Women in Tech Q+A: Yuliya Kosyakova, DataOps
With everything happening around the world right now, we are working extra hard to maintain focus on our work and continuing steadfast support of each other. Part of this is cheering the strength, resolve, and commitment of our team members. For this reason, we’ve decided to go ahead and post what we had planned for March — in honor of Women’s History Month.
March is Women’s History Month and we are celebrating by connecting with the talented, bright, and fearless women here at Perceptive Automata. We recently sat down with our DataOps lead, Yuliya Kosyakova, to learn more about her passion for technology, her experience as a female in the tech world, and who inspires her most.
When did you first realize you had a passion for technology? Was there a moment when everything clicked, and you knew that this would be your career path?
I wouldn’t necessarily say I’m passionate about technology — for me, it’s more of an excitement for innovation and “the next big thing”. From a young age, I was always curious to learn about new products and innovations, which today are inevitably tied to technology. People who push boundaries and take a path less traveled have always inspired me. I went to Babson College, which really opened my eyes to the opportunity at the intersection of entrepreneurship, innovation, and technology — and the rest is history, as they say.
Growing up, what were your favorite subjects in school?
I was always really interested in (and good at!) math and English. Growing up in Russia, mathematics was a key area of focus throughout my school years. Russian math is extremely hard but I found I really liked the challenge.
What was your first job in technology? What led you to take that job?
I started my career in 2015 as a data specialist at True Fit, which is a consumer-facing personalization platform for footwear and apparel. The company works with a lot of big-name retailers and fashion brands and I was in charge of management and processing of customer data. It was a natural fit for me — I love fashion and could relate to the problem they were solving for.
What has your overall experience as a woman in technology been like? Have you faced any adversity in your career? Were there any barriers you had to overcome at one point or another?
I’d like to think that we are reaching a point where gender is no longer a bias, although I realize it likely does not feel that way for a lot of women pursuing careers in tech. I’ve always felt that with the right level of determination, desire, and drive to achieve your goals, men and women engineers can have equal opportunity in the field. This could be because of my upbringing — both of my parents worked equally hard and both have successful careers. I was raised with little awareness of gender bias — and I think that helped me as I went through school and began my career. I never experienced any adversity personally, but I obviously read news and stories online and I am aware that tech is still a male-dominated industry. Based on my experience, however, I think this is changing. In this day and age, there should be no gender-specific industries and professions. People should be measured on their skills, expertise, and ability — nothing else.
How important are women and STEM programs for young girls looking to explore the world of technology? Did you participate in any programs growing up that encouraged you?
I do not have a STEM-related degree. Both my Bachelor's and Masters’s degrees are in business/entrepreneurship, which is also a very male-dominated field. It was never a discouragement for me though, I saw it as a healthy challenge and was confident I could achieve the goals I’d set out for myself. That said, I very much support STEM programs, and love seeing young girls all over the world so passionate and set out to develop solutions to social and environmental issues they care so deeply about. I’m excited to watch future generations’ ideas of what the world could come to fruition.
What women inspire you most?
I don’t have an individual or set of individuals that inspire me specifically — it’s more a collective image of self-made female entrepreneurs and leaders. I really admire Marissa Mayer, for example, for the work she’s done to push the tech industry forward. It’s the bold and independent women, like Mayer, Beatrix Shilling, and Mary Anderson, who defied stereotypes and achieved their goals against the odds — who have paved the way for the rest of us.
What are you working on now that excites you?
I am only good at things I am passionate about. In addition to fashion, I always liked cars and driving. The idea of autonomous vehicles and the potential positive impact on our daily lives is really exciting to me — and I’m proud to be helping us get closer to that reality. And, since I love a challenge, I’m really honored to be part of a team that is solving one of the hardest problems of automated driving — predicting human behavior. It’s a really exciting time for the industry and for Perceptive Automata.
If you weren’t doing this job, what would you be doing?
Probably something similar, honestly. A tech start-up that is working on a product I believe in. I’d love to start and build my own company from scratch someday.
What challenges do you think women continue to face in the technology industry?
Women continue to stay away from high-tech jobs because of gender bias, stereotypes, and problems with work-life balance. But I personally haven’t faced any adversity or biases in tech workplaces I was a part of. All of my coworkers are very helpful and respectful. I never felt under -qualified or out of place. I am always eager to listen and to learn, and people are generally very happy to help.
What is the industry doing to better support women in technology? What more should they or could they be doing?
In my view, there are two big elements forcing the winds of change in technology. First, we are seeing more focus on diversity & inclusion across industries — and tech fields are picking up on it. At the same time, more women are ready, willing, and able to push the boundaries and challenge the status quo. It’s empowering to decide to take your career where you want it to go, rather than where society historically told you to!
What advice would you give to girls and young women looking to pursue a career in technology?
Make the choice that’s right for you — and you alone. Pursue your passions and stay motivated. Education is important but accept that you will learn and grow long after your degree is complete. Be willing to learn from people of all sorts of different backgrounds as well as from your own shortcomings. Don’t give in to stereotypes and don’t be discouraged by unfortunate stories. For every “failure” out there, there are thousands of successful ones.
