The MEEP project aims to build inclusive communities. Diversity is an added value for the team in order to work effectively in synergy. Consequently, a 'Women in STEM' series of interviews has been created to feature all the amazing female scientists who work in MEEP and their paths into science.
Avani Bharadava is an Exascale Supercomputers ASIC Engineer at BSC. In this interview, Avani talks about her experience as a woman in STEM and as a member of the MEEP team.
How did you become interested in engineering and HPC? What was your motivation to choose your career path?
I have always been curious about Science and Technology since my childhood. My parents always motivated me to pursue whatever fields I was interested in. I remember the day when I asked myself what I wanted to achieve in my life after all this schooling and graduation because knowledge is only fruitful when you apply it in practical life. I got an answer, and it was that I wanted to contribute in technological evolution of humankind. That led me to engineering, the evergreen helping hand of humankind.
In my early professional career, I was part of the industry and corporate world. I was awestruck when I got selected for the position of Research Engineer at Europe’s leading research body – Barcelona Supercomputing Center. That marks the beginning of my journey in the research field. I got exposure in computer architecture and HPC. I became part of MEEP – a wonderful initiative to prove that the sky is the limit.
Have you encountered or faced any challenges while working in STEM?
I believe when a person is not facing any challenge while doing something, s/he needs to check if the direction of her/his path is right. By saying this, I mean that challenges are unavoidable and omnipresent. They are hidden opportunities to prove yourself and push your boundaries towards excellence. And I am no special case in this scenario. I have encountered many challenges throughout my career path, but fortunately none of them are because of my gender. I am lucky enough to get supportive and encouraging male as well as female co-workers and friends.
What do you do within the MEEP project? How has this experience impacted your career?
I am working as a hardware design engineer in MEEP. I am part of RTL design team. We along with other hardware teams are responsible to facilitate the MEEP hardware functionalities.
Keeping all the so-called good words aside, what I honestly feel is the decision of being part of MEEP at BSC is the best decision I ever made in my life. Working in MEEP means to have an ocean of opportunities. I got the chance to delve myself deeper in computer architecture and its applications. Dreams came true for me to surround myself with processors, caches, buffers, registers, flip-flops…
What are your achievements while working on MEEP?
New environment, new country, new food habits, new folks, somewhat new working domain and last but not the least the Pandemic. In spite of all these, I have been unaffected and determined to succeed, and so is the MEEP project. Getting a chance to work in both, vector and scalar processors is an achievement for me considering the time duration I spent in MEEP project. I am lucky enough to work with such amazing folks developing larger than life technologies.
Do you have any advice or message for young girls and women pursuing a career in STEM?
To all the young girls and women working hard in STEM,
“You are only as good as your last game. Keep rocking.”