"Changing the status quo on technology and leadership stereotypes, and building awareness of the unconscious bias towards women in technology", SRUK promotes Women in Technology

Yue Wang, a researcher at Samsung R&D Institute UK (SRUK), has received the ‘Chinese Women of the Year – Technology Category’ Award from UK Chinese Women Connected (UKCWC) Association. The award is an important recognition of her achievements in technology, leadership, and her commitment to making positive change in the industry.

Speaking at the award ceremony, Professor Christopher Lowe of the University of Cambridge highlighted the need for more women in tech, particularly in physical sciences and engineering, and referred to the "Glass Ceiling" that still exists in the UK. The telco industry, in particular, is one of the sectors where women and ethnic minorities are underrepresented. A recent survey found that fewer than 30% of technical roles in 70% of telco organizations are held by women, with even fewer women in technical leadership and executive positions.

SRUK has taken steps to build an environment where everyone feels a sense of belonging. Through activities such as diversity month, SRUK is building awareness of unconscious bias at workplace, and encouraged people to celebrate and understand others from different culture background. These efforts include activities like diversity month, which have created an inclusive environment where all employees feel a sense of belonging. Yue Wang, who believes in the importance of building a culture of inclusivity in the workplace, remarks, "I am fortunate to work in a company and organization with a culture where people from different backgrounds can feel included and fully demonstrate their competencies."

In addition, programs such as women mentorship have been especially beneficial in helping boost the confidence of female employees at the workplace. Yue explains, "I have received tremendous support from my mentors, coaches, managers, and colleagues throughout my career. Now, I feel privileged to be in a position where I am able to 'give back', to mentor other women in the team, and to inspire next generation girls who would like to pursue their tech career in the future." “I am passionate about changing the status quo on technology and leadership stereotypes, and helping build awareness of the unconscious bias towards women and women leadership in technology”, she added.

Yue leads the 6G Research team at SRUK, working on fundamental research challenges in the next generation networks. Since the team has been set up, they have been working on a number of exciting 6G Research topics, generating ideas, securing patents, and developing technologies that drive impacts to standards and the broader industry. The team is working closely with HQ and other colleagues in the wider Samsung, to put the 6G puzzles together.

Yue has a passion for technology as well as people - "I genuinely believe that the center of technology is people," Yue said. She is committed to building the right culture in her team for everyone to thrive, identifying potential areas of growth and opportunity, and inspiring others through her passion for innovation.

The UKCWC is an award-winning charity established in April 2020. This is the first year that UKCWC has initiated awards for excellence in various sectors. The awards reflect the impact that Chinese women have had in their fields of endeavor within the UK.