Inspiring change : Inside Dr. Batamuliza’s journey in empowering women in STEM

Dr. Jennifer Batamuliza is an inspiring figure to aspiring young women who want to pursue STEM

Dr. Jennifer Batamuliza, a staff member at the University of Rwanda, is one of the leading figures in technology and education, with a passion for empowering young women in STEM. She heads the Data-Driven Incubation Hub at the African Centre of Excellence in Data Science and plays key roles in major projects like Afretec, the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, and the Green STEM initiative. With research interests in AI, Big Data, and Cybersecurity, she is helping shape Rwanda’s digital future. We spoke to her, and she takes us through her professional journey so far.

As a female academic in a male-dominated tech field, what inspired your journey into software engineering and research ?

My journey was inspired by few women i met before i started my journey who were pursuing Tech studies and Tech careers. I became passionate about Tech generally as i wanted to be a problem solver in real challenges the society was facing, i wanted to create impact and i wanted to be successful in that male dominated area so that i can inspire more women to join the field through mentorship.

Although my vision wasn’t clear at the time, i kept telling everyone that i was going to do engineering at the university. Against all odds, I decided to do technology and worked so hard so that i can be a role model to many young girls in the future. My hard work and belief in my ability to do anything a man could do paid off ! I succeeded throughout my journey.
While joining the university, I chose to study computer engineering and information technology and later I did a master’s in Computer science and technology in area of Software Engineering and after I did a PhD in Data Science Specializing in Data Mining. I succeeded, still owing that to my hard work and passion for what I was studying. I am now a researcher in Tech and i conduct scientific research that converts to innovations which impacts the society.

You’re actively involved in mentoring young women in tech ; what drives your passion for gender inclusion, and can you share a success story that particularly moved you ?

My journey in the tech field has not only been about my personal success but also about empowering girls in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). I believe that everyone, regardless of gender, deserves equal opportunities to pursue their dreams and passions. While teaching at different universities, including University of Rwanda and being a Head of Software Engineering Department at Adventist University of Central Africa (AUCA), I realised that there were very few girls, especially in software engineering and IT departments in general, and i began to explore the reasons behind the issue. I interviewed girls and women who were interested in science and technology and discovered that many lacked confidence, as they believed it was not a field for them due to cultural norms, stereotypes and myths surrounding girls’ education.To address this issue, i started mentoring and inspiring them, getting them in touch with role models from the Rwanda Association of Women in Science and Engineering (RAWISE) who could share their experiences, challenges and how they overcame challenges.
The aim was to close the gender gap in STEM, thus visiting schools to train both students and teachers.
I went further and started an initiative called Rwa Tech Hub, this initiative provides hands-on training and skills to girls and women, especially in technology. These trainings have helped many girls gain confidence in themselves and realise their potential in the tech field. I love this quote that says “If you can dream it, then you can achieve it. You will get all you want in life if you help enough other people get what they want” Zig Ziglar as it resonates with all I do !

Through my initiatives I have trained numerous girls in different schools in Kigali and upcountry. This led to me winning the Science Leadership Award by the National Council for Science and Technology, Gender Inclusion Champion Award by Afretec and many other awards hence further expanding my impact in empowering girls and women in the tech industry. In addition to my work with RAWISE, I have collaborated with other organisations such as AIMS and Edify Rwanda to train girls in schools with hands-on skills. I have done consultancy for UN WOMEN in their ‘African Girls Can Code Initiative’ programme. Moreover, I have been the local engagement coordinator for a programme called Tech Girls by the US Department of State, which mentors girls aged between 15 and 17 in tech.

In what ways are your research projects helping to address local or regional challenges, and how do you ensure your work remains impactful ?

I am working on different research projects and i have won different grants which have created impact in the community. I am a Principal Investigator and Coordinator for Green STEM project at the University of Rwanda which promotes sustainability and green technology education which has a goal of training 2 PhD and 4 Masters International Students at the University of Rwanda. GREEN-STEM overarching objective is to contribute to a green, resilient and sustainable development of Africa and its countries by implementing intra-Africa academic mobility opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, necessary to share good practices and to build capacities in Higher Education, Research and Innovation. New capacities and practices will empower up to 90 young talents, students and staff, to imagine and implement solutions to tackle societal and environmental challenges, consequent to the Climate Change, with an entrepreneurial and innovative approach. GREEN-STEM promotes inclusivity, with an ambitious policy on women and vulnerable people participation, fairness and transparency in its activities.
I am a data scientist in a research project "Tapping into Emerging Technologies for optimizing the integration of cooperatives into competitive value chains for strengthening horizontal and vertical growth pathways and building resilience of food systems in Rwanda project.
I was awarded the Women Science Leadership Award 2022 by the National Council for Science and Technology(NCST) for promoting girls and women in Science and Technology. The money from this award was used to train 30 girls in computer networking skills and 40 girls in web programming. I have won various international grants such as the Leveraging Innovations in New Communities(LINC) Grant that was used to train more than 85 girls and women online about Machine learning and Power BI. Another example is the Mandela Day Service Grant that was used to train 30 girls in a school in the Eastern Province about Web Programming.
My work will remain impactful as it is aligned to local needs and tailored to the needs of the society.

What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a female leader in STEM, and how have you overcome them ?

Despite being excellent in my field, i have faced challenges such as gender biases and stereotypes, feeling isolated due to being among the very few women in a department and other working spaces, work life balance as being a woman in Tech and a researcher is more demanding. I managed to overcome these challenges by delivering quality work as i believe that nothing beats deliverables and showcasing my technical expertise. I got involved in different networks such as Rwandan Association For Women in Science Engineering(RAWISE) where i met other female who are in STEM and facing same challenges like me and we supported one another, i also started prioritizing my work and setting limits whenever i felt that something wasn’t contributing to my career growth and goals. I had all those challenges throughout my journey but I tried by all means to overcome them and with the country’s excellent leadership and promotion of women especially in STEM, I had many opportunities as a woman in Tech and data science. These overshadowed the challenges I faced.

What advice would you give to girls and young women in Rwanda who want to pursue careers in technology and research ?

Girls should be passionate about what they study as passion drives them to thrive in the field. I assure them that hard work pays and nothing comes without trying. It is important to be confident, have a persistent spirit, and collaborate with others. I would also encourage them to manage well their time, set long-term goals, and work harder towards achieving those goals. Lastly, girls should have mentors who have achieved what they also want to achieve especially in Technology and Research. These mentors will guide them throughout their career path. I also remind women to be excellent in whatever they do, produce quality work, deliver beyond expectations as actions speak more than words and nothing beats deliverables !