“Woman, Swede, man, Italian, that’s not the point. It’s about how you are as a person.”

Today is the International Day of Women and Girls in Science: a crucial topic for a futureproof, innovative and inclusive society. But what does it mean to be a woman in science? And how do you start your journey? Mayazzurra Ruggiano, radar architect at Thales NL, is happy to share her story.

Radar architect – not a very common job! Can you tell us a little bit about your background?

“I’ve always been fascinated by science and nature. I enjoyed observing natural phenomena and working on mathematics and physics problems at a young age. My interests were very broad. What I really wanted when I was young was to learn and understand how things work. How the world works. How you create solutions – even better, simple solutions – to complex problems. That was what drove me to engineering: learning a method to understand and solve complex problems. Because it wasn’t obvious.”

How so?

“Well, Newton could see the apple fall – that gives you something to go on. But electromagnetism is somewhat less intuitive, at times invisible. I felt like that was a domain I wanted to explore even further, as part of my toolkit to understand the world around me. My interests and experiences brought me from telecommunications to satellite payload to radar. And in radar research and development I chose to stay! It’s such a broad and fascinating topic, and the advances in technology just call for smart solutions to be created! Radars have broad applications, from the large radars for defence purposes to miniature ones for searching for water and life on Mars. Something as common as your car also uses radar technology in order to help you park or avoid objects. Radars have become such a logical part of life that hardly anyone stops to think about the complex systems behind them. And yet, they have a big impact on our life.”

How did you end up at Thales?

“I studied telecommunication engineering at University of Florence, Italy. Over the duration of my studies I got more and more interested in understanding the theory and experimental side of engineering, as the approach and methodology in engineering varies over different countries. I took advantage of the Erasmus exchange program and spent a year at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. Later, my Master’s thesis internship brought me to ESTEC (European Space Research and Technology Center) in Noordwijk. These experiences taught me a lot about telecommunications and signal processing in Europe, working with different cultures, but mostly within an academia and international institutes.

I was fascinated by how research was applied in industry, where it is about creating solutions which work in practice while fulfilling tight constraints, also beyond the technical ones. So, I applied for a Marie Curie Research Fellowship in the topic of signal processing for radar and telecommunications, and this is how I first came to Thales NL. This also resulted in my PhD work in cooperation with the Delft University of Technology.”

Why Thales?

“One of the things I immediately liked about Thales NL was that you have the entire chain all in one place with experts in all domains: from research to design, from manufacturing to testing of sensors, everything in-house. A really enriching aspect! I’ve always been interested in the interrelation between things, and Thales’ experts helped me see the impact of all those steps on each other. A more technical diverse team is better at finding solutions that are both innovative and practical.

From that time onward I stayed at Thales NL, in various roles. I started as a functional analysis radar engineer, system engineer, then became an operational analyst, and for some years now radar architect. Being a radar architect reflects my character and interests very well: capturing the bigger picture, based on the understanding of the underlying complexity, while identifying the needs of the customers as drivers. Whatever the challenge, I’m always looking to bring more added value for the customer through innovation and creative solutions.”

As a woman in science, have you encountered any problems along the way? Or any pushback based on gender?

“Personally, I didn’t experience difficulties, but I also didn’t approach it as such. No matter the gender, the country of origin or the religion: I don’t treat anyone any differently. That is key. If with some people you click immediately and with others you do not, so be it. I’ve always tried to approach things in a very open way. Woman, Swede, man, Italian, that’s not the point. It’s about how you are as a person.”

Is there anything you would like to say to all the girls looking to become scientists? Or to women interested in a career such as yours?

“Go for it! No really, please, just go for it! Only you are in charge of who you are, who you will be, and where you will end up. But you have to invest in that future, and pursuing a solid technical knowledge is a good starting point. I also learned a lot on the job and still do – that’s what I love about it, and have always tried to expand my knowledge and to actively contribute to our field - including the organization of radar conferences.

Don’t stop when things get difficult. To be recognized for your work, to be able to participate in important discussions and decisions, that gives immense satisfaction. It does take time to get where you want to end up, but it’s really worth it. Several skills are required in a team, from in-depth understanding of a topic to broad overarching knowledge, from leadership skills to understanding customer needs; there are many places to go and opportunities to find. Looking back, I am really happy with the choices I made. And I would do it all again!”

At Thales, we try our best to pave the way for everyone looking to pursue a career in science and tech. With operations in 68 countries, we are inherently multicultural. Diversity is a source of strength! Want to know more about our gender diversity approach? About working at Thales? Looking for a research project for your students, or maybe a field trip to a high-tech company? Our doors are always open for those with inquisitive minds: e-mail us at sigrid.reumer@nl.thalesgroup.com!