May is Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month and GE Research is celebrating by talking about supportive work environments that promote diversity and foster growth. GE employees who identify as Asian Pacific Islander (API) have created a great community through GE's Asian Pacific Allies & Friends (APAF) employee resource group (ERG). Here's what some of our API community here at GE Research had to say about the importance of Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month.
Voramon Dheeradhada
Senior Scientist – Metallurgy
Materials & Mechanical Systems
Why is allyship from others important? How do GE employee resource groups like APAF help?
Allyship is extremely important. Allyship creates a sense of community among those who are supportive of each other, despite their many differences, and helps to promote inclusiveness in the workplace. GE's APAF has three key missions: we are family; we lift each other up; and we give back. ERG organizations such as APAF help to foster a sense of community and of inclusiveness. Allyship helps by providing a support system for each other both personally and professionally.
What has been your involvement in APAF and what do you think these employee resource groups bring to GE?
I have been involved with APAF since I joined GE 15 years ago and the experience has been very rewarding. APAF provides a strong sense of community and really listens to the needs of its members. APAF creates a safe place where one can grow to be a leader. The network, connections, and relationships forged through APAF have been invaluable to me. APAF makes our GE community stronger and this benefits both GE and our APAF members.
Rajib Datta
Chief Engineer
Electrical Systems
What does Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month mean to you and how is your own heritage reflected in honoring the API community?
American/Pacific American Heritage month is a special time of the year when we reflect on our rich and diverse cultural heritage and share it with the broader community. It is more about inclusivity and the exchange of ideas. We all bring our own individual experiences growing up in different parts of the world, but when you listen to each other's stories, you realize at their core, they are not very different. I grew up in Kolkata, formally Calcutta, a large city in the northeastern part of India. When I talk to my colleagues and friends who had grown up around the same time in Shanghai or Singapore or Seoul, I find interesting similarities in our experiences. Honoring the API community allows me to go back to my roots and to feel proud about it.
How important is allyship from others? How do networks like APAF help?
It is essential to our growth, both personally and professionally. A lot of what we do within APAF is build relationships and discuss common issues and interests. Sometimes just creating awareness in the broader community helps. The common theme in networks like APAF is helping each other, which can also help the broader community understand relevant issues in our community.
What has been your involvement in APAF and what do you think these employee resource groups bring to GE?
I lead volunteering activities for the GE Research Chapter of APAF. Organizations like APAF strengthen our strong sense of belonging to the GE community. They broaden our understanding of the rich and diverse culture within the GE family. No one can deny that knowing people personally helps build much stronger professional relationships. APAF and similar networks are catalysts for creating bonds and making our community tighter, healthier, and more impactful to GE.
Lijun He
Senior Electrical Engineer
Electrical Systems
What does Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month mean to you and how is your own heritage reflected in honoring the API community?
Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month is a time to honor the history of Asian American and Pacific Islanders and showcase how these amazing communities have contributed economically, socially, and culturally to the country. I was born and grew up in Xi'an, one of the oldest cities in China, with a history spanning more than 3,000 years. I came to the US to pursue graduate studies and joined GE Research with a PhD in electrical engineering. I have been deeply influenced by my parents; they are humble and strong. My parents have taught me to live every day to the fullest, appreciate every opportunity, to learn from the people around me, to keep exploring the unknown, and to always reach for the stars.
How important is allyship from others? How do networks like APAF help?
There are so many talented and amazing employees at GE Research. Employee resource groups like APAF can help employees, especially new hires, get more involved in our research family. The pandemic has made our lives very challenging for the past two-plus years, but these ERGs have played a significant role in keeping us engaged and bonded outside of our daily work. With strong support from our leadership team, the APAF has organized several in-person and virtual networking events, which helped bring our APAF community closer.
What has been your involvement in APAF and what do you think these employee resource groups bring to GE?
Currently, I am leading professional development initiatives for the GE Research Chapter of APAF. Last year, I led membership engagement initiatives of the chapter and we were able to expand our APAF community by almost 15%! I enjoy working with APAF and helping our researchers build and expand their professional networks; get valuable career guidance and advice from their peers and leaders and connecting with the APAF community. To me, APAF is like a family. The more we support, share with, and give back to each other, the stronger we as a company will be.
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