"Robot Olympiad Inspires us Technically and also boosts our Confidence": Understanding the Elements of Success for Women in Robotics in Bangladesh

Abstract

This research considers young women participating in International Robot Olympiad which has had female presence and achievements from Bangladesh. The involvement of women in robotics is on the rise, with many playing a pivotal role and making impactful contributions to the field of robotics. We considered women in robotics, their parents, and robotics events organizers as N=32 participants among them 23 are (Female=12, Male=11) Robot Olympiad participants; 7 are parents (Mother=3, Father=4) and 2 are organizers (Female=1, Male=1) through a qualitative study to understand their success parameters. It showed that support from society, personal drive, and encouragement is required in a consistent manner. The social phenomenon of supporting women in robotics was further discussed through activity theory in this paper. In a low-resource region, this work can show possibilities to encourage women in other fields of STEM where representation has been historically low.