What was your first job and what did you learn from it?

My first professional job after receiving my undergraduate degree was at NEC as a hardware design engineer working for the PC division. I was very intimidated at the beginning - out of roughly 100 engineers we had only two women and I was by far the youngest engineer. I worked very hard to prove myself to my peers and to be considered a contributing member of the team. My management was very supportive and showed great confidence in me and encouraged me to attend graduate school. After successfully completing my first project, I realized that I had the ability and drive to be successful as an engineer. Also, I learned the importance and value of teamwork.

Who is your hero, mentor or person you most admire? Why?

There are a great many people that I admire and have been influential to me. I have always admired Madame Curie for her great contributions and was the one women in science that I learned about as a child. I always admired this quote by Einstein regarding her:

"Marie Curie is, of all celebrated beings, the one whom fame has not corrupted."

My parents, who always encouraged me and gave me the confidence to pursue my interests. I am also a big fan of Stephen Hawking, he is someone that has made theorectical physics understandable to mere mortals and has an incredible character and a great sense of humor.

What is your favorite book?

I can't pick a favorite, so here are few I've read recently. I am an avid rock climber and a great book which I recently read titled Leading Out: Women Climbers Reaching for the Top a very inspiring collection of stories of early climbs and first ascents by women. Another favorite is In the Company of Giants: Conversations with the Visionaries of the Digital World, and I am just finishing Geoffrey Moore's book Inside the Tornadofascinating reading for high-tech marketing types.

What advances in your field do you envision over the next 10 years?

I have been involved in the Digitial Signal Processing (DSP) Industry for the last 10 years, either in research, engineering, or product marketing. It is an incredibly exciting field, applications from cell phones, car navigation, networking, to medical imaging and digital cameras. The next decade we will see an incredible revolution in how society communicates, interacts, and learns all enabled with DSP technology.

What do you see as the single most interesting element of your work?

Being involved in defining a rapidly growing and changinging industry and working for the industry leader, Texas Instruments, creates amazing opportunties and challenges.

What do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment?

I received a patent for a speech-training system for profoundly deaf children which uses text-to-speech synthesis. It was an incredibly rewarding program and a great learning experience.

What was your greatest challenge and what did you learn from it?

I climbed a long and difficult rock route up Augille Du Midi in Chamonix, France, it was the most challenging rock climbing I have ever done. I was exhausted and euphoric when I reached the top. I learned that if you overcome your fears, focus on a goal, you can accomplish anything.

What advice would you give to young women who want to enter your field?

Engineering can be a incredibly satisfying and rewarding career. There are many challenges that go beyond technical skill, but having integrity for yourself and enthusiasm for your work you can overcome all obstacles.