This story originally appeared in the spring 2017 issue of AggieXtra. Intel reports Bryant is currently on leave, and her new role will be announced upon her return later in 2017.
Women in STEM at UC Davis
There’s a reason why UC Davis is No. 1 on Forbes’ list of “Most Important STEM Colleges for Women.”
It’s the support community built by our female STEM faculty and students, including these three:
- Rebecca Calisi, an assistant professor of neurobiology, physiology and behavior, who is a faculty scholar of the Center for the Advancement of Multicultural Perspectives on Science (CAMPOS), which helps promote women and underrepresented minorities in the sciences
- Rachel Houtz, a doctoral student in theoretical particle physics, who joined the Women in Sciences and Engineering mentoring program to meet with a professor and an undergraduate student for bi-weekly meetings through an academic year
- Linda Bisson, the Maynard A. Amerine Endowed Chair in viticulture and enology, who has been a leader for UC Davis ADVANCE, a five-year National Science Foundation grant program to increase the participation and advancement of women in academic science and engineering careers
Diane Bryant ’85, executive vice president and general manager of the Data Center Group at Intel, is a leader in the field where artificial intelligence, cloud computing and other exciting innovations are poised to transform the way we live, learn, work and play.
Bryant was named one of the 50 Most Powerful Women in Business by Fortune in 2015 and 2016, and Business Insider ranked Bryant No. 32 in the 2016 list of “Silicon Valley 100.”
When asked what keeps her motivated, Bryant notes that in terms of diversity, both tech and engineering stagger far behind other prestigious industries — a fact that she is working tirelessly to change.
Lack of diversity an issue in engineering and technology
“The lack of equal representation in engineering and technology is an issue for a couple of reasons,” said Bryant, a graduate of UC Davis’ electrical engineering program.
“First, no group should be left out of such high-impact, high-value and high-reward professions as engineering and technology. And second, diversity of thought and diversity of experience is critical to innovation — to devising the best solutions and obtaining the best results.”
In fact, while women comprise 47 percent of the total U.S. workforce, they make up only 25 percent of tech and 15 percent of the engineering workforce. And certain ethnicities are even scarcer; many top tech companies have reported that African Americans make up less than 2 percent of their employees.
Alumna of the No. 1 ‘Most Important STEM Colleges for Women’
These statistics motivate Bryant to push harder as a female Intel executive and engineer. And she also says they make her glad she’s an alumna of UC Davis, one of 13 universities that Forbes recently named among the Most Important STEM Colleges for Women. UC Davis is No. 1 on that list.
“I am proud of being the most senior woman at Intel, which includes being the most senior technical woman at Intel, because I have the honor of being a role model to minority populations in tech,” said Bryant, who recently received the Cal Aggie Alumni Association’s 2017 Outstanding Alumna Award.
“I am one data point of proof that the tech world presents wonderful opportunities for all.”
Responsible for Internet and cloud computing products
The Data Center Group is the fastest growing and most profitable division at Intel and is responsible for the products and technologies that fuel servers, storage and network infrastructure, making both the Internet and cloud computing possible.
Bryant says her job, and the job of the Data Center Group, is “to deliver the technology solutions that drive transformation.” She is particularly excited about their efforts in artificial intelligence — a field she believes will transform the way all businesses operate and how people engage with the world.
Endowed scholarship for women in engineering
To assist other smart and motivated Aggies, Bryant created the Diane Bryant Endowed Scholarship for Women in Engineering, which supports women pursuing engineering degrees at UC Davis.
“The culture of UC Davis is one of solving problems for the betterment of society — whether related to the environment, health, agriculture or tech,” said Bryant. “My rewarding career at Intel is a direct result of my engineering education at UC Davis. It’s literally impossible to separate who I am today from being an Aggie.”