Dr. Aygul Zagidullina’s Hope for the Future
“Technology is so powerful, that we can use it to make the world a much better place.”
For Dr. Aygul Zagidullina, technology has always been a part of her life. Her first major coding project was the official website for her high school. From there she and her classmates won a citywide competition which inspired her to keep learning more about coding. She studied quantum computing in university, using computer programming to model chemical reactions and earn her PhD.
After her scientific research at the University of Stuttgart, Dr. Zagidullina found herself on a new path working in marketing for Google in Germany where she had a chance to work with some truly top-notch people and brands like Eurovision Song Contest, Fools Garden and many others. She currently is based in London and develops apps for the Google Assistant, Dr. Zagidullina was recently recognized by Google as a Google Developer Expert (GDE) for her contribution to the global developer community.
She is most proud of the Sunscreen Check app she wrote. Getting ready to deliver a conference keynote on a hot day in Dubai, she asked Google Assistant for the UV index and sun protection recommendations. When Google Assistant had nothing to offer, she did what engineers do when they find something missing, she built it! Sunscreen Check helps users “stay safe under the sun, avoid sunburn, and reduce the risk of cancer by choosing the right sun protection for your current location.” Sunscreen Check is used by thousands around the world and was officially recognized by Google with a “Keeping Users Engaged” milestone pin. This app is a meaningful example of how technology can be used to improve people’s lives.
In addition to creating new apps, Dr. Zagidullina blogs, organizes technology events, and speaks at conferences all over the world (18 countries and counting). She believes nothing is more valuable than human connection. She wants to break the stereotypes people have about “tech people” and increase accessibility and participation in using technology to solve problems.
Dr. Zagidullina was named as one of the NEXT 100 Top Influencers of the European Digital Industry in 2013. One of her upcoming projects is running a free five-day workshop on programming for the Google Assistant in London as part of her Google Developer Group efforts.
In the future, Dr. Zagidullina sees great things for the tech industry and hopes that more people are drawn to it for passion rather than monetary gain. There is such potential in developing innovative technologies, such as sensor networks and AI, to make life improvements, especially in health and education.
To overcome challenges, Dr. Zagidullina recommends surrounding yourself with positive people, remembering why you started, and being persistent.
She advises women not to be discouraged by the low numbers of women in tech; “be excited to be a groundbreaker. Be a part of positive change and make it your mission to help break stereotypes.”
This story was written by Hillary Fleenor, Wogrammer Journalism Fellow. Connect with her on LinkedIn.
