Read about Maria Fernanda Ruiz

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

In 2011 I moved to live in Chile from my country Ecuador. At that time, I had worked in the technology world for almost 10 years and was looking for a job related to my previous experience. I knew there was a vacancy in the “Hernán Santa Cruz Library” in Santiago related to digital repositories and it caught my attention. After the selection process, I got the job and when I entered ECLAC I knew I really wanted to contribute to the UN.

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

My favorite project has been working on the ECLAC Digital Repository to enhance the user experience. I started with it when I entered ECLAC, and I am still working on it. The ECLAC Digital Repository is an open access platform that disseminates the intellectual heritage of Commission. It allows us to capture, store, index, preserve and redistribute, in digital form, - the intellectual output such as research publications and audiovisual documents. I developed a pilot in the last trimester of 2012 and in June 2013 I started as a Project Manager which was a dream for me. Since the beginning, I have been the head of this project, leading the maintenance, updates, upgrades, and troubleshooting. I always keep an eye on how the service can be improved.

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

Without technology the world cannot function. That is why there are big opportunities for all of us, especially women, to enroll in technology field. Technical careers are not easy, but also it is not impossible. We can do whatever we want!