Valerie Barr is professor and chair of Computer Science at Union College, Schenectady, New York. She directs the ACM-W Scholarships for Attendance at Research Conferences program for women students in computer science and related fields. "Unlike other funding sources, we do not require that the student be planning to present a paper or poster at the conference," says Valerie. "We believe that, at key points in a student's academic progress, exposure to the CS research world can be an important factor that encourages a student to continue on to the next level." Where high school students demonstrate an exceptional interest in pursuing study and research in CS, they are also considered for conference support.

ACM-W will award 20 scholarships each year, of up to $500 each. "We also encourage the student's home department to match the scholarship award and recognize the student's achievement locally within her department," says Valerie. Two recent recipients of these scholarships are Meg Dickey-Kurdziolek and Shaimaa Lazem of Virginia Tech.

SIGGRAPH, Wireless Networks, and Computer and Communications Security are just some examples of conferences Valerie has been instrumental in helping these young women attend.

Read student testimonials of their conference experiences on Valerie's Report Back web site.

More information, including upcoming application deadlines, can be found on the scholarship page.