The main motivations were to try to leverage Google's expertise with large computer systems and to try to give something back to science

My most radical shift was leaving Intel and joining Google, a small startup at the time, even though I was pregnant.

The reason I like my job is that I have this desire to create. I have this desire to create things and build things, and Google has enabled me to build and create things and to build products that are used by people all over the globe.

Rarely are opportunities presented to you in a perfect way. In a nice little box with a yellow bow on top. 'Here, open it, it's perfect. You'll love it.' Opportunities -- the good ones -- are messy, confusing and hard to recognize. They're risky. They challenge you.

Today, most young women are exposed to technology at a very young age, with mobile phones, tablets, the Web or social media. They are much more proficient with technology than prior generations since they use it for all their school work, communication and entertainment.

Things are always changing. Part of being successful here is being comfortable with not knowing what's going to happen.

Let's face it: Engineering companies in general have more men than women. Google has tried really hard to recruit women. On the other hand, we have a standard. Google tries to recruit the best engineers.