IEEE-USA E-BOOKS
WOMEN IN
ENGINEERING BOOK 10: MY THREE JOURNEYS: FINDING PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL FULFILLMENT AS AN ENGINEER BY
JEEWIKA RANAWEERA, PH.D.
PANTONE SOLID COATED: RED 185C - BLUE 286C
Copyright © 2016 by IEEE-USA and by Jeewika Ranaweera, Ph.D. All rights reserved. Published and Hosted by IEEE-USA. Copying this material in any form is not permitted without prior written approval from IEEE/ IEEE-USA. Final Editing, Review, Production and Publishing by Georgia C. Stelluto, IEEE-USA Publishing Manager Cover design and layout by Spark Design Author Liaison, Preliminary Editing, Helen Horwitz, Well-Chosen Words This IEEE-USA publication is made possible through funding by a special dues assessment of IEEE members residing in the United States.
TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Sri Lanka: Early Traits of an Engineer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Cuba: Six Years of Growth .
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Canada: Graduate School, Marriage and Motherhood .
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Silicon Valley: Life as a Woman Engineer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 About the Author .
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1
INTRODUCTION
I
magine having both the passion to make a difference in this world, and the technical knowledge to achieve it. To me, that’s what engineering is all about!
My story is about the diverse journey I have taken from Sri Lanka to Cuba, then to Canada, and finally to Silicon Valley—where I am an engineer working on cutting-edge technologies. In this e-book, I describe the steps I took to become an engineer, one of the most fascinating jobs in the world. At the same time, I am doing everything that is important to me: making a difference to change the world to be a better place, being creative, finding solutions that no one else has thought of, and spending time with my family—all while earning a good income. My engineering education, training and experiences have opened new doors for me. I have learned to understand how things work, and then be able to improve, or create, better solutions. The obstacles and challenges I have encountered have made me a stronger person. With determination, you can achieve what you hope to do. You learn from past experiences, but focus on the present, as well as future possibilities. Engineering allows me to live my life to the fullest. Surrounded by brilliant people at work, the ever-challenging nature of electrical and computer engineering is never boring to me. I will never stop learning. ~Jeewika Ranaweera, Ph.D.
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SRI LANKA: EARLY TRAITS OF AN ENGINEER
I
was born in Sri Lanka, the island nation off the southeast coast of India. I am the oldest of six girls and a boy.
We grew up in a typical, middle-class Sri Lankan family. My father was a social worker, who spent a great amount of time in the rural areas of Sri Lanka, and he also volunteered in many nonprofit organizations. Now retired, my father writes childrens’ story books; and he also translates outof-copyright English into Sinhala, a Sri Lankan language. My mother, whom I lost eight years ago, owned and operated a Montessori school for infants and pre-school children, including some from low-income families who received free tuition. She was a caring person, with a golden heart, and she lived by the saying, “Happiness is only real when shared.” The Montessori school was next door to our home, so my mother took me to the school in a bassinet to keep me close, while she taught, or did administrative work. As a result, I like to say I literally began going to school, as soon as my mom brought me home from the hospital! In this school, I eventually learned to read, write, count, and do simple math. By the time I started first grade at age five, I could do all of these skills, in both Sinhala and English. I was very fortunate to enroll in Visakha Vidyalaya, which is one of the leading girls’ schools in Colombo, the former capital of Sri Lanka. I completed first through twelfth grades at this school, and made lots of lasting friendships. Quite a few teachers from Visakha shaped my future—I owe a lot to them for who I am today. During my studies at Visakha, I realized that I had a keen liking for mathematics. One reason I grew to like math was the early math coaching I received from two aunts who taught the subject. l also played sports, and was involved with other extracurricular activities. I didn’t have the time to spend on theoretical subjects like history and social science. I was curious about any new item that came into our home, and I took apart and put back together everything from wrist watches and alarm clocks—to the curious-looking pens my father brought home from the overseas trips he took for business. As long as the item I had disassembled and rebuilt looked
