21st Century Women in Technology: Carmen García Nogueiras

Women completing one of the engineering degrees at Spanish universities represent only 27.9%, in Computer Science the rate of women graduates drops to 13.5%; the percentage of women studying vocational training specialisations such as the higher degree in Networked Computer Systems Administration or the intermediate degree in Microcomputer Systems and Networks drops to 9.2% and 7.1%, respectively, according to the Ministry of Universities. The gender gap in ICTs is a fact of life at a crucial time like the present, when Artificial Intelligence is being developed and the ethical foundations for its use are being laid.

Here at Gradiant we believe that giving visibility to the women in our organisation helps motivate other young women to embark on studies in technology. For this reason, in March, every Friday we publish an interview with one of them, intensifying the monthly content that we publish the rest of the year in our 21st Women in Technology Series. 

To mark International Women’s Day, we’re interviewing Carmen García Nogueiras, a Telecommunications Technology Engineer, who holds a degree in Mathematical Sciences from Heriot-Watt University and Master’s in Computer Vision from UAB. At Gradiant, she is involved in a project that uses Federated Learning between hospitals for the early detection of Clinically Significant Prostate Cancer, another example of how technology has a very useful application in society. 

 

What did you want to do when you were little?

I went through many phases… When I was little, I was fascinated by everything I tried and I also got bored quickly [laughs]. I was once told about the robot arms in the factories and I wanted to be one, I also wanted to be a painter and there was even a time when I wanted to be a pirate!

 

Why did you choose technology?

I think it was precisely because of this restlessness that everything attracted my attention. I was very creative, I liked science but also the humanities. I juggled with my timetable to be able to take Physics and Technical Drawing, but also History of Art in secondary school. In technology I found a way to combine these two things: on the one hand, a scientific basis; on the other hand, the possibility of solving complex problems in a creative way. With a technological profile you can work in completely different fields: health, education, audiovisuals, etc.

 

Where did you plan to study? Why?

I considered several, but at the time I couldn’t afford to study away from home. Among the options I had at the University of Vigo, what most appealed to me were the engineering degrees. I chose telecommunications technology because it covered a wide range of disciplines, including programming, electronics, signal processing, image and sound, among others.

 

What are you currently working on?

Right now, I’m immersed in the use of technologies such as neural networks, artificial intelligence and computer vision, applied to projects in very different fields. One of the projects I am involved in is FLUTE, which studies the use of Federated Learning for the detection of CSPC (Clinically Significant Prostate Cancer) in hospitals. This initiative aims to train a model that improves accuracy and efficiency in the early detection of this type of cancer, using data distributed among different medical institutions while guaranteeing privacy. I also work on the development of the Valida solution using computer vision techniques and neural networks in the detection of manipulations in documents, such as passports and ID cards, as well as in text documents such as invoices and contracts.

 

What do you like most about your work?

What I enjoy most about my job is the opportunity to look for technological solutions to solve problems in various fields. The multidisciplinary nature of the areas in which I work and the diversity of the projects I’m involved in allows me to apply my knowledge in very different contexts, which is very stimulating and enriching on a professional level.

 

Who is your female role model or reference in the world of technology?

Sometimes I feel bad that I don’t have a special one, but then I remember that men go into engineering to be like Iron Man – and I think, not to worry – and I get over it [laughs]. In that vein, I can say that I’ve been inspired by Elma York, a fictional character, the protagonist of Mary Robinette Kowal’s “The Calculating Stars”, whose determination and scientific skills make her a role model in a technological environment that is particularly challenging for women. For me, she was the one who made ordinary differential equations and G-forces seem the most exciting thing in the universe.

To mention a real woman, Alice H. Parker is an African-American inventor who provided central heating for buildings and entire houses and patented gas boiler heating, which served as the basis for the development of modern heating systems in use today. A role model for solving the two big problems of my life: being cold and/or smelling of smoke.

 

What is your reading of the situation regarding women in the technological field?

Despite progress in terms of inclusion, women remain a minority in this field. It is essential to continue working to remove the remaining gender barriers and biases and to create a more inclusive environment everyone, regardless of gender, has equal opportunities to develop and thrive in technology. 

Technology remains a highly masculinised field, which can be discouraging for some women. However, it is crucial to challenge this view. I’d encourage women to create their own space, feminising science and enriching the diversity of approaches and perspectives. I think this is very important not only for women as professionals, but for the technology that we create as a society and that is applied in a world that is diverse by nature.

Personally, I love technology and science and my way of looking at the world is very scientific, but it is far from being the only thing I love. So, above all, I invite even those women for whom it’s not their dream to consider the technology sector. I know it may sound strange, but there are many men who choose technology careers for much more banal reasons (economic or practical) and who demonstrate that it is not necessary to have an overwhelming passion for technology to excel in this field. Technology is not reserved for a few special specimens. It’s enough for you to “like” them a bit, it’s enough that you are more or less good at them (like the other options you may be considering). 

Women also deserve the privilege of choosing this path without meeting a sometimes-unattainable standard of vocation, of daring to make science an important part of our lives, even if it is not the main priority. It’s OK if you have a Taylor Swift poster instead of an Ada Lovelace poster in your bedroom, really. 

Ultimately, it’s about empowering women to make choices according to their individual abilities, interests and aspirations, without limitations imposed by gender stereotypes. 

 

What would you say to the tech workers of the future?

I would tell them to keep exploring, learning and challenging themselves. Technology is constantly evolving, and each new generation has the opportunity to drive significant breakthroughs that transform the world we live in. Remain curious, passionate and committed to innovation and never underestimate the power you have to make a positive difference in the world through technology.

 

 

 

FLUTE project has received funding from the Horizon Europe Framework Programme (HORIZON) Research and Innovation Actions under grant agreement Nº 101095382.