In Memory of Barbora Buhnova
With deep sadness, we announce the passing of Barbora Buhnova, a valued member of our community. Her contributions to advancing women in computing have inspired us all, and her dedication will always be remembered.
Bara Buhnova was an Associate Professor and Vice-Dean at Masaryk University (MU), Faculty of Informatics (FI MU) in Brno. She co-founded Czechitas, a non-profit organisation aiming at making IT skills more accessible to youth and women, touching the lives of more than 30,000+ people. She was a member of multiple initiatives engaging more women in tech, including the Informatics Europe working group Women in Informatics Research and Education (WIRE), EUGAIN: European Network for Gender Balance in Informatics) reaching across the entire Europe. In September 2021, she served as the general chair of the 8th ACM Celebration of Women in Computing (womENcourage 2021), uniting women from interdisciplinary communities under the theme “Bridging communities to foster innovation.”
“Dear Bara, 12 hours have passed since I got the message that you are now an angel. In the beginning, I was without words and without tears. Now I have got words and tears. We met online each Tuesday, and each time, I was looking forward to your intelligent solutions, your empathy, your smile, and your laugh. I will always bring you with me, Bara. Many times, I have signed emails with “best wishes from Letizia and Bara.” It will be strange to be without you. I want to let your husband, children, and parents know how much I and the EUGAIN community love you.” Letizia Jaccheri
“Dear Bara, The first time I met you, I was amazed by your positivity and energy. We worked together for four years on the EUGAIN project, and you did an incredible job hosting the 8th womENcourage in 2021, even during the challenging times of the pandemic. Your kindness, wisdom, and passion for supporting women in computer science, starting from the earliest ages, will continue to inspire us and future generations. Although your physical presence is no longer with us, you will keep inspiring us and the young girls through the memories you’ve left behind. Rest in peace, dear Bara. You will be deeply missed.” Rukiye Altin
We extend our heartfelt condolences to Barbora’s family, friends, and all who had the privilege of working alongside her. She will be dearly missed but fondly remembered for her exceptional work and lasting impact.