Never forget yourself; try to allocate time for things you are passionate about, even if it appears like there is no time at all: I really wanted to learn and work on a new technology, but it never felt like the right time. In the end, I decided to take some university courses (and pay for them!) and do all the homework and submissions. It wasn’t easy, but since I had strict deadlines and commitments, I had to find some time in between everything else, and I managed to do that.

The Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality & Mixed Reality Industries are so exciting. What is coming around the corner? How will these improve our lives? What are the concerns we should keep an eye out for? Aside from entertainment, how can VR or AR help work or other parts of life? To address this, as a part of our interview series called “Women Leading The VR, AR & Mixed Reality Industries”, we had the pleasure of interviewing Adi Raz Goldfarb.

Adi Raz Goldfarb is an AI researcher, developer, and the leader of the Augmented Reality team in IBM Research — Haifa in Israel. Together with other great minds from all over the globe, she is driving the adoption of augmented reality technology among enterprises, while trying to change the way technicians and workers interact or access knowledge.

Adi is also active in exposing teens to technology and helping young women at the beginning of their academic and professional careers.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about your backstory and how you grew up?

I grew up in Akko, a town in northern Israel. My parents both immigrated to Israel as children; my mom is originally from Latvia and my dad from Morocco. They are very different from one another — my mom is a social worker and my father is an electrician — but they are both hard workers and very diligent. I’m sure I got the drive to work and excel from them. I think I’m a good combination of the two of them — I have the interpersonal skills of my mom and the technical skills of my dad.

Growing up, I was a good student with good marks. I skipped a grade and graduated from high school at the age of 16, but I hated it. I really wanted to be like everyone else; social aspects of life were very important to me. I was very good in math, but science was not on my agenda, even though I had studied physics, but only because my dad literally forced me to do so. Today, I know that my resistance to science wasn’t entirely my fault. The idea of girls studying and working in the sciences was not really spoken about back then, especially in more rural or outlying areas of the country. None of my friends’ parents were in the STEM fields, I had never met an engineer, and I had no idea what it really meant to be one. I just knew I might have the skills to become one, but back then I wasn’t even certain I wanted to.

Is there a particular book, film, or podcast that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?

That would be Sheryl Sandberg’s book “Lean in”. Before I came to IBM, I was sure I wasn’t ready for leadership positions, even though it was always part of who I was. Since I was young, I always found myself leading and managing in different situations. I even served as an officer in the Israeli army. But I always had the feeling that I was just lucky to be at the right spot at the right time. When I read Sheryl’s book and learned about the impostor syndrome, it felt like she was describing exactly how I felt. I also understood that I would never feel quite ready for the next challenge, and perhaps if I did, it would probably mean that it was too late. That’s why I accepted the challenge when my manager offered it.

Is there a particular story that inspired you to pursue a career in the X Reality industry? We’d love to hear it.

I’ve always loved makeup, but it’s a tricky thing to buy because you can never quite tell what the right color is for you. I remember thinking ten years or so ago how cool it would be if you could try out any makeup you wanted virtually and then decide what to buy. It seemed so futuristic at the time. Later, I learned that AR can actually address that.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began this fascinating career?

A little while ago, I went on a business trip to a client site in Texas. That was the first time I saw how our AR technology was being used not just for fun or testing, but for actual, real-world industrial use cases.

For example, when working on some maintenance procedures, the technicians were following printed instruction from a printed manual. It looked so tedious. We gave them the option to get all those instructions on AR; by pointing their iPad at the machine, they could see exactly where to tighten a screw or which piece should be removed and how. They were also using AR with a remote expert for troubleshooting. Instead of just trying to explain the problem on the phone, they could show the expert what they saw in real time, and he could instruct them by annotating the video.

