CSC News

Bushra Anjum: Giving Back and Lifting Up

Bushra Anjum, a graduate of the NC State doctoral program in Queueing Theory and Stochastic Analytics, has taken her degree far beyond the halls of the Department of Computer Science. A seasoned data scientist, a San Luis Obispo Tribune 40 Under 40 award recipient, an NC State Computer Science Alumni Hall of Fame "Rising Star" Award recipient, an outstanding volunteer for computer science organizations and an excelling professional, Anjum has been making impressive strides in her field and outside of it since graduating with her Ph.D. in 2012.

Anjum remembers fondly how she entered her highly specialized field during her time at NC State.

“I took the graduate course “Introduction to Computer Performance Modeling,” which played a huge role in my decision to work further in the field of Performance Evaluation and Queueing Theory,” said Anjum. “It was taught by Dr. Harry Perros, who later also became my Ph.D. advisor. The course introduced me to the fascinating world of workload characterization, collection and analysis of performance data, tuning and queuing network models and analysis. This sparked my interest in understanding and modeling “uncertainty” within complex systems.”

After graduation, Anjum went on to work at Amazon and Doximity, specializing in data science, analytics and software development. Currently, she is the head of data science and artificial intelligence at NoRedInk, an online platform that provides an adaptive language teaching tool for English language classes across the United States.

“I was specifically brought on board to help architect and develop the next generation of AI tooling,” said Anjum. “Working with a team of data scientists, software engineers, product managers and curriculum experts, we recently launched the LLM-based Grading Assistant. This work, highly relevant and future-oriented, will allow teachers to assign more writing tasks and offer personalized feedback, adapting to students with different learning styles and paces and ‘accelerating the feedback loop for teachers.’”

The field of data science and analytics is undoubtedly fast-paced and high-stress, and Anjum offered strong insights on how students entering positions like those she has held can prioritize work and self simultaneously.

“The first step is awareness and recognizing when you are falling into the trap of feeling ‘perpetually behind,’” said Anjum. “For example, do you feel anxious when you are not working? Do you feel guilty taking breaks? Do you get restless if you have not checked your messages in the last 30 minutes? These are all warning signs. I am a firm believer that no matter how you design your to-do list, you should not be the last item on it.” Anjum went on to say that nature, keeping work apps off her personal phone and movement help her prioritize herself in a field where she could easily be motivated to prioritize work only.

Anjum not only excels in her field, but makes it a priority to give back by uplifting women in computer science who are in positions she once was in herself. Anjum serves as the global co-chair of the Association for Computing Machinery's Women in Computing program (ACM-W), where she is, “able to advocate for the full engagement of women in all aspects of the computing field.” Her team currently focuses on enhancing communication networks and supporting women in the workforce; this work includes expanding ACM-W into emerging global regions to “foster international collaboration and address global disparities in computing.”

Anjum and the ACM-W team recently established an ACM-W presence in Multan, a relatively small metropolitan in Pakistan, and supported them in launching their debut Celebrations event; the agenda included mentoring sessions, tech talks, competitions and a career fair. View a short collage of video clips from the groundbreaking event.

She noted that her position with ACM-W has been fulfilling both professionally and personally. “It keeps me connected with a global network of inspiring women and helps me grow and broaden my perspective on the challenges and opportunities within the tech industry,” said Anjum. “On a personal level, it fulfills my passion for mentorship and community building, allowing me to give back to the community that has supported my own journey.”

The journey for women in the technology industry is not always an easy or straightforward one, and Anjum’s experience and wisdom that she passes along to students and women in tech careers is sound. For example, in our conversation, she questioned the notion that women in tech must “act like a man” to succeed.

“During graduate school, and then as I joined the tech industry, I got exposed to various (well-meaning) advice on how women could adopt (or drop) specific attributes to succeed in the tech industry,” Anjum said. She went on to push back against this idea. “If empathy, politeness, collaboration, nurturing behavior, humor or emotional expressiveness are part of your personality, own them! The mental and emotional burden of ‘masking’ is not worth it. By being ourselves, slowly but surely, women can redefine what it means to be a competent and successful tech professional.”

Notions like this one, honed over a career of success that didn’t come without stumbles, are characteristic of Anjum’s nature, and help her to guide other women in technology fields. Yet Anjum’s advice extends beyond women in technology, to every student seeking security, stability and fortitude while navigating the job market.

“I would advise not to be reckless, but also not to be afraid. Personal growth and new professional opportunities exist on the periphery of your comfort zone. So, figure out where the zone ends and which risks are acceptable to you based on your financial stability, career goals, health and family commitments,” Anjum said of navigating a field where risk-taking is essential.

To develop the fortitude that she described in her speech to NC State CS Spring 2021 graduates, Anjum advocates for drawing strength from mentorship, community and inner clarity and purpose. “Having mentors and peers who believe in me has been my anchor in moments of doubt,” she said. “Resilience is not about ignoring difficulties or pretending they don’t exist. It is about acknowledging them, seeking support and finding a way forward.”