Coming Full Circle in IoT and Women in Tech with FemmeHacks

In early 2016, I had a chance to get involved with the Internet of Things through my local Women Who Code hardware hackathon. Fast forward a year later, I’ve participated in multiple IoT hackathons, including the one that sent me to Beijing, China and have become an Intel Software Innovator as a result. This past February, 2017, I had the opportunity to give back to women in tech by mentoring at FemmeHacks, an Intel-sponsored women’s hackathon, and thus come full circle from participating in women’s hardware hackathons to now giving back and mentoring at one. Here’s my story of participating at FemmeHacks 2017 in Philadelphia.

3 Reasons I’m Giving Back to Women In Tech in 2017

Note:

I originally planned to title this post “3 BIG Ways that WWC Helped My Career in 2016” to highlight all the ways that Women Who Code have helped me. But I wanted to speak in a larger sense of the struggles of women in technology and how I want to help, hence the current title. I’m still sending lots of love to WWC throughout this article though! 🙂

Turtle Tank Light Sensor: My First IoT Project

The Internet of Things is becoming a big thing now. Recently, I had the opportunity to start getting involved in IoT and the whole “maker” movement.

My local chapter of Women Who Code, along with SparkFun and SpotX, hosted a women’s hardware hackathon. Thinking, “why not?”, and curious about this whole IoT and hardware stuff, I decided to go and check it out.