In this episode, we interview Eneni Abban, a robotics engineer and creative technologist who has won numerous engineering awards. Abban shares her journey into the world of robotics engineering, her experience as a creative technologist, and her success in winning engineering awards.

Abban discusses her passion for robotics engineering and how she got started in the field. She shares her experience working on various robotics projects, including developing a robot for a disaster response challenge.

As a creative technologist, Abban emphasizes the importance of combining creativity and technology. She talks about how she integrates art and technology in her work to create innovative solutions.

Abban's success in winning engineering awards is a testament to her dedication and hard work. She shares her tips for aspiring engineers on how to stand out and succeed in the field.

Overall, this episode provides valuable insights into the world of robotics engineering and the importance of creativity in technology. Stay tuned for Part 2 of our interview with Eneni Abban, where we delve deeper into her work as a creative technologist.

In this episode, Eneni stresses the significance of finding a community and network in the tech industry to provide support and accountability. She shares her own experience of feeling like an outsider in tech and how connecting with a group of women who were also struggling helped her gain confidence and motivation. Eneni encourages those who may be feeling the same way to persevere and seek out a network of people who can offer support and accountability. She also suggests finding an accountability partner to help stay on track with goals. The episode underscores the importance of having a community in tech, particularly for those who may feel isolated or unsupported in their workplace.

The speakers also discuss how social media can create unrealistic standards and negatively impact self-esteem. They specifically mention how women can see images of others who have had modifications done and look perfect, which can make them feel inadequate. However, they also discuss how social media can be used to show the realistic side of things, such as posting about errors and struggles in coding. They note that when they did this, they received support and advice from a community of people who wanted to help. The speakers suggest that finding a network and community of people who share similar struggles and goals can be helpful in combating the negative effects of social media.

The episode also addresses how even successful women in tech have faced microaggressions and imposter syndrome. The host shares her own experiences of feeling like she didn't belong in her robotics engineering program and how her black friends were surprised that she was studying robotics. She also talks about experiencing microaggressions from both students and teachers, who made comments that made her feel unwelcome. The host also mentions Dr. Sheeny Samara, Carol Vorderman, and Dr. Anne-Marie Maffidone as examples of successful women who have faced imposter syndrome and microaggressions. Despite these challenges, they persevered and became successful in their fields. The episode highlights the importance of recognizing and addressing these issues in the tech industry and creating a more inclusive and supportive environment for all.

• 00:02:13 - "I don't know what this is, but I want to build stuff like this."
• 00:02:15 - "And the fact that it looked like me as well just made me even more like, OK, I was meant to be in this flea market at this precise time."
• 00:05:17 - "I literally got all A's in my IGCSEs. I got all A's and I still can't get into MIT. So it was a bit wild."
• 00:08:31 - "OK, OK, it's day one though. But let's keep going. There were two other girls, I believe."
• 00:09:16 - "I'm going to go and be with the people who look like me, even though I wear different genders."
• 00:11:28 - "Like, it's not for you. Like, just choose something else you're good at."
• 00:14:27 - "You had imposter syndrome? Like, Carol Vorderman had imposter syndrome? I'm like, oh, girl, she is fire."
• 00:16:17 - "The young girls coming after you and like who are doing the things that you want to do, the things that you're doing, need to see you."
• 00:20:20 - "My management was really bad, really bad."
• 00:22:08 - "I just felt like girls need to see this. Like, nobody knows that like women are in this industry."
• 00:25:39 - "It's like the same kind of group of people that I've never met, don't know who they are, different genders, not just women, just people like, oh, this is maybe if you try it this way, it could work."