Dina Ayman, NJIT Alum and Professor, Named to Forbes 30 Under 30 in Enterprise Tech
Her 20s have been a busy time for Dina Ayman: earning two degrees at NJIT in the same year, working at Intel and Microsoft, teaching at her alma mater and starting a consultancy dedicated to diversity and inclusion.
Along the way, she achieved her dream of working at the intersection of engineering and technology, and became a role model for women interested in STEM. And now Forbes is recognizing all that, by naming her to its 2022 list of 30 Under 30 in Enterprise Technology.
Ayman, a program manager at Microsoft, adjunct instructor at NJIT’s Newark College of Engineering and founder of Diversity and Inclusion Power, embraced the honor in a LinkedIn post that said, in part, “Proud to represent Muslims, minorities, women of color, Egyptians, Arabs, Microsoft and New Jersey Institute of Technology. This is for you, my family and my mentors!” In an interview, she reflects on the recognition, the satisfaction of helping students and what drives her work ethic.
What does this recognition mean to you?
It’s a huge honor. I'm so excited to merge my influence with the influence of the Forbes community to continue to work on what I'm passionate most about. I love advocating for diversity and inclusion, especially in the tech industry, and I know Forbes will help me reach a wider audience across the world.
What factors led you to choose NJIT for both your bachelor's and master's in computer engineering?
I wanted to stay in New Jersey to be close to family and still be at the best engineering school. And NJIT offered it all, being number one nationally in student economic upward mobility and top ranked! I learned that everything is possible and my potential is limitless. NJIT had all the resources to help me land my dream life.
What do you enjoy most about teaching?
Growing the students and helping them with their careers. I've learned so much on the way at NJIT and in the industry – at Intel and Microsoft – that I wish I had known earlier. But because I'm the oldest of my siblings and the first in my family to go to university in the States, it took me time to figure things out. I want to be there for students to tell them about everything they need to do about school, internships, research, graduate studies, building their resume and the tech industry.
Your work ethic and bandwidth are extraordinary, from taking 18 to 21 credits a semester to holding multiple jobs at once and leading Diversity and Inclusion Power. Where does that come from?
What not a lot of people know is I was a full-time mom to my siblings in the background for 11 years. Because of immigration issues, my mom was away in Egypt and, as I'm the oldest, I took on her role in the house. It was tough for a 14-year-old to assume that much responsibility. But my personal life shaped who I am right now. I learned to juggle a few things at once. I wanted to learn everything to teach my siblings.
