Episode 26 | Pratima Rao Gluckman Interview

"Women are over-mentored and under-sponsored...Women tend to get a lot of mentors who are not sponsors, and men tend to get a mentors who are sponsors.” "Just imagine a world where you’re only successful. That would be so boring!” "I’m always being told that I’m aggressive — and I say No, I’m assertive.” - Pratima Rao Gluckman, Senior Engineering Manager at Rivian, and author of the popular book “Nevertheless, She Persisted: True Stories of Women Leaders in Tech”

Her family wanted her to become a cricketer. Instead, she became a Computer Scientist and a popular book author. Her Bachelors's and first Master's were non-CS (Instrumentation Engineering and Chemistry). Then she became a Computer Scientist. And worked for 23+ years in 10+ companies including VMWare, LinkedIn, and now Rivian.

While many think of IITs as producing India's best students, there are many other universities where equal excellent students study. And some of these individuals have unusual stories, and paths, into Computer Science. With a rich family history of sports (elder sister captained India's national women's cricket team), and no guidance on how to go to the IITs, listen to the story of how Pratima Rao Gluckman found her way into Computing. And into writing a popular book where she interviewed 25+ women technologists.

This episode is the third of 3 episodes focused on India.

Additional resources we think you'll enjoy:

•  Episode 26 guide
•  Immigrant Computer Scientists Podcast home
•  Resources on CS/STEM-related education and immigration

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