improve upon Phoenix by incorporating different fuel types. This new software will be ready for use as early as next year. Additionally, CSIRO has been collaborating in NASA’s Jet Propulsion
Laboratory with the hope of creating AIcontrolled drones, rovers and satellites for fire prediction, detection and management. Such drones may operate in groups, communicating with one another over large areas in order to gather more detailed information. They may also be equipped with infrared sensors to detect dry, fire-prone areas. Lastly, the University of Melbourne Bushfire Behavior and Management group created a software called the Fire Regime Operations Simulation Tool (FROST). This software, which is expected to begin trials next year,
analyses how vegetation is altered once it is burned, allowing scientists to predict fire behavior over the course of the next century. This will be especially useful for species conservation.
ENCE IS PASSION AND PERSEVERANCE FOR VERY LONG TERM GOALS; HAVING STAMINA. RESILIENCE IS PASSION AND PERSEV
NEW BUSHFIRE TECHNOLOGY
S KNOWING THAT IT'S HARD NOW, BUT STILL PUSHING TOWARDS THE GOAL. RESILIENCE IS KNOWING THAT IT'S HARD NOW, B
EVIDENCE FOR QUANTUM SPIN LIQUID
MISSING MATTER DISCOVERED
A quantum spin liquid is hypothesized to be an unusual state of matter and was first proposed by physicist Phil Anderson in 1973. Spin is a property of subatomic particles. In a material, electron spins interact to form different magnetic states, which allow the object in which they reside to possess the same magnetic property.
Fast radio bursts (FRBs), first detected in 2007, are powerful flashes of energy that can be found across the universe. By studying these FRBs, scientists have been able to find the ‘missing matter,’ which refers to a discrepancy between how much matter can be observed in the universe and how much should be visible. Using very reliable models and calculations, scientists are able to determine how much normal matter exists in the universe. However, only about half of the determined amount can actually be observed. The rest is known as ‘missing matter,’ which was previously one of the greatest mysteries of the universe.
Magnetic material is an essential aspect of modern electronics and so materials with novel magnetic behaviours are especially intriguing. Quantum spin liquid is one such material. In a conventional magnet, spins align themselves in stable formations. However, in a frustrated magnet, the spins cannot be ordered, causing the spins to fluctuate in a liquid-like state. In an ideal quantum spin liquid, this fluctuation will occur even at absolute zero temperatures, which would typically freeze the spins in a conventional magnet. Interestingly, while the spins continue to change, the atoms of the material are completely frozen. Materials with quantum spin liquid may be incorporated in spintronic devices, quantum computers and other quantum technologies.
This year, using the Pelican instrument at ANSTO, scientists measured the spins of material synthesised by the Tokyo University of Science. Even as the materials were cooled to extremely low temperatures, its spin excitations continued. This finding strongly supports the existence of quantum spin liquid.
Similar to visible light, FBRs are composed of different wavelengths. Typically, if the FBRs travel through empty space, all wavelengths move at the same speed. However, if the FRBs pass through matter, the wavelengths slow down at different rates. Consequently, the different frequencies comprising the FRB spread out, similar to visible light when it travels through a prism. This spreading can be used to calculate how much matter is in some regions of the universe. Utilising the CSIRO's Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP), scientists were able to analyse the frequencies of the FRBs, while the Very Large Telescope in Chile measured the distance to their origins. With these two pieces of information, missing matter could be pinpointed, putting a “cosmic mystery” to bed. By further understanding the structure of the universe and matter, scientists may further understand the birth and death of galaxies.
Dear WIT Community, What a year 2020 has been so far. From bushfires to a worldwide pandemic, this year has been a whirlwind of uncertainty that has affected many different aspects of our lives. We have all adapted to studying from home (many of us in other countries!!) and working from home (thanks to Zoom). However, whilst this demonstrates our resilience and ability to face new challenges, this uncertainty and change has been a LOT to handle. It’s normal to feel anxious, stressed or overwhelmed, but only in healthy doses. Looking after yourself and your mental health to deal with the stresses of COVID-19 is extremely important. To make things easier, we have put together a list of resources that we hope can help you unwind and relieve stress from this ‘unprecedented’ year. Stay safe and healthy WIT family and know we always have your back.
