Energetic, curious, and adventurous: that’s how Melek describes herself in just a few words. Having a mixed cultural background (Turkish/Bulgarian), Melek came to the Netherlands for a student exchange program in Product Engineering at The Hague University of Applied Sciences. She fell in love with the country and visited TU Delft. “This is a great University, I would love to do my master studies here, but I’m not sure if I will get in” she recalls as she was impressed by the genius students. But dreams did come true, and Melek got accepted for a master’s degree in Integrated Product Design at TU Delft. During her studies, Melek had several short-term (side)jobs as a UX Designer, User Researcher, and as a teaching assistant.
As a UX Designer (short for User Experience Designer) at ORTEC, Melek works closely with product owners to investigate customer wishes and needs to design the best-suited products. She explains: “I believe designing is being idealistic. As a designer, I take responsibility for imagining that there can be better ways of practicing everyday life on behalf of society. My duty is to fight against what is, on behalf of something else, something better.” Next to her daily activities, Melek also really likes to empower the next generation of innovators – she regularly gives workshops at various internal ORTEC events about Design Thinking, and she has been mentoring graduates in their final design projects.
To create an environment where everyone within her own department feels valued, included, and empowered, Melek decided to become the captain of her department’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) team. “Within our DE&I team, I act as a facilitator of progress, ensuring our innovative projects align with our DE&I goals and make a meaningful impact. Together, we strive for a harmonious future where everyone thrives.”
Melek Akan
"Can you believe that female drivers are 47% more likely to be seriously injured in a car crash, and 17% more likely to die!? This all has to do with how the car is designed – and for whom."
As a UX designer, Melek is surprised to see a great amount of (hidden) gender bias in product design. “Design can have a gender problem. Some totally forget about women,” she says. She gives some examples - one of the examples even put lives at risk: “Can you believe that female drivers are 47% more likely to be seriously injured in a car crash, and 17% more likely to die!? This all has to do with how the car is designed – and for whom.” For this specific example, crash-test dummies were – until 2011 - based on the ‘average’ male.
“If you are like me and interested in gender bias in design, I can really recommend you to read the book Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Perez. It explains more about the car design example I just mentioned, and many other eye-opening examples. It’s a great read!”, she says. For those who are into podcast, you can also hear stories from this author in the 'Visible Women' podcast on Spotify.
Melek's first few years working as a woman in Tech were quite challenging. She recalls: "I had to find my way in a world that was full of men. On the one hand, there were the professional, older men, and then – along a few others - there was me, a young women (<30 years) from a different cultural background. I wondered: Do they even see me as woman, or as a young girl? Altogether, I felt rather uncomfortable and lacked a sense of belonging."
Melek continues: "My journey took a transformative turn when I found a mentor within ORTEC. She is an experienced woman in tech who recognized the potential in my unique background and perspective. She not only provided guidance but also instilled in me the confidence to carve my own space in the industry. Her belief in me became the catalyst for my own self-belief. And when you believe in yourself, others follow. Through her, I understood the power of mentorship — that having someone to guide, challenge, and believe in you could make all the difference. Also, the support from female friends around my network was very significant building my confidence. Their wisdom, shared experiences, and encouragement — irrespective of whether they were in tech or not — became my extended reservoir of strength. Their genuine support was a reminder that I wasn’t alone in my journey."
Today, while challenges persist, Melek feels a deeper sense of belonging. She explains:
As an energetic person, Melek is into boxing. It allows her to release her adrenaline and energy. What might surprise you is that she also likes yoga – though not the relaxing types – but Hatha and Vinyasa yoga: the ones that push your body’s limits. Coming originally from Istanbul, Turkey (around 16 million citizens), she finds it funny when people call her current home (Rotterdam, the Netherlands, about 600.000 citizens) a big city.
We’re on a journey to attract more women into tech. Are you interested in pursuing a career at ORTEC? Or looking for a job like Melek's?
Numerous research shows the benefits of having a diverse workforce. Within the technology (tech) industry, women have been a vital part since the beginning, yet they are still underrepresented. In fact, women make up barely a third of workers in tech according to a report by The World Bank. The number has even been declining in the past decades. A report by Accenture attributes much of this decline to a lack of inclusivity for women in the industry.
In this personal story, we share the unique journey and challenges of a woman in tech Melek Akan (29), User Experience (UX) Designer at ORTEC. When entering the tech sector and being one of the few women, below thirty, and from a different cultural background, she found it quite challenging to find her way. Melek’s story is the perfect example of finding self-belief, and once you do belief in yourself, others will follow.
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‘ORTEC’s Women in Tech’ is a series highlighting some of our amazing women. At ORTEC, we value a diverse and inclusive workforce. Nonetheless, with about one third of our workforce identifying as female, we would like to increase this number. By launching ‘ORTEC’s Women in Tech’ series, we aim to inspire women to enter the tech industry – we can tell from experience that it’s a great environment to be in!
A series written for women, by women, about women. Interview & text by Linda Janssen.