June Technology Grit: Never Stop Learning

A Consulting Member Technical Staff at Oracle, Anitha Suraj is a software engineer with twenty-three years of experience in the industry. She completed her MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. She researched in the field of software engineering, with a thesis on extended state charts for systems modeling.

When asked about the highlights of her career, she shared, “I started my career in California Bay Area in 1997 as a Software Developer with i2 Technologies and worked on desktop applications and many web technologies. After working in the Bay Area for ten years, I moved to Bangalore in 2007 and have been working with Oracle since then. I joined Oracle as a Principal Member Technical Staff and soon got promoted to Consulting Member Technical Staff. Within Oracle, I have worked in multiple groups and have architected and developed Web applications using many technologies. My current project is building web and hybrid mobile applications using Oracle JET and related technologies. Over the course of my career, I have focused on improving and developing my technical expertise, consciously foregoing managerial roles.”

On being asked about the challenges she faced as a woman in technology, she said, “The biggest challenge was to strike a balance between my professional commitments, personal responsibilities, and pursuing my interest in music. I'm happy with the opportunity to do challenging work while also being there for my two daughters. Being a trained vocalist, I continue to learn and perform in annual events and teach. Moving to India from the US was also a big change and getting used to the work culture and life here was challenging. I had to adapt to a lot of changes. For instance, in India, an older woman in an individual contributor role is quite rare. This is a change I would like to see.”

Her advice to other women is, “Be dedicated and passionate about your work. Enjoy your work or else it will just be a drag. Dedicate time for learning since it is the only way to keep pace with the changing technologies.”

She added, “Be organized, invest in time management and set aside time for yourself every day. On any given day, I manage to practice yoga and meditation in the morning, complete office work, teach classical music, and relax with my family in the evening.”

When asked for a parting comment, she said, "The role of an individual contributor shouldn't be perceived as inferior to a managerial role. For me, it has been a lot more satisfying."