One of the most interesting aspects of that visit was to see the challenges the enterprise world is facing in this area, as opposed to consumer apps. The end users for enterprise AR are often not teenagers. For them, embracing new technologies after working for so many years in a certain way is not always natural.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

When I was 15, I volunteered as a counselor at a summer camp in the Jewish community center in Canton, Ohio. That was the first time I had ever been in the US. One day, I called my parents from the community center office. During that call, I remember I saw a small blue button under the desk. I don’t know why, but I decided to press it. I guess I thought to myself, what could possibly happen? Well, as soon as I ended the call, two police officers suddenly showed up. Apparently, I’d pushed some emergency alarm that directly notified the police. That was very embarrassing, not just because the community center needed to pay for this emergency service, but also because those cops refused to leave before they were 100% positive that I did it by mistake and there was no actual emergency that someone was now trying to cover up. What did I learn? First, that American rules are very serious! I couldn’t imagine something like that happening in Israel. Israeli cops would probably laugh or yell at me and then quickly leave, but those cops were very serious and really cared about our safety. I think it says a lot about the cultural differences. Second, I learned not to press (or click) any button without knowing what it does first ☺. I think that really helped me in my software development career — never leap before you look.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

Today I’m confident enough to say that I’m the person who helped me the most, by being motivated, hardworking, and focused on my goals, and I don’t feel like I owe it to anyone else. It’s also important to me to convey this message to other young women: Don’t wait for someone else’s recognition; push yourself forward. (Although I’m pretty sure if I had to respond to this question just a few years ago, my answer would be entirely different.) However, I do appreciate my managers along the way who placed their trust in me, even though I wasn’t the exact profile they were looking for.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

Actually I am, but I can’t say much about them because they’re still confidential. Let me just say that we are working on the next generation of AR applications for enterprises.

Ok super. Thank you for all that. Let’s now shift to the main focus of our interview. The VR, AR and MR industries seem so exciting right now. What are the 3 things in particular that most excite you about the industry? Can you explain or give an example?

• First, I think the entire industry is straight out of science fiction movies. This technology is really something we’ve all dreamed about, and now it’s actually becoming accessible reality. That’s just incredible to me.
• Second, even though it’s not here yet, the day that everyone will have AR glasses just like smartphones is not far off. We know many companies are working on that currently. It’s going to change the way we consume content.
• Third, and maybe the most important thing, is that the COVID-19 pandemic put remote collaborations and virtual communications in the spotlight, so the need for AR and VR is stronger than ever.

What are the 3 things that concern you about the VR, AR and MR industries? Can you explain? What can be done to address those concerns?

• My biggest concern is the adoption rate. Technology is not always embraced by everyone so quickly. In the XR industry, there is a huge dependency on devices and hardware, and not just the software. And while it looks like the software is mature enough, the devices are not yet there, and that effects the willingness of users to buy it and try it, as many products are also still quite expensive.
• Another thing that concerns me is a possible outcome of people using AR/VR on a daily basis. This of course is a problem connected with every new technology — how do we maintain and even strengthen our interpersonal connections? When we don’t have reasons to meet people face-to-face (you can play remotely in VR, meet your team members in a virtual meeting room, and so on), what might happen? If you watched any “Black Mirror” episodes, you probably get the idea.
• Finally, as in other tech areas, we also have to be very cautious about privacy in the AR/VR space. Working with these amazing technologies usually involves a lot of data, and it can often be very personal (such as knowing where users are or what they see) or confidential corporate information (such as hardware specification or defects). Along with all of our research and development efforts, privacy continues to be a central area of focus.

I think the entertainment aspects of VR, AR and MR are apparent. Can you share with our readers how these industries can help us at work?

The potential is enormous, especially around technical work where technicians can use AR or VR to simplify procedures or easily access information in real time from IoT sensors (temperature, pressure, etc.). There is also a lot of potential in the medical world. For example, doctors can be trained on VR simulators. While many people are familiar with the visual aspects of this technology, haptic technology that uses VR is perhaps even more exciting. That VR application can allow a doctor located in Seattle to perform a surgery on a patient in New York by transmitting his hand movements to a robot while he is watching the patient in VR! Isn’t that fantastic?

Are there other ways that VR, AR and MR can improve our lives? Can you explain?

