Meet Aju Ahuja
Aju Ahuja graduated with a Bachelors of Technology degree in Computer Science from Indraprastha University - New Delhi India in 2007. She currently works as an Application Development Manager at Accenture Canada. In her free time, Aju enjoys practicing yoga, going for runs and hikes. She has a passion for dancing as well and its something that comes naturally to her and helps her relax. She has been the official choreographer for many family and office events. She is a certified personal trainer as well and a big advocate of leading a fit healthy balanced life. She has trained and helped close friends and colleagues in their fitness journey.
When did your love of STEM begin?
Looking back at my journey, though I was unaware of it in the beginning, my path into STEM way laid out as early as in elementary school, thanks to my parents and the amazing teachers I was surrounded with. I was made aware of the importance of academics and the hard work and perseverance it took to excel in any field of your choice. Though I was a natural at Math and Science subjects, I put in my side of the work required and my teachers and parents played their role in encouraging me to learn new concepts. The fact that I could go beyond the theory of things into actually applying them in every day life, really kept my interest alive. The fascination for technology only kept growing through University and the real realization of my love of Technology came in couple of years into working my first job as an application developer. I started getting a kick from applying my learnings into developing solutions and eventually see them come to life. I have also had the opportunity to work in different industries - Retail, Lifesciences and Telecom which only makes me appreciate Technology and its diverse applications even more.
What is the best part about working in the field of STEM?
I love learning new things - the technology space is very dynamic and there always something new and exciting in the market to learn about. Another fascinating thing about working in Technology is I get to see everyday things and connect and relate those to the technology behind it. Working in the field of STEM, I am always surrounded by amazing people with inspiring stories and career paths and there is always so much to learn from each of their stories.
What advice would you give young women interested in a career in STEM?
Sincerity goes a long way, once you put your mind and heart to it nothing can stop you from achieving what you desire. Its never too late to start something new, you might not be great at it in the beginning but you can build upon your skills and bridge that gap with your hard work and patience. Identify your interests and strengths and build upon that. Always surround yourself with mentors and teachers who can help motivate and guide you in the right direction.