21st Century Women in Technology: Lara Blanco 

Here at Gradiant we want to put the women in our team front and centre because we believe that’s the way to motivate future generations to choose this profession. We also give visibility to the R&D projects they’re working on and put their voices out there as experts in the field. As part of our 21st Century Women in Technology series, we talk to our colleagues about that turning point in their lives or that key person who made it possible for them to become interested in technology professionally. For today’s guest, Lara Blanco, her participation in a robotics competition when she was 15 years old was the watershed moment that made her decide to study Telecommunications Engineering and then pursue a Master’s degree in Computer Vision. Today, she works in the Multimodal Information area of Gradiant, mainly in Video Analytics and Machine Learning.

 

What did you want to do when you were little? 

Ever since I had a computer at home, I became more and more interested in technology, and at school mathematics was always my favourite subject. But I think the moment that made me choose this branch was when I attended a robotics competition in 4th year of secondary. I was fascinated to be able to make a robot do what I told it to do through programming.

 

Why did you choose technology?

Desde que tuve un ordenador en casa, me empecé a interesar cada vez más por las tecnologías y en el instituto las matemáticas siempre fueron mi asignatura favorita. Pero creo que el momento que hizo que me decantara por esta rama fue asistir a un concurso de robótica en 4º de la ESO. Me fascinó poder hacer que un robot hiciera lo que se le mandase a través de la programación.

 

Where did you plan to study? Why? 

Although I have always liked the idea of living abroad, when I was about to start my university life, I wanted it to be as close to home as possible. At that time I was involved rowing and I didn’t want to stop. I had to go every weekend to train with the team and that wasn’t feasible if I lived far away. That was a real reason why I chose the University of Vigo; it was the only way I could combine my studies and sport. 

 

What are you currently working on? 

At the moment I am working on several projects, the one I have been working on the longest is a system for detecting and classifying birds in flight, aimed at protecting birdlife in wind farm environments. This solution aims to ensure the well-being of biodiversity, as well as to protect birds from possible dangers that may arise from human presence in their natural habitats.

 

What do you like most about your work?

One of the things I enjoy the most is the absence of a routine. Every day I have to do different things. My work at Gradiant allows me not only to apply the knowledge I have learnt in my degree and master’s, but also to continue learning in the development of my work.

 

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

Unfortunately, I don’t think I have ever really had any female role model, as science and technology are fields in which men have been made visible much more than women. Fortunately, we are slowly changing that, even if there is still a long way to go.  

 

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

As I said, I think we are making progress and we are on the right track. Obviously, there are still things that need to change, but it will take time for progress to be made. The gap between generations is noticeable and I believe that one of the keys to continuing to improve this is to create favourable environments for girls and young women. 

It’s also important to note that achieving equality in the tech world not only benefits women, but can also improve diversity and innovation in the industry as a whole. 

 

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

I would certainly encourage them to study what they like best. They have to keep in mind that the field of technology is very broad and diverse and they are sure to find something in particular that suits what they are really interested in.