By Wayne Gillam / UW ECE News
After almost a decade in a successful career developing products built on artificial intelligence, data science, and machine learning, UW ECE alumna Arpita Ghosh Dacy (BSEE ’10) was introduced by a friend to beauty pageants, which led her down an unexpected road that culminated in being crowned Mrs. Universe America 2023–24. Photo by Jasmeet K Photography
UW ECE alumna Arpita Ghosh Dacy (BSEE ‘10) is a person who doesn’t limit herself. She is enthusiastic about trying new things and has learned first-hand the value of stepping outside her comfort zone. This was demonstrated early in her career, when she worked with cutting-edge technologies that were considered risky and unproven in the marketplace but later became widely adopted. Her openness to new experiences in both her business and personal life continues today.
Three years ago, after almost a decade in a successful career developing products built on artificial intelligence, data science, and machine learning, Dacy was introduced by a friend to beauty pageants, which led her down an unexpected road that culminated in being crowned Mrs. Universe America 2023–24. Now, in addition to taking on this new role while continuing to work in a leadership position at Amazon, Dacy gives back to a wide range of charitable organizations by volunteering her time as a workshop and program leader, mentor, and motivational speaker.
“When I first started to work in artificial intelligence 10 years ago, it was a very new field, and working primarily in machine learning and AI was thought by many to be a risk. But just look at how these areas are booming now! So, taking that chance, that calculated risk led by curiosity, paid off,” Dacy said. “I think it’s never too late to learn something new about yourself and explore new things. When I first entered beauty pageants, I stepped way outside of my comfort zone. But it was amazing. It broadened my point of view, and I grew as a person.”
Technical leader at Amazon
In the Alexa Kids Experience team at Amazon, Dacy leads development of a wide range of products from concept to delivery that are designed to help children play, learn, and grow. Shown above, Alexa Echo Dot devices that look and talk like owls and dragons. Photo courtesy of Amazon.
At Amazon, Dacy is a senior technical program manager in the Alexa Kids Experience team. There, she leads development of a wide range of products from concept to delivery that are designed to help children play, learn, and grow. Most recently, her team has been launching pioneering Alexa features, such as the “Hey Disney!” voice assistant, kid-friendly character voices for Alexa, and Explore with Alexa — Amazon’s very first conversational feature for kids that leverages Alexa’s large language model technology to present fun facts and trivia questions.
Dacy said that products such as these are designed to inspire a child’s creativity, curiosity, and imagination. For example, Alexa applications, such as Amazon Math, are designed to help kids build basic math skills, interactive books encourage creative thinking and reading, and Morning Routines help children foster independence by building their own routine for starting the day.
“Alexa Kids aims to provide an engaging learning experience for kids,” Dacy said. “My daughter loves the kid-friendly Alexa features, and I love what a safe and engaging educational resource they have been for our family.”
As a technical program manager and a mother of a seven-year-old daughter who uses Alexa and Echo devices, Dacy said that safety was paramount. She also said that she enjoys the transparency Alexa Kids provides in monitoring her own child’s activity and is proud to help bring that vision of greater transparency to her everyday work.
Mrs. Universe America
On December 10, 2023, Dacy was crowned Mrs. Universe America 2023–24 at the 11th annual Global Women Festival hosted by AmPowering in Seattle, Washington. In October, she will compete for the Mrs. Universe 2024 worldwide title in Incheon, South Korea. Photo by Jasmeet K Photography.
In fact, it was Dacy’s daughter, Aishani, who was instrumental in bringing her into beauty pageants. Dacy was first introduced to this world in 2021 by a friend who invited her to attend a pageant sponsored by AmPowering, a non-profit organization founded by Menka Soni, which is committed to empowering women and youth, enriching families, and transforming communities. At the event, Dacy noticed that there were opportunities for children to participate in fashion shows and pageants. After talking with Aishani and learning that she was excited about getting involved, Dacy took her to get a headshot done for a Macy’s Kids segment in the North America Fashion Week show. As they were leaving the photoshoot, a modeling coach noticed Dacy and insisted she have her photo taken as well. From there, Dacy was discovered by the modeling industry, and designers reached out, encouraging her to participate in modeling and beauty pageants. So, Dacy took the plunge and ended up achieving a whirlwind string of successes. On December 10, 2023, she won the national title and was crowned Mrs. Universe America 2023–24 at the 11th annual Global Women Festival hosted by AmPowering in Seattle, Washington. In October, Dacy will compete for the Mrs. Universe 2024 worldwide title in Incheon, South Korea.
