Size is No Measure of Power
How Microcomputing Propelled Technical Leader Abie Award-Winner Dr. Lisa Su to Become a Driving Force in Shaping the Future of Tech
When Lisa Su was 10 years old, she took apart her brother’s remote-control cars. Before you chalk this up to a sibling squabble, note that she also put them back together. It was this early fascination with understanding how things worked and the power contained within them that would eventually lead her to become President and CEO of AMD (Advanced Micro Devices).
“Semiconductors are very, very small, yet have tremendous capability. The experience of building my first semiconductor led me to specialize in this field. Each processor has its own special meaning.”
Lisa’s interest in electrical engineering, particularly the research and development stage, led her to pursue a Bachelor’s degree at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). She enjoyed both building the product and seeing it at work. This inspired her to continue her education at MIT, where she acquired her Master’s and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering.
The road to the top is fraught with challenges. While Lisa’s academic credentials (a triple degree from a prestigious institution) spoke volumes to the depth of her technical talent, she experienced a different type of learning curve as she ascended the corporate ladder.
“I’m an engineer-turned-businessperson. When I first started in the world of business, I found myself missing a revenue goal by 50%, to be candid. I was just not used to failing like that after having excelled in the academic and technical worlds. I quickly realized that business requires intuition. One has to integrate different points of view, e.g. person X, person Y and the market. We do our best with the information we have and that is a key aspect of business that distinguishes it from the technical world.”
In the world of semiconductor technology, leaders set the company’s technical direction 3–5 years in advance. Lisa is credited with having turned AMD around. The company’s success is rooted in the mandate she sets for her team:
“Our job is to make big bets and then proceed to make that vision a reality. It’s a question of balancing risk vs. reward and executing very, very well. Because a great product is not great if it’s two years too late.”
Lisa attributes her successful leadership to her problem-solving skills and her ability to rapidly assimilate and integrate information. “I might not be the smartest person in the room, but I believe I’m good at bringing the smart people together and connecting the necessary pieces of information with the key stakeholders.” Diversity is also an integral part of AMD’s success, supporting technological innovation by removing barriers for women and ensuring they’re on the technological front lines, alongside their male counterparts.
“Men and women think about problems differently. They approach the problem-solving process differently. The fact that we are different makes us stronger. Women have not always been exposed to technology in a way that can make them intimately familiar with it. This is necessary for thinking creatively and coming up with unique solutions. AMD bridges this gap by increasing this exposure.”
When reflecting on a career of extensive breadth and depth, Lisa’s fondest memories are of those projects where her team accomplished “the best of what engineering set out to do — build technology for the future.”
“Initially, people were awed by the power of PCs and smartphones. Computers these days simply have so much more capability than before. Today’s pandemic is a perfect example. Who would have thought that on the turn of a dime, the majority of the globe would be working from home? This is a power that we are just beginning to utilize and comprehend.”
This story was written by Saranya Murthy, Wogrammer Journalism Fellow. Connect with Dr. Su and learn more at our 2020 Virtual Grace Hopper Celebration. Register today! #TogetherWeBuild
