Portrait of Daniela Sanchez

Hello, my name is Daniela Sanchez Cruz, originally from Mexico City. I have a bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering from Universidad Iberoamericana and a master’s degree in Innovation by Design, with a major in robotics, from Singapore University of Technology and Design.

Recently, I have been named one of the top women in robotics by the International Federation of Robotics, and there are no words to describe what this means to me, to my professional career, and to that little girl who has always been passionate about science. Of course, as a Biomedical Engineer, I tend to envision the future of robotics related to the healthcare field, but the possibilities are limitless!

Talking about Women in Robotics, first, I would like to say that I have been granted a privilege because during my whole life, I didn’t face any kind of trouble for being a girl, but while growing up, I noticed that this was not the common case. Before, I used to believe that there is no difference between women and men, and I thought that just by saying and believing this, it was enough to make a better world.

Recently, that thought has changed, because I noticed that by saying so, I was invalidating those who had or are having troubles just for being a girl, and I don’t want to keep believing this. Now I want to see the difference and find it, so I can do something about it. Because I’m not going to lie, it feels weird to be the only woman in a meeting room, and sometimes you get these comments like, "You need to be serious in order to get the respect of men," but why do I need to change? I can be professional, I can be an engineer, I can be a quality assurance manager in a robotics company like LionsBot, but I will always be a girl. A woman who sees the difference and who envisions more and more girls fulfilling their dreams in the career of robotics.

For now, the robots are not able to recognize the difference between women and men; they just see creators. But I hope when they start to do so, they see more of us when they say, "Hello World!"

Thanks to the International Federation of Robotics for this recognition, and to my colleagues at LionsBot for creating a supportive and collaborative environment.

Let’s keep finding the differences to understand how we can improve together.