“I Can Figure This Out”: Bushra Anjum in Rendering History
The newly released book Rendering History: The Women of ACM-W by Gloria Townsend is a powerful tribute to the pioneering women who have shaped the landscape of computing through their involvement with ACM-W, the Association for Computing Machinery’s Committee on Women in Computing. As ACM-W celebrates its 30th anniversary, this book reflects on its rich history, divided into three sections: the evolution of ACM-W’s projects, personal stories from the women who have driven these initiatives, and an annotated bibliography that gives context to their efforts through relevant literature.
In this article, we shine the spotlight on Bushra Anjum’s chapter, titled “I Can Figure This Out….” through a written interview with the author of this chapter herself1! This chapter is a standout piece in the book’s second section, where she shares her inspiring journey. As the new co-chair of ACM-W, Bushra reflects on her career, highlighting the challenges she faced and the determination that fueled her path to success. Her story, like those of the other contributors, offers valuable insights into the perseverance and innovation that women have brought to the field of computing, making her chapter a vital part of this collective history.
TLDR: Find a system that suits your individual needs and lifestyle, and make conscious choices in managing your time and energy.
1. Your father played a significant role in your life and career. Can you share a specific piece of advice from him that has guided you through difficult times?
My father was truly ahead of his time. As I grow older, I find myself appreciating his perspective more deeply and feeling more grateful for the strong stand he took for me and my sisters.
Both my father and mother were the first in their families to graduate with master’s degrees, and they were determined that their daughters would not have limited options for education or advancing their careers. This stance upset many of our relatives, as it challenged their traditional beliefs about the roles of women within the family. As a result, my parents lost many friendships and relationships, including some as close as siblings.
I believe that women should have the freedom to make their own choices. No individual or group should have the authority to dictate what is best for them, and this is what I learned from my father.
My father believed, and thus guided us accordingly, that it is crucial for women to receive an education so that they can recognize and challenge those who try to control them using veiled interpretations of religion, outdated societal norms, or emotional manipulation in the name of family values. Education empowers women to discern such deceptive tactics and equips them with the knowledge and confidence to make informed decisions about their own lives and help guide those around them.
2. What motivated you to leave the familiarity of LUMS and pursue a Ph.D. at North Carolina State University?
I firmly believe that LUMS is on par with any international institution. At the same time, I strongly believe that exposure is an essential part of one’s educational journey that goes beyond the boundaries of any institution. That was my motivation to travel abroad.
Traveling exposes you to different ways of life, beliefs, and values. It helps you understand that your own perspective is just one among many. You learn to analyze information critically, question assumptions, and form informed opinions. You also learn to appreciate cultural diversity, which fosters open-mindedness and tolerance.
Exposure also brings challenges. Traveling challenges us to step outside of our comfort zones, adapt to new situations, and, above all, solve problems independently. If you want to build confidence, resilience, and a sense of adventure in life, I sincerely suggest traveling as far and as wide as you can!
3. Your work with ACM-W includes expanding scholarship opportunities and launching new initiatives. What are you most proud of in your contributions to ACM-W, and why?
I am extremely proud of the online webinar series “Celebrating Technology Leaders,” which I envisioned and launched with the help of the ACM-W executive committee. The series highlights the stories of successful technical women and non-binary individuals who have successfully architected their careers in the technology industry. These hour-long conversations cover diverse career paths within technology, providing inspiration and motivation to our attendees. In the past, we have covered topics such as generative AI, quantum computing, DevOps, and more. The conversations also encourage young professionals to persevere and aim high and provide opportunities to build connections with established leaders, opening doors for mentorship and collaboration.
We have received encouraging feedback from our attendees, who have found these sessions helpful in providing relevant knowledge, role models, and a supportive community. These elements are essential for a successful tech career.
And remember, don’t take yourself too seriously. Learn to laugh at yourself, your mistakes, and the challenges life throws your way. There will be times when things get tough, and that’s okay. It’s part of the journey. Embrace the ups and downs, and remember that a little laughter can go a long way in making the ride a lot more enjoyable.
4. How do you see the role of women in computing evolving in the next decade, and what steps do you believe are crucial to support this evolution?
I am quite positive that the next decade holds promise for increased representation, growing leadership opportunities, and expanding career possibilities for women in computing. There has been significant work done in this domain in the last decade, both at the individual and institutional level. Education, industry, and government sectors have come together to reverse the trend of decreasing numbers of women in computing, which was identified in the late 2000s. Now that we are in the 2020s, we are starting to see the fruits of some of these efforts.
Still, there is much work to be done. ACM-W’s mission states the goal succinctly and beautifully: support, celebrate, and advocate for women in all aspects of the computing field.