Think about all the things you do today with your mobile device. Now imagine it in front of your eyes, without needing to hold something or shift your gaze. For example, imagine seeing driving instructions on the road itself instead of on a map. The most interesting potential surrounds the connection of AR with AI. Imagine tech that can not only learns your preferences and habits, and gets online information about your current environment, but that presents you with relevant, customized information at the exact right place and time, such as promotions for your favorite dairy product when you walk by it in the supermarket.

Let’s zoom out a bit and talk in broader terms. Are you currently satisfied with the status quo regarding women in STEM? If not, what specific changes do you think are needed to change the status quo?

No, I’m not satisfied with the current situation. When we try to hire new developers, we rarely get females applicants. That’s truly frustrating. Our research lab is doing a lot to help improve that, as is IBM overall. I recently saw in an IBM report, for example, that the company’s efforts to promote diversity resulted in the hiring of more than 38% women in the U.S. last year. But we still have quite a way to go. I’m also active in Facebook groups for women in tech and academia and try to help female students and young developers as much as I can to find jobs to improve their CV and build their self-confidence in general. The changes must start at a young age. Girls need to be exposed to technology from childhood. When we buy spaceship toys for boys and dollhouses for girls, we perpetuate the inequality.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about working in your industry? Can you explain what you mean?

People sometimes think that if you are an engineer or a software developer, that’s your only interest in life. Well, most of us have a lot of other passions, such as cooking, traveling, or music. So, no, we are not robots.

What are your “5 Leadership Lessons I Learned From My Experience as a Woman in Tech” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)

1. Don’t be afraid to do something you never did before: Our mind usually tends to freak out when something new comes along that we never did before. I usually take such unfamiliar tasks and try to break them down into small items. That’s how I get better clarity on how to address it.
2. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes; that’s the best way we learn: Every time I say or do something wrong — it stays in my mind for a while and makes me think and analyze the situation again and again. In this way, I get a lot of good ideas on how to improve for the next time.
3. Don’t try to be the smartest person in the room. Listen to others: If someone knows something better than you, it doesn’t mean you can’t lead him. Ask for advice; the more opinions you get, the smarter you become. When I started my current job, I felt like I knew nothing! I remember I had a notebook with me at every meeting and I was writing down a huge number of technical terms that I had never heard before. After the meeting, I would review those gibberish terms, search for them on the Internet, or ask friends what they mean. I had much more experienced developers on my team when I became a team lead, and I never made a decision without first asking their opinion or understanding what they thought. I think that’s what really allowed me to grow.
4. Never forget yourself; try to allocate time for things you are passionate about, even if it appears like there is no time at all: I really wanted to learn and work on a new technology, but it never felt like the right time. In the end, I decided to take some university courses (and pay for them!) and do all the homework and submissions. It wasn’t easy, but since I had strict deadlines and commitments, I had to find some time in between everything else, and I managed to do that.
5. Invest time in transferring knowledge to others, and “let go” when you can; you don’t need to control everything: I think this is extremely important. It helps me to become more focused and keep my sanity. You don’t want to be overloaded with meetings, tasks, and responsibilities because usually it just creates frustration. It’s also important to empower the people you work with; let them feel independent and responsible.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

I’m really concerned by educational inequalities as a byproduct of the wealth gap, which lead to fewer opportunities for children from underprivileged or disadvantaged families or for kids who live in rural or more outlying regions. Children from wealthier families from major urban centers benefit from greater and easier access to aid with their studies, and more access to technology and science. I want our political leadership to increase investment in public education to close that gap and give these kids equal opportunities.

We are very blessed that very prominent leaders read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them 🙂

I’d love to sit down with Kamala Harris if I ever had the chance. She’s so charismatic, smart and talented, and of course I’m so impressed with her as the woman who has reached the highest office yet in the history of the US. She really inspires me and a lot of women around the world.

Thank you so much for these excellent stories and insights. We wish you continued success on your great work!

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Wisdom From The Women Leading The VR, AR & Mixed Reality Industries, With IBM’s Adi Raz Goldfarb was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.