A significant achievement in the world of STEM, sophomore Nikita Jadhav won the National Center for Women in Technology award in honor of her significant contributions to the field of computer science.
The National Center for Women in Technology is a nonprofit organization that strives to combat the effects of unconscious bias and stereotypes in the field of computing. Their focus is intersectionality; the involvement of women of all races, classes, sexual orientation, and more.

“They’re trying to look for girls that are driven to make a difference using technology, and based on that they choose several people to recognize. I think it’s really cool, because [winning the award] definitely signifies that there is a need for diversity, and there are people willing to open up to listen to more diverse and inclusive voices,” said Jadhav.

Women are greatly underrepresented in the world of technology. In 2019, women only accounted for 19% of bachelor’s degrees in computer science. Jadhav works to bridge that diversity gap, and NCWIT has the resources and drive to help her achieve that, with exclusive scholarships and awards meant to build women’s leadership and technical skills.

“When you have a diverse perspective, you’re bringing in multiple backgrounds and you’re really opening up the discussion. That kind of drove me to understand the importance of diversity,” said Jadhav.

A key example of the importance of a diverse background in the workforce comes from a keynote speaker of a gala that Jadhav attended. The woman spoke of how the automatic water tab that the majority of bathrooms are equipped with did not recognize her hand, because of the color of her skin.

“If you had diverse perspectives in the room when they were making that tab, you would have been able to accommodate for different skin colors and different needs. It’s essential to incorporate a lot of different voices. It’s not just about water tabs, but also about the biggest issues that our world faces,” said Jadhav.

With many new technological advancements to be made in the future, it’s vital that women gain recognition for all that they do for the field. Jadhav’s success in activism has been a huge step forward in bringing that notion to the surface.