Redefining women's potential in STEM and beyond. | Rajani Kafaltia | TEDxLotus Petal School

Introduction and Self-discovery

• The next speaker, Rajani Kafaltia, is a passionate advocate of yoga, meditation, and STEM, driven by a love for ancient Indian history, natural healing, and human psychology, with a deep fascination for the human body and its connection with the universe (10s).
• The audience is asked to participate in a brief exercise, raising their right hand close to their heart, closing their eyes, and thinking of a time when they felt intimidated, timid, and fearful of being judged (1m8s).
• The speaker, Rajani Kafaltia, introduces herself as an IT engineer who helps drive digital modernization for IT industries, having worked with various clients across different geographies and time zones (2m1s).
• As a leader, Rajani has adopted a yogic style of living, being a certified yoga teacher, meditator, published author, and speaker, and considers herself a lifelong learner (2m35s).
• Rajani shares that she wasn't always confident and took years to study and master technology, as well as to discover her true self, and has learned to rise after every fall and stay confident (2m59s).

Experiences as a Woman in STEM

• As a woman in STEM, Rajani's journey has empowered her to look beyond the boundaries of STEM, and she shares a story from her third year of university when she was selected for a multinational company, going through seven rounds of interviews, including coding and group discussions (3m44s).
• Rajani cracked all the interview rounds and secured her job by the end of her sixth semester, but soon realized she was the only core Java developer among a group of men in her first project (4m28s).
• The author experienced gender discrimination in their professional life, where a team of men would exclude them from team outings and gatherings, and their performance assessment feedback suggested they work like their peers until midnight despite working hard during regular office hours (5m7s).
• This experience was a contrast to their gender-neutral upbringing and was an eye-opening moment that led them to choose between living with the frustration or actively working towards changing it (5m59s).
• The author chose to confront their peers about the issues and advocate for inclusivity in team outings, ensuring their efforts were acknowledged and recognized (6m22s).
• They led teams that respected people as humans, not through the lens of gender, and made sure the teams were gender-inclusive, giving everyone space to operate to their maximum efficiency (7m13s).
• The author believes that real power lies in changing adversity into opportunity and making sure no one is left behind, and they have driven inclusivity changes in their organization (7m49s).

The Issue of Women in STEM and AI Bias

• The author notes that the demand for women in STEM is often discussed, but the actual percentage of women in STEM is low, with 72% of the population in STEM being male-dominated and only 22-28% being women (8m18s).
• The author argues that the lack of women in STEM leadership positions, which is hardly 2-3%, is a problem for everybody, not just women or men (8m44s).
• The author highlights the issue of AI bias, which can result from the lack of women in AI development, and notes that women are 50% of the world's population and direct or indirect consumers of these products (9m28s).
• The author questions whether we are considering the gender-biased aspects of AI development and whether we are making sure to enable AI in a way that is inclusive (9m42s).

Empowering Women in STEM

• Creating systems that provide personalized guidance to women pursuing STEM degrees can be beneficial, and this can be achieved through AI-centric career guidance, data-driven decision-making programs, and mentoring programs (10m8s).
• The low percentage of women in STEM fields is a shared responsibility, and there are many free online courses available to help, such as those on Coursera, Khan Academy, and edX (10m53s).
• Building a network is crucial, and this can be done by looking out for virtual and non-virtual platforms, webinars, and groups like Girls Who Code (11m32s).
• Setting small milestones and tracking progress using apps can help individuals stay focused on their goals, and platforms like GitHub, Co-Pilot, and ChatGPT 3.5 can provide practical experience in AI (11m47s).
• Learning languages like Python and machine learning can be done through readily available resources, and self-learning is a viable option in the age of the internet and social networking (12m25s).
• Women hold 50% of the world's population, but only 28% reach STEM degrees, and this number is continuously shrinking, with high dropout rates due to the male-dominated nature of STEM fields (12m47s).
• A collaborative effort is needed to address this issue, and it requires the involvement of both men and women to create a better world for future generations (13m24s).

The Importance of Role Models and Mentorship

• Having positive influencers, role models, and mentors in life can help build trust, love, confidence, fearlessness, and self-belief, and these can be found in various forms, including parents, teachers, and social networking sites (14m26s).
• To build role models and learn from their experiences, one can use the internet to connect with people on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, and read about their biographies, which are often available online for free (14m57s).
• Marie Curie is an example of a role model who was the first woman to win the Nobel Prize twice, in 1903 and 1911, and pioneered in radioactivity, assisting in World War I by creating mobile X-ray units and donating radium for cancer treatment (15m16s).
• Kiran Bedi is another Indian icon and role model who was the first woman IPS officer in India, reformed the hard jail, and has numerous degrees under her belt, making her a great example to learn from and follow (15m51s).
• Having role models and learning from their experiences can help individuals build their future and understand that they are not alone in their journey (16m17s).

Self-belief, Meditation, and Resilience

• Practicing meditation can teach the importance of focus and resilience, and help individuals understand that success, failure, pain, and happiness are all part of life (16m52s).
• It is essential to pick up the right set of learnings from experiences and understand their true nature to move forward in life (17m36s).
• Every individual has a perfect body and is blessed with the ability to achieve their dreams, and what is missing is often just the realization of their potential (17m44s).
• One should uplift themselves, realize their power, and perform their duties without worrying about the outcome, as stated in the Bhagwat Gita (18m10s).
• Having a unshakable belief in oneself, staying positive, building a right circle of friends, and finding the right role models can help individuals stay confident and motivated (18m23s).
• Showing up every day, even on bad days, is crucial, and having faith in oneself can help individuals achieve their goals (18m52s).

Embracing Potential and Breaking Stereotypes

• Life is a blessing, and it is essential to harvest this blessing in the right way by understanding its value and making the most of it (19m5s).
• Women should not be confined to stereotypes and should believe in themselves, telling others that no stereotype will stop them from being what they want to be in the world (19m28s).
• STEM fields can serve as entry points for individuals to realize their true potential and figure out their desired career paths (19m42s).
• It is essential to be authentic and believe in oneself to achieve their goals and aspirations (19m50s).
• Individuals can pursue multiple passions and careers simultaneously, such as being a physics teacher and a singer, an engineer and an author, or a mathematician and a chef (19m59s).
• Believing in oneself is crucial, as it allows the universe to align and support one's goals and aspirations (20m11s).