I chose digital! Loubna Rizqi, future computer engineer
Femmes du Numérique:To begin with, what is your definition of “digital”?
Loubna Rizqi :For me, digital is the future. Not just because everything is being digitized these days, but because digital technology provides real solutions to the challenges of the future. Thanks to digital technology, a huge number of things have been and will be simplified, improved and even made available to those who didn’t have access to them before.
FDN:Women, an opportunity for digital. Digital, an opportunity for women. What do you think about it? Why did you choose this sector?
LR :Indeed, I believe that the evolution of the status of women can be greatly influenced by the rise of digital technology, and vice versa. Such a fertile and rapidly expanding sector is an opportunity for women to establish themselves as players in the development of what will soon be, if it isn’t already, an integral part of our daily lives. Digital technology is the vector of progress in general. It is no less the vector of equality.
I chose digital because I was lucky enough to grow up at the same time as the birth and expansion of this sector. As a result, I had a very “connected” adolescence, which opened me up to the world at an age when my vision and knowledge were just beginning to take shape. Among other things, this enabled me to learn graphic design and photography. So I’m convinced that digital technology is synonymous with enrichment and progress.
FDN:Did you encounter any difficulties in choosing your career path, or on the contrary, did you receive support? How did your teachers, guidance counselors, family, friends and parents view your choice?
LR:I’ve been lucky enough to have a family that has always supported me in my choices of direction, whether it was when I decided to take a scientific baccalaureate with a specialization in maths, when I decided to enter a prépa MP (mathematics and physics) or, more recently, when I decided to study computer science and applied mathematics. I think I’m lucky, because not everyone is, especially girls, who aren’t encouraged enough to study science even though they’re capable of doing so. This probably explains the low percentage of girls in engineering schools, unfortunately…
FDN:During your studies and internships, how did you feel about working in a predominantly male environment? Did you feel you were treated differently from male students and trainees?
LR:I’ve had the opportunity to study computer science in France and Switzerland, and the observation is the same: the percentage of girls in computer science departments is very low. However, with a few exceptions where as a girl I sometimes feel that I have more to prove than my male peers, I don’t really feel that I’m treated any differently. Rather, I feel that we are treated as students with the same needs and challenges.
During my internships, I’ve also noticed a smaller number of women working in my field, but again, the differences are barely noticeable, and teamwork quickly takes over these considerations.
FDN:Tell us about your career plans. How do you see your career?
LR:Right now, I’m planning to finish my semester at EPFL and start my third year of engineering school, specializing in multimedia. After graduation, ideally, I’d like to work in computer graphics. It’s a field that has always interested me because its applications are infinite and because it represents a very good combination of computer science, mathematics and graphics, three of the subjects I’m most passionate about.
FDN:You’re part of generation Y. How do you view gender equality issues?
LR:I don’t think this is a question that should be asked in this day and age, and it’s sad to see that it’s unfortunately still relevant. We live in a world where skills come first and gender issues have no place. It’s high time we stopped making the distinction and focused on more important things.
FDN:What advice would you give to a high school student hesitating to enroll in a digital curriculum?
LR:I’d advise her to find out about all the possibilities and constraints before taking the plunge. Studying in the digital sector is an opportunity to enter a world where much remains to be done, and to improve the daily lives of millions of users, but it’s also a lot of work if you want to master your subject. To succeed in this project, you need a good education and, above all, a love of computers and a willingness to devote a good part of your time to it. If these conditions are met, I’d advise him to go for it!
Biography
My name is Loubna Rizqi, I’m 21 and I was born in Rabat, Morocco. After a preparatory maths-sup maths-spé course, I entered the ENSEEIHT engineering school in Toulouse, in the Computer Science and Applied Mathematics stream.
Currently in my second year, I’ve chosen to specialize in visual computing. This choice is the result of my great interest in design in particular and images in general. I’m currently on exchange at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland, where I’ll be spending 6 months before returning to France.
This experience has enabled me to discover a lot of new things, both about IT – because the training is very good – and about the world in general.