TO BOOST YOUR SPIRIT: Physical exercise is very important for your mental health. Whether you stay indoors or go outside, moving your body will leave you feeling healthier, happier and with a clearer mind. Indoors: Nike Training Club is an app that has free workouts for all types of fitness abilities. It has an optional program guide you can use to create new goals and keep you motivated along the way. Yoga with Adrienne is one of the most popular yoga channels on YouTube. Adrienne blends the calming principles of yoga with different techniques to strengthen the body and the mind. Boho Beautiful is another yoga channel on YouTube that has yoga practices, mindfulness and meditation videos. Outdoors: If you are able to go for a walk or run, put on some good tunes and take in your surroundings.
TO CALM YOUR MIND: When feeling anxious or stressed, a guided meditation can help to calm the mind through focusing on the breath and the body. These are a few resources we have found to be really helpful: Instant Timer App - This app has a very large collection of free guided meditations, sleep music and breathing exercises. Choose a theme such as “coping with anxiety” and find an instructor that will guide you to a feeling of calmness. Calm App - Another trusted app for guided meditations. Whilst this app has limited free meditations, it is renowned for using celebrities to read sleep stories which may be appealing to those who find it especially hard to sleep. Wim Hof Method – The Wim Hof Method traditionally combines breath work with cold exposure to still the mind and unlock the potential of the individual. Whilst not everyone is privy to an Ice Bath, the breath work is just as important, as learning to control the breath also helps control the mind. Yin Yoga – A more gentle and reflective style of yoga practice that focuses on slowing the body to reflect on the self. It allows you the space to tap into your emotions and address the feelings that could be holding you back. If going to classes is not an option due to money or anxiety then the Downward Dog App is a great resource to use.
TO ENCOURAGE A POSITIVE MINDSET: One method to promote resilience and encourage positivity is to practice Daily Gratitude Journaling. It enables you to reset, reflect on your life and find the positives even in challenging times. Just before you wake up or go to sleep, write down 5 things you are grateful for. This could range from a person who has made your day to just enjoying a really good apple. This reset will allow you to take a step back and feel thankful in areas of your life that you may not always pay attention to. An app you can use to remind yourself is Daily Gratitude Journaling or use pen and paper for old school vibes.
TO LEARN AND GROW: Growing as a person may call to mind self-help books, but here we want to feed the mind and soul in ways that interest you. A great way to feel inspired and remove feelings of isolation is to listen to a good podcast. Find a topic area that you love to talk about and listen to like-minded individuals waffle away so that you can relax, learn something new and go about your day. To focus on your mental health, listen to these podcasts. The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos – A Yale University Researcher talks about the science of Happiness. What makes us happy? How do we live better lives? This podcast will change the way you think about happiness. It also has a very helpful series on how to cope with the stress of Coronavirus.
Happy Place with Fearne Cotton – Celebrities talk about their mental health challenges, love, life and what happiness means to them.
Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris – Dan interviews guests such as the Dalai Lama to examine what happiness means and how you can achieve it.
