The IEEE WIE Distinguished Volunteer and Mentor series highlights a dedicated WIE volunteer who is well known for their notable contributions to IEEE WIE.
In this issue, we feature Harivardhagini Subhadra, volunteer co-lead for the IEEE WIE Fireside Chats.
IEEE WIE: How has your experience with IEEE WIE shaped your career and personal growth?
Subhadra:
“1. IEEE WIE gave me opportunities to lead with purpose, build teams, and create meaningful impact.
2. Engaging with inspiring women leaders strengthened my confidence, communication, and decision-making.
3. WIE connected me with diverse professionals and mentors, expanding my perspective and collaborations.
4. Initiatives for girls, women, and communities showed me how technology can become a powerful tool for inclusion.
5. WIE transformed my journey from professional achievement to purposeful leadership and service.”
IEEE WIE: What innovative projects or initiatives are you currently working on that you believe will make a significant impact?
Subhadra:
“1. WIE Synergy Fireside Chats: Initiated and organized global conversations that connect leaders across regions, enabling knowledge exchange, mentorship, collaboration and greater visibility for women in engineering.
2. TECH GIRLS – STEM for Social Impact: Leading hands-on STEM and IoT outreach for schoolgirls, creating opportunities to experience technology, innovation, and problem-solving while encouraging them to envision careers in engineering and technology.
3. A member of Women in TEMS, Smart Cities & PES: Building cross-Society collaborations with WIE, TEMS, IEEE Smart Cities, and PES to create integrated platforms for women’s leadership, entrepreneurship, sustainability, energy, and technology management bringing diverse IEEE communities together to amplify impact.”
IEEE WIE: Can you share a moment when you overcame a significant challenge in your professional journey and what you learned from it?
Subhadra: “One significant lesson in my professional journey came from missing the opportunity to plan my work effectively. I once procrastinated on an important assignment until the deadline was just a day away, forcing me to work through the night to complete and submit it. Although I met the deadline, the quality was not up to my expectations. This experience taught me that meeting a deadline is not the same as achieving excellence. I learned the importance of planning, setting clear timelines and milestones, prioritizing tasks, and avoiding last-minute pressure. It reinforced my belief that the art of planning is one of the most important skills for professional success.”
IEEE WIE: How do you stay updated with the latest trends and advancements in your field?
Subhadra: “I stay updated by continuously engaging with research, technical publications, conferences, webinars and professional networks in electronics, instrumentation, control systems, automation, IoT and emerging AI technologies. My active involvement across IEEE communities gives me exposure to emerging technologies and global perspectives. I also bring these developments into my teaching, research, student projects, and innovation initiatives, ensuring that my knowledge remains current and relevant to real-world engineering challenges.”
IEEE WIE: What role do you think mentorship plays in the success of young professionals, and how do you approach mentoring others?
Subhadra: “Mentorship plays a transformative role in helping young professionals navigate uncertainty, build confidence, and make informed career choices. I approach mentoring by first understanding the individual’s aspirations, strengths, and challenges, and then helping them identify opportunities rather than simply giving answers. Through my IEEE and academic engagements, I connect young professionals with networks, projects, leadership opportunities, and role models. I believe effective mentorship should evolve into empowerment helping mentees become confident leaders who eventually mentor others.”
