Ellis Visited by Female Leaders from Uber
There was a new and unexpected addition to the afternoon car line at The Ellis School as a Self-Driving Uber pulled in and parked itself in the front visitor space. But the Uber wasn’t here to return students from a field trip or to pick them up for an away game, it was here to drop off three female Uber employees for a roundtable discussion at Ellis on Uber’s rapidly-evolving transportation services.
Technical Program Manager, Lisa Weitekamp; Product Manager, Emily Duff Bartel; and Senior Software Engineer, Julie Derence from the Uber Advanced Technologies Group (ATG) met with Upper School Computer Science students to share their experiences and expertise as women in the tech industry, and to present an overview of Uber's plans to change the world of transportation as we know it.
Since the pilot was greenlit in September 2016, Self-Driving Uber’s have been a constant presence on Pittsburgh roads as they make routes and gather data on the “Black Diamond” of courses in pilot cities. The goal of the Self-Driving Uber's isn’t just to have “robot” cars on the streets, but to improve transportation as a whole by reducing the number of traffic accidents, cutting pollution and congestion, and freeing up designated parking spaces for other uses. As members of ATG, the women’s sole mission, in each of their respective positions, is to make self-driving cars a reliable and safe reality for everyone, everywhere.
From the vehicle operator, to the software within the car, to the social implications of having a “robot” car on the road, the women’s roles and responsibilities include constantly seeking out new innovation, technologies, and roadmaps that can improve upon the overall rider experience. Their passion and motivation was evident as they discussed their own job intricacies, career paths, and educational backgrounds with Ellis students and Computer Science Teacher, Michele Lombardi.
Weitekamp spoke of her non-traditional route to Uber ATG, and how her lack of having a technical degree did not dissuade her from pursuing a more technical role. Instead of assuming she could never get into a more tech-driven career, she persevered, pushed herself outside of her comfort zone, and in her own words, “faked it til she made it”. She impressed upon students how critical hard work, dedication, and determination was to get her where she is today.
As successful women in STEM, Bartel, Weitekamp, and Derence proved to be strong, savvy, and smart role models for students as they consider college majors or future careers in the tech industry. Their visit not only shined a light on potential professions and opportunities for students, but showed them that they are completely capable of taking on similar roles in the near future.
“At Ellis, we make it a priority for students to see women leaders in engineering and management positions because it means they can see themselves as leaders,” says Ms. Lombardi.
She adds, “as a teacher, I appreciate that they spoke to their varied backgrounds—art, business, and computer science—it is important for us to illustrate to students that it takes all different types of skill sets to create such a complex product and there is no singular path toward a specific career.”
With the computer science job market set to grow 15 to 20 percent by 2022—which is roughly the same time these Upper School students will be entering the workforce—this experience proved that the demand is there, students just have to dream big, roll up their sleeves, and seize the opportunity.
Bartel told the group, “Be yourself, believe in yourself, and be kind to yourself. Don’t quit doing what you love because someone doesn’t see it the same way as you. If you’re passionate about something, don’t give up on it. If you fail, it just means you’re trying, and the important thing is to learn from every mistake.”
Their sincere advice and insider perspective on Uber ATG’s most-hyped initiative resonated with computer science students as they think about their future, who they want to be, and what they want to become. Following the roundtable, students headed outside to get an up close and personal look and tour of the Self-Driving Uber. Students talked to the vehicle operators about the software, sensors, and technology in the car and had the chance to ask any questions.
At Ellis, faculty members actively pursue and embrace partnerships with the local tech community to integrate relevant, real-world experiences into the curriculum. The Uber ATG visit showed students firsthand that women are not only making strides in the tech industry, but paving the way alongside men. This unique exposure to successful, local women leaders in STEM empowers students to think outside the box, take risks, and lead with confidence in the classroom and in the professional world.
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