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and functioned as originally intended, I didn’t get into trouble. But there were many times when I ended up with extra parts that I couldn’t fit back into the original item, making it totally useless. Although I learned to deal with my father’s annoyance, these mishaps taught me never to be afraid to fail! While in middle school, I took catering as an elective. This class started my interest in cooking, and in skillfully presenting meals. With this knowledge, I developed the ability to look at a prepared dish, figure out which ingredients were used, and how it was prepared—without looking at a recipe. Many times, I ended up with something completely different from the dish I intended to prepare—and occasionally, they were inedible. Fortunately, my parents gave me the freedom to try anything I wanted to cook—as long as I was safe. I once made a potato omelet with raw, sliced potatoes and eggs beaten together—which ended up as burnt eggs and partly cooked potatoes! Had I thought it through, I would have used boiled potatoes mixed with eggs to get a perfect omelet. But these kinds of mishaps eliminated any fear with experimenting, and taught me the value of following instructions for any kind of process development. Around the same time, I was getting the highest marks in my class for catering, and my father predicted that I could be a good restaurant chef—once I graduated from high school! Growing up, my sisters, brother and I were also lucky that our parents hosted some European exchange students through my father’s employer, Norway’s Save the Children Program, in Sri Lanka. Except for my father, none of us had traveled outside our country, so the experience of hosting these students proved to be an unparalleled cultural education. Interacting with them at home gave us the confidence to socialize and communicate with non-Sri Lankans. Sharing our daily lives helped to open the windows for pleasant surprises that grew into meaningful, lifelong friendships. We also learned to accept different customs; and we became more understanding, flexible, patient and compassionate. This experience was rewarding for our whole family, and it helped us to gain a broader view of the world. During middle school, I also developed an interest in art and drawing. I loved painting abstracts with distinctive colors that matched the surroundings of the rooms where they would hang. In class, my art teacher sat by me, and watched my paintings come to life. Even then, I always felt relaxed while painting, as it let me express ideas and emotions. The creativity I developed, and the energy and passion involved with the process, helped tremendously with my decision to become an engineer.
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By the time I entered high school, I had to pick four subjects related to the career path I had chosen. Since I loved mathematics and was quite good at it, I chose applied math, pure math, physics and chemistry to study in tenth through twelfth grades. Of all these, chemistry was my weakest subject, because I had to spend more time memorizing—mainly, the inorganic section. At the time, I would have been very happy if I had been able to take catering instead of chemistry!! Although I had no immediate relative to look up to as an engineer, I slowly got exposed to various engineering fields during my high school years. I had never worked with a computer, but I knew I wanted to be an engineer in computers, electrical, electronics or aeronautics. The next step was to do well in my General Certificate of Education— Advanced Level (GCE A-Level) exam in twelfth grade—and then, be accepted by one of the two Sri Lankan state universities that offered engineering. When I was in school, and perhaps even today, the GCE A-Level exam was extremely competitive and traumatic for most Sri Lankan high school students. Only the top 1.5% of students who passed this exam were selected to attend the state universities and study engineering. Then, after taking the exam, we had to wait seven or eight months for the final results of this nationwide test to be released. Those who didn’t get high enough marks would have to wait another year to repeat the exam. As it turned out, my lack of interest in chemistry finally caught up with me. My overall grades were slightly below what was needed to be admitted to study engineering in those two Sri Lankan universities. Since I didn’t want to spend another year waiting to retake the test, I opted to apply for one of the overseas scholarships that Russia, China, Cuba, and several other nations gave, at that time, to Sri Lankan students. The process included facing multi-level interviews the Sri Lankan Ministry of Higher Education conducted, and then going through a stiff selection process. I applied to go to Russia, because some of my friends were there; but instead, the Cuban government offered me an opportunity to study computer science and engineering in Cuba. Before my technical studies could start, I went through a very intensive course of Spanish during my first year, and then took engineering-related courses in Spanish, alongside the Cuban students.
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Lessons Learned: • Curiosity, and not being afraid to fail, are important traits to develop. • Doing something you really love and enjoy can help you develop the skills
you need to succeed in your chosen career.
