Landing in Chicago for the Grace Hopper Celebration (GHC), I remember feeling extremely intimidated. The idea of networking with thousands of people from across the globe was as frightening as it was exciting. However, three days later, I left Chicago feeling inspired, motivated, and grateful.

Going into the conference, I set three clear goals for myself:

1. Connect: Meet as many inspiring, like-minded people as possible.
2. Explore: Understand current trends in the fields I am passionate about, specifically Robotics, AI, and Firmware.
3. Grow: Step out of my comfort zone and learn from the best in the industry.

The schedule was packed, but to sum it up, here are my highlights:

I attended a keynote by Adam Cheyer (co-founder of Siri) discussing the evolution of Siri and its relevance in the shifting AI space, followed by Vivian Tu (the "Your Rich BFF" creator), who shared practical financial advice.

I aspire to work at the intersection of hardware and software, so the workshops were an invaluable opportunity to gain insights directly from industry experts who have spent years working on these topics. My favorite was "The GPU: Powering the AI Revolution," which dove into the hardware acceleration making our current AI milestones possible.

The most transformative part of GHC for me was the Braindates. These are small-group, intentional conversations focused on specific topics. I attended sessions like "Women in Robotics" and

"Embedded SWE in Google Cloud," which provided interesting insights into the industry.

I even had the opportunity to host my own Braindate on "Emerging Frontiers in Robotics and Hardware." It was a rewarding opportunity to connect with others who share my interest in physical systems and AI, and that truly became one of my favorite learning moments of the trip.

I also spent significant time at the AWS, Google, and RAI Institute talent booths to learn about their teams and figure out whether I could see myself working there in the future.

Reflecting on my experience, I believe the trip pushed me well beyond my comfort zone. Witnessing incredible women share their experiences and career trajectories made me realize it is time for me to truly step up. I definitely returned to SFU with a renewed drive to dive deeper into the areas I want to work in.

Thank you to SFU Women in Computing Science and the Faculty of Applied Sciences for their support and for fostering a community that makes such experiences possible!

My final tips for anyone who is going to attend GHC:

1. Don't just show up; research the speakers, companies, and workshops in advance.
2. Define Your Target Audience: Have a "hit list" of what kind of professionals you want to talk to and what you want to achieve from those specific conversations.
3. Don’t forget to learn and have fun!