Attendees at the ACM-W Celebration of Women in Computing. http://azerbaijan.acm.org/womencourage
The first ever ACM-W Celebration of Women in Computing in Azerbaijan was held at ADA University on 30 April. Just two days before the university was hosting the UN-sponsored International Girls in ICT Day. Visitors were puzzled by the question posted next to a life-size figure of a Victorian age lady: “Do you know who she is? You may take her photo and image-search in Google or you may come here on Saturday, 30 April at 14:00”. Taking selfies and posing with her, not many recognized Ada Lovelace – the first programmer in the human history.
Azerbaijan ACM Chapter with support from ADA University and ACM-W Europe brought together more than 80 students, researchers and professionals from academia and industry to celebrate women in computing, as well as promote ACM-W Europe Celebration of Women in Computing: womENcourage 2016 conference. ACM-W Europe chair Reyyan Ayfer, who traveled to Baku, set the tone for motivational speeches in the first part of the event. Other speakers presenting their personal story of a woman in computing included a highly decorated academician, who back in 1970’s took a challenge of studying in one of the leading research centres abroad, an honorary engineer, who serves as director of technologies in a local industry leader, an entrepreneur, who is actively promoting women participation through the Femmes Digitales club, and two sisters from a province, who won the 2nd prize in the global finals of Microsoft Imagine Cup competition last year. After the break two potential entries for womENcourage conference were presented to the panel to get their feedback.
The positive atmosphere and active open discussions encouraged the participants increased the participation through the extended schedule. Two nation-wide television channels and a popular internet radio aired reports about the gathering. The post-event survey showed that more than 70% of respondents rated it as outstanding, the rest as an excellent event.