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CUBA: SIX YEARS OF GROWTH
O
nce I accepted the scholarship the Sri Lankan Ministry of Higher Education and the Cuban government presented to me, I never looked back. I was only 17, but I had no second thoughts. This new journey would be wondrous, and I believed in myself! To prepare for the next chapter in my life, I met several times with Cuban Embassy officials. I also spoke to the parents of several Sri Lankan students already studying in Cuba. Since Spanish would be the language of instruction, I started to learn a few words and phrases to help me upon my arrival. During this learning process, I realized the value of the French lessons I had taken; many Spanish words were similar to the French I already knew. On 26 August 1983, three male Sri Lankan students and I nervously flew to Cuba from the Colombo airport. First, we went to Moscow, where we boarded the flight to Havana. When we arrived, the customs and immigration officials greeted us, and spoke to us in English. From the airport, our sponsors drove us directly to a Havana medical facility, where we were quarantined for a week—a standard procedure we had been told to expect. Riding from the airport, I enjoyed seeing the charming streets filled with ancient, American-made Chevrolets and Buicks that had survived from the time of the 1959 Communist revolution, led by Fidel Castro. Strolling people and small groups of men, some of them smoking cigars and relaxing by the trees, occupied the boulevards. The buildings ranged from immaculate Spanish colonial style to square, high-rise buildings, some being restored. There was no sign of garbage, anywhere. At the medical facility, we went through various tests to check for symptoms of such diseases as malaria and tuberculosis. The staff was extremely kind and friendly to all of us, including about 20 other students who had arrived from African countries. During my free time at the facility, and with my Spanish/English dictionary at hand, I started to immerse myself in learning more Spanish words; as well simple phrases from the nurses, doctors and janitors. Following the quarantine period, we travelled to the University of Camaguey, located in the third largest Cuban city. This university would be the setting for our year-long, Spanish-language immersion studies.
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My women-only dormitory housed about 40 international students, plus five Cuban students who were our guides. In this housing arrangement, I spoke either English or Spanish, an advantage of being the only Sri Lankan student in the dorm. Although initially I felt lonely, I looked at it as a blessing in disguise, since I was mastering the language faster than I had expected to. This experience taught me to focus on the positivity over the negativity that could have made me sad and down. I was starting a new chapter of my life in Cuba; and people were joyful, friendly, and very welcoming. On my very first weekend as a student, I was invited to visit a Cuban family in the rural province of Camaguey. Many villagers didn’t know where Sri Lanka was, but I was impressed to learn that some knew the first democratically elected female prime minister in the world came from there. Some even pronounced her name—Siramao Bandaranayake—very well indeed! We were soon immersed in Spanish lessons—six hours a day, Monday through Friday. The program was structured so we could start having a basic conversation in Spanish, within two months of starting the course. I was adapting well into my new home, but it took me longer to get used to the Cuban food, mainly what was served to us at the dorm. My favorite was fried tuna with rice, and also black bean soup and salad. On another weekend, I visited a Cuban family in Las Tunas, in the southern part of Cuba. There, I misunderstood the word “rana,” an animal that my hosts told me made a sound similar to “quack-quack.” The next day at lunch, I was astounded when they served cooked frogs instead of duck! Frogs are considered a delicacy in Cuba, but I politely declined, and settled for eggs with rice and salad. This incident showed me the necessity, whenever my dictionary wasn’t nearby, of including drawings to describe words that I wasn’t familiar with. Throughout my stay in Camaguey, I enjoyed meeting new people, visiting places, and learning about the Cuban culture—their salsa dancing, music, and much more. Six months soon passed, and I was very comfortable. Now I enrolled in math, physics, chemistry and Cuban history—all taught in Spanish—in preparation for the undergraduate degree that I would be taking later on with the Cuban students. At this stage of my student life, I understood the importance of doing well in all subjects. The university used a five-point grading system, and I got a 5.0
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GPA in the language immersion program. This accomplishment made me feel very proud! In the summer of 1984, I was selected to attend the Instituto Superior Politécnico José Antonio Echeverría (ISPJAE) in Havana, to pursue a degree in computer science and engineering. I was over the moon to be selected to attend Cuba’s highly ranked technical university, which offered undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral research degrees. Moving to Havana somehow felt like being a little closer to home. There were a few other female Sri Lankan students there, and I found life in Havana more exciting and upbeat, exposing me to a culturally and politically unique society. At ISPJAE, I felt well prepared to follow all the technical classes taught in Spanish. The international students followed the same curriculum as the Cuban students, and we were subject to the same standards and requirements. I was grateful to Cuba for giving me this scholarship. All three meals were freshly cooked daily, and served at the common dining hall. The housing was free, and we were given a monthly stipend for pocket money. We also received free medicine, toiletries and clothes. Since the U.S. embargo affected Cuba, many of the items that we took for granted at home were not freely available. I learned to be extremely careful