Women in BIM: Career Stories

How can we drive balance and equity in the BIM and digital build fields? What are the key challenges that need to be addressed to support inclusion? What role can individuals and organizations play in creating change? 

Join us for a panel discussion with Argelia Barcena, regional lead at Women in BIM and design technology manager at Gensler; Shir Erlich, product owner at Symetri; and Aaron C. Thompson, president of Nox Innovations, moderated by Autodesk AEC Industry Community Manager Jonathan Hand. They'll be discussing the challenges and opportunities facing women and allies in the BIM and digital build fields today and sharing their experiences and insights as advocates for equity in the BIM community. 

This event is a collaboration with Autodesk Research Community and the All Voices Heard initiative.

Learn more about our speakers:  

• Aaron C. Thompson is president of Nox Innovations, providing virtual design and construction services for contractors and helping customers through modeling, coordination, and fabrication. Nox has witnessed a steady increase in female interest and hiring over the past eight years, and the company aims to help move the industry forward by cultivate interest and providing equal opportunities for women to pursue successful careers in the BIM industry.
  
• Argelia Barcena is Regional Design Technology Manager at Gensler, where her role covers the Northwest Region (US and Canada). She has over 20 years’ experience in the architecture, engineering, and construction field and has participated as an exam writer for Autodesk’s Revit Certified Professional Exam and authored two books on the topic of Building Information Modeling. Argelia is currently the Associate Director for the AIA San Francisco Board of Directors and Regional Lead for the global organization Women in BIM (WIB).   
  
• Shir Erlich is product owner at Symetri, specializing in BIM implementation and Dynamo automation, and leads design and development of new commands and features for the Naviate line. Shir has worked as a BIM Manager at both architectural and structural engineering firms and is a Certified Scrum Product Owner CSPO and certified SAFe POPM. Shir organized "Beyond One Gender - The Power of Diversity and Inclusion" at Autodesk University 2022, which was recognized as a Top-Rated Panel in the Best of AU Awards. She holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Pratt Institute.

Learn more about our partners: 

• Autodesk Research Community (ARC): Autodesk Research Community provides the opportunity to influence the future of your Autodesk experience. By joining ARC, you will receive invite-only opportunities, based on your experience, to share feedback and insights with our Autodesk product managers, designers, and researchers. You'll see how your participation in our ARC research projects shapes the products, services, and tools you use every day in your business. All professional levels and backgrounds are welcome to help drive innovation within our design and make industries. In 2023, ARC launched the All Voices Heard initiative to drive diversity, inclusion, and opportunities to understand our under-represented customers. Learn more about our All Voices Heard initiative here. 
• Women In BIM: Women in BIM (WIB) is a diverse network of female professionals within the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction industry dedicated to supporting women and minority genders. Women in BIM has spent the last decade advocating for women in the building information modelling (BIM) industry, supporting their skills, education, and career progression. They are also successful in empowering women across the globe in making game-changing contributions to the digital development of the built environment.