Technical careers can seem intimidating or inaccessible, especially for women who have had limited exposure to technology or struggle to see themselves represented in the field. But careers rarely follow a straight line, and you don’t need to have everything figured out from the start.

Drawing on her journey from engineering studies and hands-on embedded systems development to discovering Free and Open Source Software, building communities, and leading a research group at Siemens, Marion Deveauds keynote explores how curiosity, continuous learning, and practical experience can open unexpected doors. She shares how taking on new challenges, connecting with others, and finding supportive communities helped her grow from a technical specialist into an Open Source advocate and leader – while navigating family life along the way.

The keynote aims to inspire students and working women, including those in non-technical roles, to explore technology without feeling they need to fit a predefined mould. It encourages them to recognize their existing skills, embrace learning as an ongoing journey, and take their first —or next — step into STEM and Open Source.