not to use up certain products, including the Ceylon tea and Sri Lankan spices that I had brought from home. The international students in Cuba didn’t have to worry about anything except focusing on their studies. As a result, I was able to give my very best to excel in all the subjects I was required to take, so I could receive my undergraduate degree. These classes included the theories of Socialism and Communism—all mandatory subjects to graduate. While studying these topics, I kept in mind the valuable advice I received from the Ministry of Higher Education in Sri Lanka: “Do your best in those subjects, but remember to leave all these ideologies in Cuba, when you return.” I was cruising along very well in all the technical subjects, including electronic circuits, semiconductors and programming. Since most technical textbooks were in English, I had some advantage over Cuban students. That allowed me to spend more time on the subjects that were heavy on theory. As a result of doing so well in my freshman year, I received a research assistantship at Centro de Investigaciones de Micro Electronica (CIME), for my second year at ISPJAE. CIME had collaborated on various efforts with the
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University of Toronto (UofT) in Canada. In fact, some UofT professors had been to both CIME and ISPJAE for joint research and teaching programs. At the time, I couldn’t have known how fateful the relationship between the Cuban and the Canadian institutions would prove to be for me. During the years I spent in Cuba, more than 20,000 international students were studying in Cuban universities. Most of us were determined to experience Cuba with an open mind, and a willingness to learn about a new way of life. We were building new cultural bridges and influencing future relationships between countries. I thoroughly enjoyed my life in Cuba; I had stepped into a vibrant, lively and creative place. We were all encouraged to explore the country’s cultural diversity. I was amazed to feel the respect given to women there. During much of my free time, I talked with other international students about their cultures, languages, geography and families. Living in Cuba also taught me the valuable lesson of not judging people by their race, nationality, or gender. Wherever I went, I felt a sense of caring and friendship; the level of hospitality I received as an international student continually amazed me. Although Cubans had limited choices on non-essentials—everyone—including the rural families—had electricity, running water, a refrigerator, television set, and other essentials. Education, medical and dental care were free to everyone; and the homes, businesses and roads were clean and orderly, with no homeless or panhandling people to be seen. I always felt extremely safe, even when returning alone to my dormitory late at night. The elders in Cuban families love giving advice to the younger generations. One day, before leaving for work, a friend’s mother was tidying up her kitchen after breakfast. When I asked why she didn’t wait to do this task, until after returning from work, she said, “We always know our state at this moment, but not the state we will be in when we return home.” Her simple advice was very helpful to me in developing my own time management skills. For years, many of these elders had not seen family members, who had moved to the United States after the revolution. To avoid developing loneliness or depression, they had focused on the positive aspects and joys of Cuban life. Their stories helped me to cope when I felt homesick; since I, too, was away from my family for a long time. Thanks to these Cuban elders’ valuable advice, I was able to concentrate on being independent, and to appreciate my life. I spent my summers visiting places in Cuba and Canada.
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One of my most memorable experiences took place when the Sri Lankan President, Junius Richard Jayawardena, visited Cuba. We were invited to greet him at the airport, and to attend the state dinner that Fidel Castro would host at the Palacio de Revolucion. We were very excited! We took our cameras to capture memories of this grand occasion, but were disappointed when we had to leave our belongings at the entrance for security reasons. That evening, when Fidel Castro and President Jayawardena approached us for a chat, I told Cuba’s leader how saddened I was that we didn’t have our cameras to take pictures with them. To my complete surprise, Castro quickly summoned his official photographer and asked him to take pictures! Fidel Castro stood next to me, put his arm around my shoulder, and posed with the group of Sri Lankan students and President Jayawardena. Weeks later, our families were surprised when the Cuban Embassy in Colombo delivered framed photos! Not bad for speaking up when needed—especially to world leaders! Excelling in my studies as a foreign student in Cuba had more advantages. Each year, the students with the top grade point averages received an all-expenses paid, weeklong trip to a popular Cuban tourist destination. I received this honor all five years while at ISPJAE and—in luxury—got to know the country better. Six years swiftly went by. I now spoke three languages, and had both an undergraduate degree, and a deep appreciation of Cuba and its people. I was ready to leave Cuba, but thanks to my own living experiences, I had opened my mind to seeing things and people without prejudging. Happiness, mixed with sadness, overflowed in me as I left—now a mature, independent woman—one proud to have taken the advantage of the unique opportunity bestowed upon her. As the Ministry of Higher Education had advised, I viewed Cuba past the politics and clichés. I had had an amazing experience, with lots of fond memories of a nation with a larger-than-life national identity. All my efforts paid off well, when I graduated with a high GPA. At graduation, I received a diploma adorned with a prestigious gold seal—“titulo con medalla de oro.” Lessons Learned: • Believe in yourself. Don’t be afraid to take a new journey in life. • Never judge people, places and countries based on what you hear
from others.