For more lighthearted and comedic podcasts listen to The Guilty GuiltyFeminist Feminist or Shameless Podcast. Shameless Podcast
As 2020 comes to a close, our team is extremely grateful for all the opportunities that were presented to us this year and so proud of what we have accomplished. It’s been an absolute ride this year and a pleasure being a part of the WIT team. Our members’ dedication and commitment are commendable and we would like to thank everyone who has helped us along the way for their hard work. We are delighted to see what the 2021 team has in store for us! Best, Women In Technology 2020 Team
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Content created by the WIT 2020 Education Team: Vivian Wong, Elisa Sanjurjo, Georgie Mansfield, Victoria Ruming
Designed by the WIT 2020 Marketing team: Felicia Ee, Anisa Islam, Connie Shi, Vy Kim Nguyen
Edited by: Vivian Shen, Amanda Li
Thank you to all our interviewees: Silvia Lin, Emily Chen, Aleisha Hewett, Joyce Lin, Lukia Huang
NCE IS SURVIVING, RECOVERING, AND COMING BACK BETTER. RESILIENCE IS SURVIVING, RECOVERING, AND COMIN
CLOSING REMARKS
ENCE IS POWER. RESILIENCE IS POWER. RESILIENCE IS POWER. RESILIENCE IS POWER. RESILIENCE IS POWER. RES
THE CABINET
VIVIAN SHEN
AMANDA LI
PRESIDENT Data Science & Decisions
VICE PRESIDENT Software Engineering/ Biomedical Engineering
KELLY LIANG
ELIZABETH ZHONG
GENERAL SECRETARY Commerce/Information Systems
TREASURER Software Engineering
VIVIAN WONG
ELISA SANJURJO
EDUCATION EXEC Commerce/Actuarial Science
EDUCATION SUBCOM Commerce/Science
GEORGIE MANSFIELD
VICTORIA RUMING
EDUCATION SUBCOM Chemical Engineering/ Materials Science
EDUCATION SUBCOM Mechatronic Engineering/ Biomedical Engineering
ENCE IS STRENGTH. RESILIENCE IS STRENGTH. RESILIENCE IS STRENGTH. RESILIENCE IS STRENGTH. RESILIENCE IS STRE
EDUCATION TEAM
CE IS ACCEPTING FAILURE AND IMPROVING FROM IT RESILIENCE IS ACCEPTING FAILURE AND IMPROVING FROM IT IS
EVENTS TEAM
GABRIELLE YOUNES
ARIANE NOTARAS
JANE WANG
EVENTS EXEC Bioinformatics/ Advanced Science
EVENTS SUBCOM Commerce/Information Systems
EVENTS SUBCOM Commerce/Information Systems
JUSTIN CLARKE
NISHMI KAPOOR
SHIRLEE SALARIA
EVENTS SUBCOM Data Science
EVENTS SUBCOM Commerce/Advanced Science
EVENTS SUBCOM Commerce/Information Systems
RHEA THOMAS
ANGENI BAI
EXTERNALS EXEC Information Systems
EXTERNALS SUBCOM Computer Science
RUE TEH
SRIJA MUKHERJEE
EXTERNALS SUBCOM Software Engineering
EXTERNALS SUBCOM Software Engineering
NCE IS BELIEVING THAT YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO SUCCEED AND NEVER GIVING UP. RESILIENCE IS BELIEVING T
EXTERNALS TEAM
E IS THE ABILITY TO KEEP PUSHING FORWARD NO MATTER HOW MANY OBSTACLES YOU ENCOUNTER. RESILI
HR TEAM
ALISON CHIN HR EXEC Information Systems
CLAIRE YU
VICTORIA YU
HR SUBCOM Commerce/Information Systems
HR SUBCOM Information Systems
ELICIA AU DUONG
ALANA HUA
IT EXEC Commerce/Computer Science
IT SUBCOM Software Engineering/ Biomedical Engineering
CHELSEA CHAFFEY
GIANFELIX GOENAWAN
LILY YANG
IT SUBCOM Computer Science
IT SUBCOM Commerce/Computer Science
IT SUBCOM Computer Science/ Environmental Engineering
NOWING THAT IT'S HARD NOW, BUT STILL PUSHING TOWARDS THE GOAL. RESILIENCE IS KNOWING THAT IT'S
IT TEAM
RESILIENCE IS KEY; GIVING YOUR BEST EFFORT EVERY TIME RESILIENCE IS KEY; GIVING YOUR BEST EFFORT EVERY TIME R
MARKETING TEAM
FELICIA EE
ANISA ISLAM
MARKETING EXEC Commerce/Software Engineering
MARKETING SUBCOM Media in Communications and Journalism
CONNIE SHI
VY KIM NGUYEN
MARKETING SUBCOM Commerce/Information Systems
MARKETING SUBCOM Bioinformatics/Biomedical Engineering
@unsw.wit UNSW Women in Technology https://unswwit.com/