SuperWomen in Flash highlights women’s leading role in new IT patents

SuperWomen in Flash is the Flash Memory Summit (FMS) programme that celebrates the success of women in the memory industry, and which encourages more young women to join this dynamic field.

NCWIT, in partnership with 1790 Analytics, publishes periodic reports on gendered patterns in IT patenting, analysing records from the US Patent and Trademark Office. Below are a few highlights from NCWIT’s 2022 Patent Report:

• In the last five years, approximately 10% of US IT patents included women as inventors.
• In the US, IT patenting overall increased almost 17-fold between 1980–84 and 2016–2020.
• Patents with woman inventors increased 56-fold from 1980–84 to 2017–2020, even as the percentage of women employed in IT either remained flat or decreased slightly.

In addition:

• In 2022, 27% of professional computing occupations in the US workforce were held by women.
• In 2022, 23% of total tech C-suite positions in Fortune 500 companies were held by women.

Starting in 2018, FMS has presented a SuperWomen in Flash Leadership Award to showcase the achievements of women in the traditionally male-dominated memory industry. Past recipients of the FMS SuperWomen in Flash Leadership Award include:

• Amber Huffman, Former Intel Fellow and Board Chair of the NVMe Working Group
• Calline Sanchez, IBM Vice President WW Systems Services & Technical Universities
• Barbara Nelson, WekaIO, VP Cloud

“The data infrastructure memory industry, and tech overall, is a highly dynamic space, one where creativity, attention to detail, and an innovative approach can make a significant difference to the development and adoption of new technologies,” said Camberley Bates, VP and Practice Lead, The Futurum Group, and Founder of the SuperWomen in Flash Leadership programme. “It’s an ideal space for women to build rewarding and successful careers, and through SuperWomen in Flash we aim to attract more women to the memory industry.”

SuperWomen in Flash host the Special Peer Exchange Event

The SuperWomen in Flash offers an excellent opportunity to network with key industry players, and to see exciting new products on display in the FMS exhibit hall. This year’s event will include a rapid Peer Exchange – covering everything from flash technologies to career advice from women who already play leading roles in this industry. Kicking off the session will be speakers from the two sponsors, Kioxia and Micron, who will share their perspectives on women in the industry, and how to drive more top talent to address the pressing needs of our data-driven economy.

During the Peer Exchange, attendees will meet highly talented women and men, and gain exciting insight to help build their business and career further. Participants will be paired up for quick, ten-minute discussions on important topics, and will then rotate to meet with the next group to continue networking and gathering more knowledge.

The event will be held on 9 August 2023, 4:00 – 6:15 pm at the Hyatt Regency next to the Santa Clara Convention Centre. Come early to enjoy a happy hour and networking. The event is complimentary and open to all (and we encourage ALL genders to join). Registration not required but appreciated.