• Immersion is the best way to learn a new language. WOMEN IN ENGINEERING BOOK 10
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CANADA: GRADUATE SCHOOL, MARRIAGE AND MOTHERHOOD
A
fter six years away from my family, I was looking forward to seeing everyone again.
But on my way home to Sri Lanka, I stopped to visit relatives and friends in California, and several cities in Canada. While in California, I saw Senaka Ranaweera, whom I had known since our childhood in Sri Lanka. He had already obtained his engineering degree in Sri Lanka, and was now studying for his MBA in the United States. Love bloomed, and we became engaged.
At the same time, I was also going to Canada to visit one of my sisters, who was studying there on a scholarship. She, as well as Senaka, encouraged me to apply for a Master’s program. I knew doing so would further delay my trip back home, but with my parents’ and Senaka’s blessings, I began the process of applying to engineering schools in Canada. This undertaking included passing a test of my English, getting transcripts and letters of recommendation from my professors at ISPJAE, and—not the least—securing funds to pay tuition fees. I enrolled as a part-time, international student in the Master’s of Engineering program, at the University of Toronto (UofT), in the electrical and computer engineering department. However, I wanted to eventually change to a Master’s in Applied Science, and possibly continue toward a Ph.D. At UofT, the ECE programs are housed in the same department with researchers who are experts in the electrical and computer science fields. The university’s ECE program was the largest and most highly regarded in the country, with professors and research staffs conducting leading-edge research. I felt fortunate to be with a team of researchers who were shaping the future of technology. After I became a graduate student, Senaka and I married in 1990 in Toronto, a year before he received his MBA. Upon graduating, he moved to Toronto, and we decided to visit Sri Lanka—the trip I’d postponed since leaving Cuba. We traveled home by way of Hamburg, Germany, where his parents were living—as his father was a senior executive with UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
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Our final destination was Colombo, and I still remember the happy tears we all shed, while hugging my parents at the airport. My sisters were grown, and the country looked much different from when I had left. But after two months of visiting relatives and friends, as well as enjoying delicious food, it was time fo us to return to Canada. Back in Toronto, Senaka began applying for jobs. For me, being an international student was totally different from the all-expenses-paid life I had enjoyed in Cuba. Until I secured research and teaching assistantships, I had to pay tuition that cost five times more than Canadian students. So, my initial decision to enroll in the part-time Master’s program proved wise. Once I had completed the course requirements, and secured a paid research assistantship and foreign student scholarship from UofT, I transferred to the Master’s in Applied Science program, as a full-time student. The initial phase of my thesis research was on Flash Electrically Erasable and Programmable Read-Only Memory Cells (EPROM). After I had read a great many publications about the existing research and the simulated data, I realized my conclusions were much like those of other researchers; I felt I was re-inventing the wheel with my thesis topic, because nothing new was involved. Clearly, I needed to step back and rethink my research focus. For example: What if I was to change A, B, or a combination of them, to get C? What could I do to improve the Flash EEPROM? I went back to start from the basics—and came up with a very simple, faster way to program flash memory cells, using lower voltages than the existing ones. It felt like I had invented a new, easier recipe for a dish that had already been around for a while! What a wonderful feeling! I had found a research topic not only for my Master’s thesis, but also, for my eventual Ph.D. groundwork. Essentially, I was now in the driver’s seat—steering my research work, publishing my findings, and presenting them at various technical conferences! At one point, I received the best student paper award at a Canadian Microelectronics research workshop in Ottawa. The UofT Innovation Foundation also took steps to apply my research work for a U.S. patent, and it was granted in 2000. I received my Master’s in Applied Science in 1995, and the Canadian government now considered me to be “a Canadian-educated individual.” This status meant I had a better chance of becoming a permanent resident in Canada, as a skilled worker. This advantage opened up more doors for Senaka and me. And we were thankful for the potential opportunities—including a pathway to Canadian citizenship, after three more years.
