The DonaTIC Awards are part of the DonaTIC Plan, promoted by the Generalitat, and have as a priority objective to increase the presence, empowerment and leadership of women in the digital field. They are organized by Digital Policies in collaboration with the Catalan Women’s Institute, the Women, Business and Economy Observatory (ODEE) of the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce and the Tertulia Digital association.
Ainhoa, a double degree student in Computer Engineering and Electronic Telecommunications Engineering, won the DonaTIC Award in the ICT Student category, dedicated to students who have developed a notable project or initiative in this field. In this case, she has rewarded the work carried out at the UAB School of Engineering, which highlights the participation in MEMEnginy and the organization of TecnoUAB.
-How are you going to decide to get involved in the field of Computer Engineering and Electronic Telecommunications Engineering?
It was the day of the UAB Open Doors for high school students. In general, I have liked all things in this area since I was little. I was clear that I wanted to do something related to electronics and a double degree. I liked what the degree consisted of and decided that I wanted to dedicate myself to that.
-What challenges or obstacles did you face during the development of your project at the School?
Mainly coordinate with studies. I do several projects that require time and sometimes I can’t dedicate the time I would like to everything, just like my colleagues who collaborate on projects.
-At the award ceremony you said that you hoped this recognition would serve to make visible the role that autism plays in the world. Can you explain it to us more?
Every time I explain to a new person that I am on the autism spectrum, I am met with a lot of ignorance and confusion about the abilities we can have. People are surprised that I am studying engineering while being autistic, when I could say that at least a fifth of the people I have met in college are autistic. They don’t realize that autism is everywhere. And what I want to make visible is the fact that we are autistic, although it limits us in certain aspects of our life, it does not prevent me, in any way, from studying.
-Can you explain what your experience at the UAB has been like as a student with autism?
I was diagnosed with autism when I was 17 years old. In high school I already had a passion for technology and science, but it was not shared with my classmates and that meant that I did not have much interest in interacting with them. On the other hand, here at the UAB I realized that everyone was very fond of technology and that the people who studied it were because they really liked it like I did. I had a much easier time socializing and that’s when I really started to have a large number of friends.
The understanding of the teachers and the great support they have given me has also helped me a lot. Here at the School of Engineering I have found a lot of willingness to help me learn. I have a lot of passion for programming and science and I feel that the teachers understand that, and that is also why they have helped me so much.
-What needs have you had and what support have they given you?
Of needs, above all the one I have is that I do not understand the statements: many times, because of how things are expressed, I understand them in a way that is not what is requested. Apart from that, anxiety about sensory issues, such as noises and lights…
With the indications made by the PIUNE (UAB inclusion service), the professors give me a third more time in the exams, which helps me understand the statements. I also have the option of being able to go to the bathroom when I need to, and also being able to wear headphones that allow me to still hear the teachers but reduce the noise of pens, people typing…
-How do you think your work can inspire other women to enter and excel in technological fields?
I think that having a reference can inspire many girls, so a work focused on dissemination and collaboration between students led by one or several women is a very great focus that students or future students can direct themselves to.
In the School of Engineering there are many women who participate in various technological projects, such as TecnoUAB, TecnoDays, MEMEnginy… Such as Laia Ribagorçana and Ariadna Garnica, the last two coordinators of MEMEnginy.
-What importance do you attribute to the DonaTIC Awards in promoting female participation in the digital field?
In the technological and scientific field, few of the references are as high in the media as in other disciplines, especially in the case of women, for this reason I consider that initiatives and recognitions of this type increase the media weight of women in ICT, which motivates new generations to become interested in the field.
-What positive experiences have you had as a student in the double degree of Computer Engineering and Electronic Telecommunications Engineering?
The teaching staff. The UAB has a very powerful teaching staff, and there are many of those references that I was talking about that you don’t end up knowing until you get into the subject, and the fact of having them in class and being able to ask them all the doubts and concerns you have is the best experience. that I have as a double degree student.
As for the general UAB student, it would be the possibility of organizing activities on campus. Being able, after class, to go with a group of people to OpenLabs to do a TecnoUAB project is a great experience.
-How do you feel about the recognition and distinction of winning such an outstanding award as the DonaTIC Award?
I still haven’t assimilated it. It’s a great honor.
-What advice would you give to other students, especially women, who aspire to excel in the fields of technology and computing?
Be active, talk to people who have the same concerns as you and, above all, do not stay only with what is taught in class. I always recommend researching on your own what seems most interesting to you and trying to go to talks in the field: in Barcelona and at the UAB itself there are many.
-And what advice would you give to other students who are on the autism spectrum?
The most important thing for me is that you talk to the teachers so that they fully understand the need you have. The second thing is to do a lot of tutorials, so that you are never left with doubts if you don’t quite understand it or need it explained to you in another way. And finally, form study groups. Neurodivergent people have a great tendency to interpret things in a way that does not match the intention of the person who wants to transmit it. Studying in a group, whether you have a question or not, serves to unify interpretations and, in general, improve learning.
-How do you see the future of women in the field of Computer Engineering and Telecommunications Electronics?
There is still work to do, but every year I see more women in the School of Engineering and the statistics corroborate this.
-What do you think is the key to encouraging more female participation in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) careers?
The fact of encouraging there to be references, doing more STEM subjects from primary school and, above all, patience because it is something that takes time and currently the female presence is not very high.