In my opinion, we need to double down on our efforts to encourage girls and young women to pursue STEM fields. It’s crucial to provide equal opportunities and foster an interest in technology from an early age. Similarly, for early professionals, a supportive network and advocates are essential for a fulfilling career. We should also focus on supporting and enabling women to launch their own tech startups, creating innovative solutions, and disrupting more than just gender stereotypes. Finally, I believe the conversation needs to expand beyond gender alone to address intersectionality, i.e., how gender intersects with race, ethnicity, disability, and other factors.
Groups like ACM-W have been key in this progress. The Computing Research Association ( CRA) and the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) have also made significant contributions. I consider myself fortunate to be a part of this amazing group of ACM-W leadership team, making a global impact.
5. How do you prioritize your various roles and responsibilities, including your professional work, volunteer activities, and personal life?
I have learned over the years that prioritization is a personal process. What works for one person might not work for another. I will share one rule though, that in my humble opinion everyone should follow: “You, your own self, should not be the last priority”. Taking care of yourself, maintaining healthy boundaries and, at times, prioritizing your needs is not selfish. You are responsible for a living breathing entity—your own self— so, please don’t be unfair to it.
I would like to share a few pointers that have helped me. It is important to identify and list your responsibilities, be they professional, volunteer, or personal. Categorizing them by importance and urgency (use the Eisenhower Matrix) helps create a mental model that can navigate you on your day-to-day. It also helps to establish your goals for each area as either short-term or long-term. This helps to focus your energy and efforts. However, energy and time are finite resources, and it’s important to recognize your limits. Learning to say “no” with politeness, gratitude, and grace is a valuable skill. Here are some great tips on this topic from one of my favorite leadership coaches, Jo Miller.
TLDR: Find a system that suits your individual needs and lifestyle, and make conscious choices in managing your time and energy.
6. Mental health awareness in the tech industry is growing. How do you think companies can better support mental health, and what initiatives have you been involved in that address this issue?
My first real understanding of looking after my own mental health happened when my mother passed away in Pakistan due to advanced-stage breast cancer. After her funeral, when I came back to the USA to continue with my studies, I was just not in my right mind. I will forever be grateful to my Ph.D. advisor, Dr. Harry Perros, who pushed me to go to the university health center for counseling. Working through loss and grief is hard, very hard.
From that experience, my understanding of mental health in general and issues surrounding loss, grief, and isolation grew. Throughout my professional career, I have been proactive in advocating for mental health awareness and supportive policies within my department or organization, even if it is not part of myofficial job responsibilities.
A couple of items I have advocated for and enforced in my team include encouraging time off and disconnecting after work. If team members have not taken a day off in a while, I encourage them to do so. Taking a break to decompress is a perfectly valid reason to take the day off. Similarly, I discourage working after hours or being available via email/text unless there is a true emergency or the person is on call.
7. Looking ahead, what are your next major goals, both in your professional career at NoRedInk and in your volunteer work?
I am the head of data at NoRedInk and am deeply involved in their AI engineering efforts, especially those surrounding LLMs. NoRedInk is a writing platform whose mission is to help students of all ages improve their English language skills. The product is in use in K-12 schools in various districts across the USA in ELA (English Language Arts) classes. My team’s focus is to develop new AI-powered tools to help students improve their writing skills, e.g., grammar and mechanics checker, grading assistant, and adaptive writing. My challenge is to stay updated with industry trends and advancements in AI, especially the LLM domain, ensuring that I can bring fresh ideas and solutions to the team.
For my role in ACM-W, my goal is to expand ACM-W’s presence and activities in emerging regions of Asia Pacific, Africa, and South America. This will require conscious effort and coordinated planning by the entire executive team. Additionally, securing funding to fuel expansion activities is crucial. I am looking forward to tackling these challenges and making progress with the help and guidance of my amazing ACM-W global leadership team.
8. For young professionals who admire your journey, what is the most important piece of advice you would offer them to navigate their own careers successfully?
I am deeply grateful to anyone who admires my journey. Thank you for your kindness, positive energy and goodwill.
In my opinion, for a successful career today, it is extremely important to embrace continuous learning and adaptability. The professional environment is constantly shifting, with new technologies, methodologies, and industry trends emerging at an unprecedented pace. Individuals who proactively seek out learning opportunities, whether through formal education, workshops, or self-directed study, are better positioned to stay competitive and relevant. Moreover, adapting to change, embracing new challenges, and pivoting when necessary are essential for navigating the inevitable twists and turns of a career. If you are looking for reputable resources to stay current, consider ACM Tech News and ACM Ubiquity.
And remember, don’t take yourself too seriously. Learn to laugh at yourself, your mistakes, and the challenges life throws your way. There will be times when things get tough, and that’s okay. It’s part of the journey. Embrace the ups and downs, and remember that a little laughter can go a long way in making the ride a lot more enjoyable.
Stay tuned for more such stories and feature articles from the book!
- Note from Bushra: GPT4o-mini has been used to check the responses for grammar and readability, and resultantly some copy edits have been made for better flow. ↩︎