Book IWD Speaker: Dr Sima Valizadeh
Physicist, author & technology advisor exploring AI, gender equality & inclusive leadership through four decades of experience in science & industry
Dr Sima Valizadeh is a physicist, author and technology advisor with more than 38 years of experience across research, industry and innovation. Her career includes senior roles at Atlas Copco and Westinghouse, university research and teaching, and leadership of a national initiative connecting 14 smart manufacturing testbeds in Sweden.
She speaks about how AI can reproduce historical gender roles, how digital systems classify people, and what leaders can do to challenge assumptions embedded in technology. Drawing on her Swedish-language book Schrödingers kvinna – det obestämda jaget, she introduces postgender design as an approach to questioning when and why gender categories are used in digital systems. She uses ideas from quantum physics as a lens for exploring identity, making the discussion accessible without requiring technical knowledge.
Her talks also draw on her experience as a woman in science and industrial leadership, a mentor and a board member. She connects gender equality with concrete decisions about recruitment, innovation and whose expertise shapes the future.
Speaking topics include:
• AI and gender equality: how yesterday’s assumptions enter tomorrow’s systems.
• Beyond binary classification: rethinking human identity in digital design.
• Women in STEM and industrial leadership: lessons from research, global companies and mentoring.
Audiences leave with a clearer understanding of algorithmic bias, questions to ask about AI-supported decisions, and perspectives on leadership that recognise people beyond stereotypes.
Based in Sweden, Sima speaks in English and Swedish and is available for talks, panel discussions and online events.
Book: https://telegrafstationen.se/portfolio/sima-valizadeh
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sima-valizadeh/
Author talk at the Gothenburg Book Fair: valizadeh/https://www.youtube.com/live/dO_CKMTEKm0
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