Shazi Sharemi is guiding the next generation of women in tech

Dr Shahrzad Sharemi is one of Australia’s most prominent women leading tech, and she’s passionate about helping other women move into creative technology careers. A leading academic in artificial intelligence and a pioneer in creative technology, her work focuses on the connections between design and tech – in research, she’s published more than 22 publications, including a book, 14 journal articles and four conference papers.

Luckily for us, she uses Billy Blue College of Design at Torrens University Australia as her home base. She’s one of the university’s key Learning Facilitators for all technology and creative technology courses.

“Design in technology refers to the practice undertaken to create a technological outcome, as well as the description of the physical and functional nature of that outcome,” Shazi explains. “Creative technology is a broadly interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary field combining computing, design, art and the humanities. It encompasses art, digital product design, digital media and advertising media made with a software-based, electronic and/or data-driven engine.”

At Billy Blue, courses are designed by researchers and academics in consultation with industry partners, “making sure students get the right learning outcomes that deliver industry-ready graduates to the market. This unique element of design and technology heavy on artificial intelligence and cloud computing gets students connected in the industry immediately. The courses  give students hands-on experience with industry briefs, enhance critical thinking and develop their skills which are much in need for decades to come.”

Partially because of her own experiences, Shazi sees herself as a role model to students. “Females are equally important in areas where men are,” she says. “Awareness is needed and I am here to set that example. Females are capable of being more design-oriented and with added technology skills, they have the same opportunity like the rest in the market. They can be research scientists, engineers, academic staff, managers and/or business analysts.

“At a personal level, I advise students to believe in themselves and blindly follow their passion regardless of their gender.”

Check out some of our Creative Technology courses: 
Diploma of Software Engineering
Bachelor of Software Engineering (Artificial Intelligence) 
Graduate Certificate of Software Engineering
Masters of Software Engineering (Cloud Computing)