Folu Odusote

What brought you to a career in technology at the United Nations?

Joining the United Nations was my opportunity to advocate for the importance of technology in enabling the United Nations to deliver its mandate. The ICT landscape is wide and diverse, and I have had the opportunity to audit and assess different technologies and emerging technologies ranging from Cybersecurity, ICT governance, Cloud services, and ICT infrastructure including communication systems such as satellite, microwave, and radio communication, and also the use of drone technology within the Organization. It is a privilege to have the opportunity to impact how the United Nations utilizes technology and to see the impact of these technologies in areas such as the SDGs, peacebuilding, humanitarian activities, and the environment. Being an ICT auditor within this great Organization has been fulfilling and I have never regretted for one day my decision to be part of it.

What has been your favorite technology project or initiative at the United Nations and why? What was your contribution?

The Umoja project. As part of the ICT audit team in OIOS, I conducted pre-implementation and post-implementation reviews to assess the adequacy, availability, and security of the system design, underlying infrastructure, and functionality.

What advice would you give women interested in pursuing a field in technology?

The ICT world has moved on from the nerd stereotype and ICT has become more fashionable with the digitalization of everyday activity. You can never be bored in the field of technology; the pace of emerging technologies and the scope of the ecosystem make the subject matter ideal and suitable for women who may be interested. You can pick and choose to do so many things within the ICT ecosystem.