Overview:
- Celebrating UNESCO’s International Day of Women and Girls in Science.
- Advice from two of our service directors on succeeding in STEM careers.
- Learn what approaches and influences helped them and hear their stories.
Interview #1: Rachita Bhatia, Director, Services, Cohesive Americas.
Q:What does your role involve?
A: Whatever it takes to deliver successful projects for our clients. Some days I’ll be deep in project management – resourcing, resolving issues and addressing risks. Some days, I’ll be focused on my team, ensuring they are set up for success and helping them develop their skills.
When a project needs extra hands, I help wherever I can be of most use – as a project manager, solution architect or technical consultant.
Q: What took you down a STEM path?
A: I’m a computer engineer but I didn’t start out knowing exactly which direction I wanted to take.
My university offered a broad first year of engineering, which let me test the waters and explore different disciplines before choosing a major. During that time, I naturally gravitated toward software.
While I enjoyed working with programming languages and tackling technical challenges, I also enjoyed seeing how all the pieces of a project fit together.
Consulting gave me the perfect blend: software work, collaboration with people, exposure to different industries, and the ability to see a project from kickoff to go‑live.
That mix of technology and human interaction is what pulled me into this career path and I’ve never looked back.
Q: Have any mentors helped you along the way?
A: Absolutely. I’ve had so many that it’s hard to list them all.
My parents have been a huge source of inspiration. I grew up watching them build their careers and seeing how they dealt with hurdles. Having a front row seat to that shaped me more than I realized at the time.
My partner has also been a constant source of support.
And then there’s the author, Brené Brown. Her ideas about authenticity and leadership have genuinely changed how I approach both my work and my life. She’s definitely on my list of sheroes.
Q: What impact does your work have?
A: That’s a question I often think about. For me, it comes down to making people’s lives a little easier. By focusing on delivering high quality solutions and supporting my team to do the same, we help clients use Maximo in ways that simplify their daily operations.
If the systems we build remove friction, streamline tasks, and help end users work more confidently, then that feels like meaningful impact.
Q: Is there a particular science issue that interests you?
A: The issue that most interests me right now is the ethics of artificial intelligence. With AI becoming embedded in almost everything we do, where do we draw the line?
I’m fascinated by how we balance innovation with responsibility and how we take advantage of this technology without sacrificing our values and proper governance. That tension between what AI can do and what humans should do is something I think about often.
Q: What conditions or practices have enabled the success of women like yourself and the women in your team?
A: There is simply no substitute for hard work. Throughout my career I have invested a lot of time in the things I cared about and wanted to succeed in. Over time, people around you see that dedication. They genuinely want to support your growth and give you opportunities that you deserve. And that’s really what happened for me.
Q: Any tips for women starting out in STEM careers?
A: Stay curious, challenge yourselves to take the initiative and say yes to doing things that might seem daunting at first (and with a little bit of what I call ‘healthy delusion’ when you need it).
Identify what you want versus what your coworkers or your parents or what society might want from you.
And don’t approach your work or your work relationships with presumptions, but just with the idea that you want to do your best work.
Finally, be there when you can to support other women and men – pay it forward when you’re in the position to do so.
Interview #2: Mrun Gadre, Director, Services.
Q: What does your role involve?
A: My work revolves around three key ‘buckets’- people management, business development and project support.
I’m usually involved at the very beginning of a project, helping to define the solution direction before handing over delivery to the team. From there, I stay connected as a supervisor throughout the lifecycle of the project.
All of my work is centered around IBM Maximo, particularly within utilities and in oil and gas.
Q: What took you down a STEM path?
A: I studied engineering and completed my Masters in India.
At that time – 2010 – the software industry was booming and it was where everybody with my kind of qualifications got hired.
While still in India, I secured a consultant role at Infosys and was introduced to IBM Maximo. I worked on several complex implementation projects, including one for a multi-million-dollar oil and gas organization.
Later, I followed my boyfriend (now husband) to the US and eventually found my way to what is now Cohesive. I’ve been in the Maximo world ever since.
Q: What barriers / challenges have you encountered around being a woman in the STEM world?
A: Cohesive in Canada has four women directors – something I am very proud of.
Early in my career, things were very different. Growing up in India, where hierarchy shapes almost every interaction, I carried a naturally deferential style into my first American job. Suddenly I was trying to walk a fine line between sounding confident without sounding rude.
Even when I had strong ideas, I’d ask my boss to share them on my behalf instead of speaking up myself. Within a year, I realized I was handing over ideas to other people, and they were getting the credit for them.
One moment stands out for me. During a consulting assignment in a more traditional state, I noticed that when I spoke up in design meetings, my comments often landed with silence. Minutes later, someone else would repeat the same point and it would be celebrated as a brilliant insight. I’d sit there thinking, ‘Wait… I literally just said that?!’
I knew I had to take some steps to enable me to own the room.
Q: Any heroes or sheroes who have mentored you along the way?
A: Yes, two people made a lasting impact on my career.
First, Lance Morris, a partner at my first organization. He identified early on that I had a natural ability for solution design and for seeing the big picture on complex projects. He encouraged me and played a big role in helping me overcome my confidence issues.
And then, Tom Ellis whom I met at Cohesive, He is one of the best project managers I’ve ever met. I found myself adopting his methods. His influence still impacts how I run projects today.
Q: What impact does your work have?
A:My work is interlinked with the impact of Maximo. Maximo sits behind some of the most critical infrastructure in the world. A large share of electric and gas utilities run on it. NASA uses it. Disney and ESPN rely on it, and several nuclear plants depend on it.
So when I help design or guide a Maximo solution, I’m contributing to systems that keep the lights on and help ensure the safety and reliability of essential national assets.
Q: Is there a particular science issue that interests you?
A: I’m especially passionate about addressing plastic pollution. I see it as an existential problem for our planet. As a parent, I feel an even stronger responsibility to care about the future of this world. I’m constantly looking for ways to reduce my own consumption and make more sustainable choices.
Q: Any advice for young women making their way in STEM careers today?
A: Get comfortable advocating for yourself. I’ve seen many women undersell their achievements or downplay the value they bring to a project. Don’t do that. Owning your contribution isn’t entitlement. Take credit for what you’ve delivered and trust the strengths that have got you here.