The experience of participating in beauty pageants pushed Dacy far outside her comfort zone.
“I have no modeling or pageantry background. I come from engineering, a tech background,” Dacy said. “A good thing about AmPowering’s pageant process is that it has a lot of mentors and training. My coach, Shivani Singh (co-founder of Coachnista), taught me everything I know about pageant presentations. There’s so much that goes into this, and I’m still her student, prepping for Mrs. Universe worldwide.”
During her reign as Mrs. Universe America, Dacy discovered that success in this venue opened doors and created experiences that otherwise would not have been possible for her. Since earning her title, she’s been invited to more events to talk about her life in engineering and balancing roles as a tech leader, mother, and mentor. She also has been able to promote her Mrs. Universe America platform, which is focused on empowering women, and in particular, women in STEM fields.
A mentor who gives back to the community
In keeping with her Mrs. Universe America platform, Dacy is passionate about supporting women and providing them with the tools they need to succeed. In addition to AmPowering, she is involved in several other charitable organizations that help women, including Helen’s Place women’s shelter, the New Bethlehem Project for families, and API Chaya. In 2023, she spoke at the Grace Hopper Conference for Women in Technology and mentored many individuals involved with the organization. She also is a mentor and speaker for women at Amazon and provides learning and discussion sessions focused on achieving better work-life balance.
At the UW, Dacy has been involved with Women Engineers Rise, or WE Rise, in the UW College of Engineering since she was an undergraduate student. Today, she is a professional advisory board member in the organization, mentors students, and recently spoke at the WE Rise annual conference as well as the We Rise 2024 Graduation Celebration and Thank You Celebration Tea. She is also a professional alumni member in the UW chapter of the Sigma Lambda Gamma National Sorority, which she has been actively involved with since her undergraduate years. Other organizations Dacy was affiliated with while attending the UW include the Society of Women Engineers and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars.
“Being a woman of color and in the STEM field, sometimes imposter syndrome looms large. But when you get these opportunities to meet others who have crossed these barriers and are making it, that is huge.” — UW ECE alumna Arpita Ghosh Dacy (BSEE ’10)
As an undergraduate student at UW ECE, Dacy performed electrical and biomedical engineering research, tutored pre-engineering students in math and science, and graduated on the Dean’s List. She said that Cathryne Jordan, from the CoE’s Office of Inclusive Excellence, was her academic adviser and an influential mentor during this time. Since then, Jordan has remained a mentor and friend to Dacy for over 18 years.
“Being a woman of color and in the STEM field, sometimes imposter syndrome looms large. But when you get these opportunities to meet others who have crossed these barriers and are making it, that is huge,” Dacy said. “I will forever be grateful to Cathryne for providing me with guidance and opportunities when I was an undergrad and then inviting me to come back and talk to students as an alumna and industry executive.”
Looking ahead, Dacy said she would like to continue the trajectory she is on, working with products built on AI and new technologies. She is aiming to develop and innovate products that can improve and enhance people’s lives and leverage AI’s capabilities for good. She is particularly interested in large language models and how that technology could be applied in the marketplace. She is also looking forward to representing America this fall at the Mrs. Universe 2024 worldwide pageant.
When asked what advice she might give to students in engineering and STEM, Dacy was forthright and emphasized the importance of courage.
“Do not be afraid, and don’t let imposter syndrome get in the way of your success. Try to find mentors and join groups and organizations that uplift you,” she said. “Step out of your comfort zone. Don’t be afraid to take a risk. Don’t let negativity stop you. Stretch your potential.”
More information about Arpita Ghosh Dacy can be found on her personal website and at her LinkedIn profile.