Do you have intense feelings that your achievements are undeserved? 
Do you worry that you are likely to be exposed as a fraud? 
Do you feel that any success in your life can be attributed to pure luck or to the manipulation of other people's impressions? 
Do you worry that someday you will make an error that would blow your 'cover'? 

Impostor syndrome is the frequent feeling of not deserving one’s success, and of being of a failure despite a sustained record of achievements. Successful people often experience it throughout their careers, especially when they are members of a group that is underrepresented in their profession - such as female scientists or engineers. Research has shown that women in STEM disciplines hold themselves to higher standards than their male peers. It is also documented that when women and minorities fail, they are judged more harshly than their male counterparts. It is paramount to recognize that feeling incompetent and being incompetent are two different things. Impostor feelings have a way of festering silently for a long time, thanks to the difficulty of accurate self- assessment and the social stigma of asking for help.

Dr. Bushra Anjum will discuss her experiences of navigating her career from Pakistan to USA - both countries having their unique challenges for women and/or women in tech - in a seminar held on Wednesday June, 6 from 11 to 12 in Sala Luigi Ciminera, 5th floor of the Department of Control and Computer Engineering at Politecnico di Torino.

During the seminar, Dr. Anjum will share her views on the phenomenon of "feeling like a fraud" that is plaguing workplaces across the world, and how she believes we can counter self-doubt and embark on perseverance.

More information, with a short biography of Dr. Anjum, are availabe in the seminar announcement (PDF).