WOMEN worldwide will be celebrated today when International Women’s Day is observed and what better way to include and advocate for equality among the genders than through this year’s theme, “DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality.”

The Guyana Chronicle recently spoke with Andreasa Morris-Martin, a lecturer attached to the University of Guyana’s Faculty of Natural Sciences: Computer Science Department. She was once a student there and is now the head of department.

Morris-Martin’s journey in the world of technology began while she was still in secondary school.

“It was either in first or second form and one of my teachers, Ms. Tessa Hoyte had encouraged me and my friends to pursue Information Technology,” she recalled.

From that point on, she noted that she continued to pursue Information Technology (IT) and wrote the subject at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) level.

She stated that after this, she became even more interested in a career in technology and although she was not sure what to expect, she went on to the University of Guyana where she graduated in 2008 as the first “Best Female Graduand”.

During the interview with this publication, she emphasised that no one is excluded from having a career in technology.

“Anybody is able to study technology at university. It all depends on what the requirements are to get into the course. As long as you have those, you’re free to study in that field,” she said before advising that persons shouldn’t ever limit themselves.

“Don’t assume the cliches when choosing a career,” she said.

In Guyana, there are several companies and organisations such as STEM Guyana, Girls in Tech, the Guyanese Girls Code programme, and last but not least, the University of Guyana’s Robotics Club that help to nurture and mold minds interested in technology.

These clubs and programmes provide young people with the opportunity to pursue a career in technology, which emphasises Morris-Martin’s point that “no one is left out in technology.”