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Since my research work could be expanded toward a doctoral thesis, I was on track for enrolling in the Ph.D program. I had strong support from my main advisor and Master’s thesis supervisor, Dr. Salama. He believed in my potential, and he supported me throughout my graduate studies. With research grants, teaching assistantships, and UofT Open Doctoral Fellowships, I was financially set; and with my husband working for IBM Canada, life as a graduate student felt comfortable and secure. I realize such good circumstances are fairly unusual—but were at least partly due to my hard work. My good grades and the ability to obtain grants, assistantships and fellowships, also enabled me to finish my graduate studies debt-free. I’m proud of that! When I had finished the required course work, and my Ph.D. research was progressing well, Senaka and I decided it was time to expand our family. Soon, we were delighted to be expecting a son. But at around the eighth week of pregnancy, I started having complications. A referral to an obstetrician who handles high-risk pregnancies, plus our determination to do everything in our power to have this baby, saw us through. My thesis work remained important, and at one point Dr. Salama asked me whether I would like to take time off from the program. I thanked him, but said that I felt I managed myself better under pressure—and if the need arose, I would reconsider. On one occasion, my doctor told me to take two weeks of complete bed rest. Unfortunately, his order was just a few days before the deadline to submit a technical paper I was writing for an IEEE conference on non-volatile memory. I was devastated! I had worked very hard, and was about 80 percent finished with the paper. Dr. Salama reassured me, reminding me that my and the baby’s wellbeing were more important than the paper, and there would be plenty of other conferences to which I could submit my work in the future. However, I decided to contact the conference technical chair, explain my situation, and ask if they could extend the deadline. To my surprise, he immediately wrote back with his permission to submit the paper two weeks later. This provision made me so happy and relaxed, that I immediately started feeling better! A very thoughtful gesture from a person I didn’t know helped me to be both relaxed and focused! The paper I submitted was accepted for presentation at the conference. Looking obviously pregnant and feeling slightly nervous, I stood in front of about 250 experts in my field to present my research—and it was very well received.
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Despite the scares, I progressed well and delivered a healthy, full-term boy. We named him Mano. But during this high-risk pregnancy, I realized the importance of the love and support I received from family, friends and sometimes, complete strangers. We were blessed to have my mother stay with us for six months to help us with the baby. Thanks to her support, I was able to return to school just 11 days after having the baby, and finish my thesis work! As it turned out, the flexibility I enjoyed in writing the thesis from home (and my advisors’ understanding) helped me to spend more time with Mano—while, at the same time, allowing me to focus on the thesis. Eventually, I finished all my doctoral requirements, and I was ready to defend the thesis at a final oral examination—less than 3 ½ years after enrolling as a Ph.D. student. When the external appraiser who attended my oral examination commented on the short time I had taken to finish my Ph.D., I heard Dr. Salama say “And with a baby, too!” I realized what an achievement this was, and I silently thanked my son for being the best baby ever—and everyone else who helped make this achievement possible! Of course, I couldn’t have done this without self-determination, and believing in my inner strengths and drive to get things done. Lessons Learned: • Exploring the basics can lead you to new discoveries. • When you need help, ask for it—even from strangers. • Self-determination and believing in yourself can help you to achieve
your goals.
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SILICON VALLEY: LIFE AS A WOMAN ENGINEER
I
graduated in 1999 with my Ph.D., during what seemed like the perfect time. It was the height of the dot-com boom, and I felt I was walking into a rosy job market, filled with lots of perks.
Recruiters from U.S. and Canadian technology companies visited the UofT campus long before graduation. Now a Canadian citizen, I could work in the United States, as long as I had a job offer. In October 1998, I traveled to several Canadian cities, as well as to California for job interviews. My preference was to land a dream job in Silicon Valley, where I could expand and grow, as an engineer specializing in semiconductor device and process technology. I happily accepted an offer from Actel Corporation, a manufacturer of non-volatile, low-power field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). The offer included a sign-on bonus and moving expenses from Toronto to the Valley. Our son Mano was over a year old, and our immediate need was to find daycare for him. Senaka had left his job in Toronto, and he decided to take a break, while we settled into our new lives in the United States. Eventually, he began working at Compaq; later, it merged with Hewlett-Packard, where he still works today as a business analyst. At Actel, I was lucky to have a manager who was both caring and technologically savvy. Under his guidance, I found a balance between my work responsibilities and my family life. My work at Actel was in antifuses—a new area for me to explore. An antifuse is an electrical device that performs the opposite function to a fuse: Whereas a fuse starts with a low resistance, and is designed to permanently break an electrically conductive path; an antifuse starts with a high resistance, and is designed to permanently create an electrically conductive path. Antifuses are widely used to permanently program integrated circuits. I began researching antifuses, and soon found a suitable material—tantalum nitride—that could be used to make a more robust antifuse link. My work related to this finding yielded several patents, and also appeared in several industry publications.
