ACM-W: Supporting, celebrating, and advocating for Women in Computing

ACM-W advocates internationally for the full engagement of women in all aspects of the computing field, providing a wide range of programs and services to ACM members and working in the larger community to advance the contributions of technical women.

Recent News

  • ACM Women at Computing Education Research conferences: ICER and UKICER 

    By Adriana Wilde, ACM-W Communication co-chair, and Arati Dixit, ACM-W Regional Activities, co-chair Earlier this year (12-15 August 2024), as representatives of ACM Women, we had the privilege of attending the 20th ACM Conference on International Computing Education Research (ICER, https://icer2024.acm.org/), organised by RMIT in Melbourne, Australia. ICER brings together researchers from all over the…

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Chair’s corner – Bushra Anjum

Bushra Anjum, ACM-W Co-Chair

Being appointed as the Global Co-Chair of ACM-W is not only an honor but also carries a deep sense of responsibility. I have been a part of the academic and professional computing world for years, and this is a chance for me to give back to the community that has supported my own journey. 

Associations like ACM-W are instrumental in advocating for women in computing by providing supportive networks and mentorship opportunities. For over 30 years, ACM-W has been dedicated to raising the visibility of women’s achievements in STEM through scholarships, professional development programs, and events that celebrate women’s contributions to technology.

As a Fulbright scholar from Pakistan, I was fortunate to experience firsthand the transformative power of traveling and cross-cultural exchange. I have learned that fostering international collaboration and mutual understanding is the key to addressing the global gender disparities in computing. As the Global Co-Chair, I aim to leverage these experiences to create opportunities for women in computing to build international networks and expand their horizons beyond local contexts. I am fortunate to have Rukiye Altin as my partner in this important journey.

Going forward, my primary focus as co-chair is to reinvigorate our Professional Chapters initiative. We opened a call for nominations last month for the committee members and have received a tremendous response. We are still working on finalizing our committee, and if you or someone you know would be a good fit, we encourage you to apply using this link.

I will also be diligently working to expand our presence and activities in emerging regions like Asia Pacific, Africa, and South America. This will require strategic planning and securing funding, but with the support of the ACM-W Global leadership team, I am confident we can drive this growth.

At the same time, our commitment to celebrating women will remain center stage. On that front, I am pleased to announce that the Rising Star Award 2024-25 nominations are now open. Rising Star recognizes a woman whose early-career research has had a significant impact on the computing discipline. Self-nominations are encouraged! Please see this link for details.

As we continue this journey, my executive team and I look forward to building upon ACM-W’s incredible legacy and championing initiatives that foster inclusion, inspire new talent, and drive meaningful change in the global tech landscape.

Our Mission

ACM-W’s core mission is to celebrate, inform, and support women in computing.

Celebrate

ACM-W members are welcome to host and join events such as Celebrations of Women in Computing. ACM-W also encourages its members nominate women for awards, including the Athena Award & Lecture and ACM Advanced Grade Membership.

Inform

Through ACM-W’s student scholarship program, women are informed about ongoing research and become acquainted with researchers in their field. Members of ACM-W Student Chapters gain exposure to educational and career opportunities.

Support

Follow our newsletter and social media to stay updated on the latest ACM-W events and ways you can get involved. Lend your enthusiasm, inspiration, and support to ACM-W, and help make a difference in the global computing community.

Corporate Supporters

We are very grateful for the support and generosity of our corporate sponsors. At present, ACM-W has funding from Oracle (through Oracle Academy), Microsoft Research, and Google for our scholarships, from Two Sigma for the Athena Lecturer Award, and continuing support from Microsoft Research for the celebrations and for community college-related activities.

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