Invitation to the 9th Women in Tech Lunch

One of the factors contributing to the underrepresentation of women in STEM fields is the “sense of alienation or marginalization due to one’s gender or gender identity.” In such circumstances, many individuals face unpleasant experiences or struggle with their concerns without finding a supportive community to share them with. To address this, the B’AI Global Forum is organizing the “Women in Tech Lunch” as a casual gathering for women in STEM fields to come together, connect, and exchange ideas. The event aims to create opportunities for participants to engage with others from different departments and research labs who share similar experiences and challenges, fostering new connections and mutual support.

For the 9th session, we will be inviting Rieko Katsuno Norland, who works at a top tech company in the United States. Based on Ms. Norland’s experience ‘the most important thing when working abroad is not language acquisition, but the mental preparation to open yourself up,’ this will be an opportunity to freely discuss concerns and questions related to the fields of science and engineering and the tech industry.

We look forward to welcoming those who are interested to join us for this event.

The 9th Women in Tech Lunch

◇Date & Venue

・Date & Time: Wednesday, June 19, 2024, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

・Venue: B’AI Global Forum Office

・Participants: Students in STEM fields who experience sense of alienation or marginalization due to one’s gender or gender identity (young researchers are also welcome)

・Admission: Free (Please bring your own lunch)

・Hosted by: B’AI Global Forum, Institute for AI and Beyond at the University of Tokyo

・Inquiries: bai.global.forum[at]gmail.com (Please change [at] to @)

＊ If you wish to participate, please contact the email address above for detailed directions.

◇ BIO of Our Guest

Rieko Katsuno Norland

Born in Tochigi Prefecture. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Arizona State University. Despite the challenges of the dot-com bubble burst, she started her career at a startup in Tucson. Later, she moved to a major computer company in California as a software engineer, where she spent a total of 18 years, navigating through relocations and reemployment.

Currently, she works as a Senior Program Manager and Product Manager for Japan, ensuring that various teams within the company can work towards common goals with full commitment. Since 2019, she has also been the president of the company’s Asian employee group, working to address the subtle biases against Asian people in the U.S. and advocating for increased Asian representation in leadership roles to both employees and management. She is also dedicated to raising her 12 and 16-year-old daughters with her American husband.