photographer: dewi van ‘t hoog © | make-up artist: nicky ruisch from art of colors
surf
at surf, together with our members, we drive digital innovation in education and research. we are conscious of our responsibility to further enhance inclusivity for women in tech. we value diversity in our teams and are actively looking for different voices, embracing differences in experiences, backgrounds, and ways of thinking. we are thrilled to present our surf role models to inspire other women and future generations to join the tech community.
maithili kalamkar-stam
technical consultant at surf
about
i came to netherlands for a doctorate degree in astronomy and now 15 years down the line, i live in amsterdam and work at surf as a technical consultant. surf offers it services to the dutch education and research institutions which makes it an exciting place to work at. having been a researcher myself, i know the challenges the researchers face when it comes to their data and its management, which is the focus of my daily work. however, my day is never the same! my tasks range from design-development-testing of new technologies, project management, developing training material and delivering trainings, to working with researchers from different research domains to deliver solutions. offering it expertise to researchers doing really cool and cutting edge research is the most exciting part of the job. every problem we try to solve is unique and complex in its own ways, but knowing that there will be a solution and that i can learn a lot in the process keeps my work exciting.
why do you think it is important that role models need to be visible?
at a subconscious level somewhere we all develop biases. but seeing success stories that challenge these biases can really help open our minds and can make us pursue what we thought was not possible for us. role models show ‘hey, i did it and it is possible!’. it can help you believe in yourself, or want something that you may have not even considered for yourself. my journey taught me that no one is born ready, we all have to learn and we all have our share of successes and failures. so don’t let others decide if you can succeed or not, even before you begin. rather write your own definition of success, write your own journey and do what you find joy in!
surf
at surf, together with our members, we drive digital innovation in education and research. we are conscious of our responsibility to further enhance inclusivity for women in tech. we value diversity in our teams and are actively looking for different voices, embracing differences in experiences, backgrounds, and ways of thinking. we are thrilled to present our surf role models to inspire other women and future generations to join the tech community.