BCSWomen is a Specialist Group of the
British Computer Society
Sir Maurice Wilkes served as the first President of BCS in 1957
BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, known as the British Computer Society until 2009, is a professional body and a learned society that represents those working in infor ...
, The Chartered Institute for IT, that provides networking opportunities for all BCS professional women working in IT around the world, as well as mentoring and encouraging girls and women to enter or return to IT as a career. Founded by Dr
Sue Black, the Chair of BCSWomen is Andrea Palmer. BCSWomen has the aim of supporting women working in and considering a career in
Information Technology
Information technology (IT) is the use of computers to create, process, store, retrieve, and exchange all kinds of data . and information. IT forms part of information and communications technology (ICT). An information technology system (I ...
.
The group was founded in 2001. It has more than a thousand members and an active mailing list. Activities include meetings, networking, and mentoring. They organise the Undergraduate Lovelace Colloquium for undergraduate women in computing, a one-day conference which started in Leeds in 2008 and now moves around the UK. named in honour of
Ada Lovelace
Augusta Ada King, Countess of Lovelace (''née'' Byron; 10 December 1815 – 27 November 1852) was an English mathematician and writer, chiefly known for her work on Charles Babbage's proposed mechanical general-purpose computer, the A ...
, often regarded as the first computer programmer. The colloquium is for U.K. university women students studying Computing and related subjects. It was started by Dr
Hannah Dee
Hannah-Mary Dee is a British cognitive scientist and computer scientist specialising in computer vision, with specialisms in plant science, navigation, art, and medical imaging. In 2014, she was one of 30 women identified by the British Co ...
, who continues to play a key role in its organisation every year. Many BCSWomen also participate in the annua
London Hopper Colloquium which showcases exciting work of women in computing research and enables new PhD researchers to meet with each other as well as with senior women computer scientists.
Grace Hopper
Grace Brewster Hopper (; December 9, 1906 – January 1, 1992) was an American computer scientist, mathematician, and United States Navy Rear admiral (United States), rear admiral. One of the first programmers of the Harvard Mark I, Harvard Mar ...
was a pioneering American computer scientist.
BCSWomen organise other events for women in computing both technical and social, such as day trips to computer-related sites such as
Bletchley Park
Bletchley Park is an English country house and estate in Bletchley, Milton Keynes ( Buckinghamshire) that became the principal centre of Allied code-breaking during the Second World War. The mansion was constructed during the years following ...
.
Awards
Gillian Arnold
Gillian Arnold is a Northern Irish botanical artist, now living in County Durham, England. She creates paintings using a monotype technique which she developed over twenty years to print pressed flowers onto her textile canvasses. She uses thi ...
, Chair of BCSWomen, was invited to Korea on 27 October 2014 to receive the Gender Equality Main Streaming - Technology (GEM-TECH) award on behalf of the BCS and BCSWomen.
This achievement award of the ITU -
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...
Women Joint Award, was for "Promoting Women in ICT Sector" and encouraging women to enter the computing sector and to encourage and support them during their careers.
Current and past chairs
* 2001–2008
Dr Sue Black
* 2008–2011
Dr Karen Petrie
* 2011–2015
Gillian Arnold
Gillian Arnold is a Northern Irish botanical artist, now living in County Durham, England. She creates paintings using a monotype technique which she developed over twenty years to print pressed flowers onto her textile canvasses. She uses thi ...
* 2015–2020
Sarah Burnett
* 2020-current
See also
*
Women in computing
Women in computing were among the first programmers in the early 20th century, and contributed substantially to the industry. As technology and practices altered, the role of women as programmers has changed, and the recorded history of the fiel ...
References
{{reflist, 30em
External links
BCSWomen website
BCS Specialist Groups
Information technology organisations based in the United Kingdom
Non-profit organisations based in the United Kingdom
Organizations established in 2001
Organizations for women in science and technology
Women's organisations based in the United Kingdom