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About a year after I joined Actel, I was pregnant again—and both relieved and happy to avoid any complications this time. Our daughter, Sonali, was born on her exact due date, and I was able to spend my maternity leave with her. But about a year later, the dot-com bubble began to burst. Companies were laying people off, and many startups were closing. House prices were going down, and families were moving from the Bay area to other states, as well as moving back to their countries. People were losing money in the stock market; some, who had risked everything hoping to make a fortune, lost it all. It was sad to see the devastation. In 2004, after I had been with Actel for more than four years, my manager delivered the bad news: A new round of layoffs was starting, and my job was being eliminated. I received a good severance package, and other benefits; but I worried how this layoff would affect my family, and the lifestyle we enjoyed. Senaka reassured me that by cutting back on some expenses, we could still live comfortably. The first night without a job was very upsetting, as I thought about all the possible worst-case scenarios that could happen. The following Saturday, I attended an event, where I met some others who had recently lost their jobs. We shared our mutual fears, and we also formed an informal support system. This support group helped me to realize that when I was feeling discouraged, the best way to help myself up and to see the opportunities, was to encourage others. After this event, I felt better about myself, strategized to put the negative feelings out of my mind, and looked for the positive aspects. Mano and Sonali were happy to have me at home full time, and I enjoyed motherhood—comforted, I will admit, by the severance package and unemployment benefits now coming my way. Feeling better about myself and my next career move, I put my resume together and sent it out to a great many of my industry contacts. Very soon, I was getting interviews, second interviews—and job offers! Within two months of being laid off, I started a new job at Sun Microsystems, earning a higher salary than before. I believe my good fortune was due to my positive attitude, and believing in my potential. Had I been depressed about the layoff from Actel, I may have communicated the wrong attitude during interviews—and I might not have found a good job for a long time.
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I immediately started to love my work at Sun Microsystems. I was now on the team that developed high-end microprocessors; and while the work was challenging, I enjoyed working on the product line that was key to the company’s success. I felt privileged to be on a development team consisting of 80 percent Ph.D.s, and thankful for the opportunity to make a difference with them. Looking back on the Actel layoff, I now know the true meaning of the saying, “Everything happens for a reason.” At Sun, I started getting involved with IEEE—both as an editor, and as a member of several technical committees. To me, nothing has been more rewarding than being a judge at local and international science fairs, where I get to motivate and stimulate the interests of students in the fields of science and engineering. I enjoy inspiring these aspiring engineers and scientists about how we think, as well as how to identify important questions—even when their science projects might be flawed. For some students, I am the first female professional engineer they ever meet. Therefore, I am an ambassador for engineers: we are also “real” people! I hope students’ perceptions of me influence their choices to be in STEM careers. An experience I had at Actel convinced me I needed to do something to encourage talented girls toward STEM. While attending the IEEE International Reliability Physics Symposium at a hotel in Dallas, I happened to walk past another, non-technical conference, with mostly female attendees. As I walked by, I overheard a group of women from this other conference talking about the one I was attending. One of them commented that they were “the only real people at a real conference.” Clearly, the topic of physics meant “unreal” to them. I didn’t have time to talk to this group, but I felt quite the contrary. How misinformed they were! And what an inaccuracy to label us that way! Besides being an engineer, I enjoy painting, cooking, traveling, gardening, volunteering—and being a mother and a wife—and nothing can be more real. In 2010, Oracle acquired Sun Microsystems. I am now part of a multinational computer technology corporation that develops, manufactures and markets—as the company slogan states—“Hardware and Software, Engineered to Work Together.” Counting my years at Sun, I have enjoyed 12 years of professional development and self-growth in an organization known as one of the most successful and iconic companies in Silicon Valley. I’m proud to be part of the
