Read about Helen Clarissa Schlüter

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

We only have one world where we can try and learn to do better as humankind, so it must be now and can only be together. Big data provides us with an opportunity to base our decisions and solutions to the most pressing global crises and challenges on present and historical evidence. Driven by responsible and empowering leadership and passionate about strategic foresight and impactful problem-solving, I decided to join the United Nations in its effort to reform and transition to an organization that decides to employ technology and learn from data to unleash its full potential of service and project delivery.

What has been your favorite IT project at the United Nations and what was your technical contribution?

I love working for the Regional Service Center Entebbe and employing data analytics to optimize operational processes. Identifying the main bottlenecks and implementing corrective action allows us to increase the quality of services provided to all UN staff in the peacekeeping and special political missions on the African continent.

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

To all of you women interested in technology or not yet: Technology - if developed and used ethically and responsibly - is a tool for social inclusion and empowerment. We can only own it and unleash its full potential if we make sure we understand it, see our needs and perspectives represented in it, and can use it. It already impacts our private and professional life and will continue to do it, so do not leave it to others to decide how.