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development team that pushes the boundary of Moore’s Law, the axiom that computer processing power doubles every 18 months, especially relative to cost or size. Oracle is a great place to work, with lots of opportunities to grow. Employees are encouraged to seek their full potential, while balancing personal and family lives. Collaborating and networking with talented, passionate, highly motivated and caring colleagues, doing challenging work, are important factors in my professional career. The work-life balance at Oracle provides me with opportunities to integrate my personal to-do’s with my work to-do’s. I have peace of mind knowing I can take care of things in a timely manner, and it allows me to do my job better, and feel more productive. Thanks to the relaxation techniques I’ve learned in company-sponsored classes and other activities, some of my most creative ideas have come while taking showers, painting, or tending my succulent garden. Oracle’s employee resource groups encourage diversity and equal rights. Since I believe in the need for women to network, I became active as a lead in Oracle Women Leadership (OWL). A global initiative, OWL’s mission is to develop, engage and empower current and future generations of Oracle women, to foster an inclusive and innovative workforce. This network has become a great avenue for me to seek guidance and enhance leadership skills. I find the women at Oracle to be very committed, diverse and passionate—and I’m very proud to be part of OWL. The recent volunteer work I did with the Oracle Education Foundation’s exciting mission, to inspire and develop the next generation of innovators, has been one of the most gratifying ways to give back to the community. Being a part of the Oracle team of female technologists, who helped to develop a curriculum, and deliver a workshop on wearable technology—clothing and accessories incorporating programming and electronics—for ninth-grade girls from Design Tech High School in Burlingame, was professionally and personally fulfilling. We also coached the girls in basic coding and electronics, followed by a design challenge; in which students had to uncover problems, and prototype wearable solutions, using their new skills. Like most professionals, I’ve worked with all kinds of people. Not everyone is going to be cheering you on as you take control of your life and career. There will always be someone ready to tell you what you can’t do. I’ve trained myself to have a thick skin to deal with such people. I’ve also learned from the traits I’ve discovered most likeable people have in common: a positive attitude; non-judgmental; responsible; do what they say, and when they say
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it; go above and beyond to solve a problem; make an effort to stay engaged with others; and treat everyone the way they want to be treated. As an IEEE Senior Member who is actively involved with IEEE Women in Engineering, as well as IEEE conferences and technical forums, I’m constantly meeting and learning from inspiring engineers and scientists. I am also an IEEE volunteer, as an ABET program evaluator, which gives me the opportunity to help guide the content, quality and delivery of engineering degree programs around the world. In turn, I work to inspire girls around the world to follow their academic interests to a career in engineering. Finally, I thrive on helping, advising and supporting my son and daughter on their charitable work that raises money for less fortunate children. Volunteering gives me pleasure and energy to do more good deeds—while being an engineer. Oracle has been a great contributor to both what I do, and who I am today, because the company cares about the job I do, as well as my passion to help people. Lessons Learned: • When feeling discouraged, lift yourself up by encouraging others and vol-
unteering to make a difference.
• Everything in your life happens for a reason. • Likeable people are non-judgmental; responsible; do what they say, and
when they say it; go above and beyond to solve a problem; make an effort to stay engaged with others; have a positive attitude; and treat everyone the way they themselves want to be treated.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
J
eewika Ranaweera is a principal hardware engineer at Oracle. She received her Bachelor’s in Computer Science and Engineering from ISPJAE in Havana, Cuba; and her Master’s and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada. She is a member of the Oracle Corporation Advanced Technology team that develops high-speed microprocessors. Jeewika is currently involved in foundry technology development, design rules for 10nm FinFet technology, and product tape-out methodology. She was previously involved with data analysis, with emphasis on failure predictions and product performance; and innovative Design for Manufacturability (DFM) solutions, implementing layout effect validation methods to enhance yield, at both Sun Microsystems (acquired by Oracle in 2010) and at Actel Corporation. Jeewika Ranaweera is an IEEE Senior Member, a member of the IEEE Electron Device Society (EDS) Technology Computer-Aided Design Committee, and an EDS editor for special technical issues. She volunteers as an ABET program evaluator for IEEE; is a judge for local and international science fairs; is active in IEEE Women in Engineering; and Oracle Women Leadership; and also Recycling4Smiles and SpareAQuarter charities. She has authored and co-authored many papers published in technical journals, or presented at international conferences. Jeewika holds four U.S. patents. She can be reached at
[email protected]
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2001 L Street, NW, Suite 700 • Washington, D.C. 20036-4928 +1 202 785 0017 • www.ieeeusa.org www.ieeeusa.org/communications/ebooks
