U-RISE – Professor Sue Black OBE: Rewriting the Rules of Tech and Empowerment
By Fuzzy Kara-Isitt
Professor Sue Black OBE transformed a night-school maths class into a computer-science career that reshaped the landscape of women’s inclusion in technology. Today, she stands among the UK’s most influential technologists as a social entrepreneur, academic, and advocate for women in tech. From rebuilding her life to rebuilding Bletchley Park, her story captures the power of perseverance at the heart of this month’s U-RISE feature.
An Unconventional Beginning That Sparked a Movement
Professor Sue Black is a name with many chapters: computer scientist, social entrepreneur, and tireless advocate for women in technology. But before the accolades, her path was far from conventional.
Born in 1962 in Fareham, Hampshire, she left school at 16 and was married with three children by 23. After leaving an abusive marriage, she found refuge in a women’s shelter and began rebuilding her life. Determined to achieve financial independence, she enrolled in a night-school Polymaths course – two A-level maths equivalents in a single year. One section introduced her to programming in BASIC.
I didn’t fully understand what I was doing, but I found it exciting. I thought there was more opportunity in computing than in maths – so I applied for a computer-science degree.
That decision changed everything. Sue earned her degree at London South Bank University and, in 2001, completed a PhD in Software Engineering on ripple-effect measures in code-change impact analysis. Her early academic career included roles at University College London and the University of Westminster before joining Durham University, where she is now Professor of Computer Science & Technology Evangelist.
She went on to found BCSWomen (1998), spearhead the public campaign that saved Bletchley Park, and launch #techmums and TechUPWomen, programmes that have transformed the careers and confidence of hundreds of women across the UK – even, as she notes, “literally saved a life or two.”
She was also actively involved in ACM-W in its early days:
I was at a strategic meeting right at the beginning of ACM-W to help set the direction. So, I’ve sort of been in from a long time ago – starting in an all-day meeting in New York.
Her contribution to that foundational period is recognised in the ACM publication Rendering History: The Women of ACM-W, which documents the organisation’s early mission and the women who helped shape its growth. Hence, my extra pride and honour in interviewing her as the first unconventional guest U-RISEr.
Honours That Reflect a Life of Impact
In her “This Is Engineering” profile, Sue Black is recognised for her perseverance and leadership in the campaign to save Bletchley Park. Her public awareness efforts helped secure £4.1 million in Heritage Lottery funding to preserve the historic site, where 75% of the staff were women. As a Professor at Durham University, she has also been credited with doubling the number of female engineering students through her ongoing advocacy and outreach.
Her impact has been recognised through numerous national and international honours, including:
- Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) – Queen’s New Year Honours (2016)
- ABIE Social Impact Award – Grace Hopper Celebration (2024)
- TechWomen100 Lifetime Achievement Award (2023)
- Diversity Powerlist Top 100 (2022)
- Les Margarets European Intrapreneur of the Year (2022)
- British Airways #BA100 – Top 100 Britons (2019)
- BIMA Hall of Fame Inductee (2018)
- Most Influential Women in UK IT – Computer Weekly (multiple years)
- John Ivinson Award (BCS) (2009)
Beyond these distinctions, she continues to shape the technology landscape through leadership and mentorship. She is Deputy President of the British Computer Society, a trustee of Comic Relief, and an active mentor in the Women in Tech Power Network, a global accelerator for women advancing AI expertise. As the founder of TechUPWomen and creator of #techmums, she has championed digital inclusion and career re-entry pathways for women. Her achievements have earned her recognition among the Top 20 Most Influential People in UK Tech (Computer Weekly) and the Top 50 Women in Tech (Forbes).
Empowering Communities, Transforming Futures
In 1998, Sue founded BCSWomen, the UK’s first specialist network for women in computing within the British Computer Society, at a time when diversity networks were rare. Her initiative became a lifeline for visibility and mentorship. A decade later, she spearheaded the campaign to save Bletchley Park, the historic home of WWII codebreakers, many of whom were women—including women of colour. By mobilising early social-media advocacy (then still novel), she drew public and government attention to the site’s decay. The success of this campaign not only preserved a national treasure but re-ignited recognition of women’s overlooked contributions to computing history. Her bestselling crowdfunded book Saving Bletchley Park (2015) documents that journey.
Through her podcast 100 Moments That Rocked Computer Science, Sue continues to amplify diverse voices and ensure women and people of colour occupy equal space in tech storytelling.
It’s not just men who made computing history. I try to ensure at least 50% of the experts on my podcast are women or people of colour. We must reflect the world as it really is.
In 2013, she founded #techmums, a social-enterprise programme teaching digital literacy to mothers from under-represented backgrounds, followed by TechUPWomen, a re-training initiative for women pivoting into tech. At Durham, TechUPWomen has already upskilled almost 600 women across the UK, producing measurable social mobility: an average salary uplift of £6,000 (£11,000 for those entering from low-income brackets). “We’ve literally changed lives,” she says. “Confidence, financial stability, independence – all through community and access. And that’s priceless.”
“I’ve spent years learning how to make things happen,” she says. “Now I want to maximise that. I know what works, and I want to get it to as many women as possible.” Her next chapter is about scale. TechUPWomen continues to grow, with new cohorts training as software engineers, data scientists, and IT professionals across the UK and internationally. Sue is now exploring global collaborations. “We’ve even had early conversations with partners in Bangladesh,” she adds, smiling.
When asked what she’d say to women who feel they’ve “missed their moment” to enter tech, Sue’s answer is simple:
It’s never too late. Every field now touches technology, such as finance, medicine, art, and the most exciting jobs are at the intersections. Whatever your age or background, there’s a place for you.
Lessons in Resilience and Leadership
Her unconventional route, she believes, built resilience and insight.
If you haven’t had a straight path, you’ve had to overcome barriers. Every different job adds richness. I’ve been a student nurse, worked in a record company, and worked in accounts – all of that shapes how I lead today.
Being the only woman in the room often demanded adaptation. “Sometimes I’d say something, and no one would respond – then a man would rephrase it and suddenly it was a great idea. You learn to adapt – not by pretending to be someone else, but by being assertive enough to be heard.”
She explains it’s not so much men versus women, it is culture: “We’ve all grown up in systems that undervalue women.” As the only woman in the room, one learns to adapt: to be assertive, strategic, and supportive of each other. She believes representation is the tipping point for real change. “Once you’ve got about 30% women in a room, the dynamic shifts. You stop being a token and start being a voice.”
Advice for the Next Generation and to Her Younger Self
She encourages women to build circles of genuine support, to pursue the passions that ignite their curiosity, and to trust their instincts even when the road ahead feels uncertain. Her humility and authenticity are her anchor. Her own experience fuels the empathy at the heart of her work, as evident from her life and all that she advocates. Courage, she believes, begins with connection — surrounding yourself with people who remind you of your strength and walking boldly toward what inspires you most.
Sue’s message carries a quiet conviction: find the people who lift you, but keep doing the work that lights you up, and listen to the voice within that knows the way forward. In a world that often doubts or distracts, her reminder is simple yet profound: our best compass is still our intuition, guided by passion and purpose.
You can do it—whatever you want. You really can. If you can’t find those people [people who lift you] nearby, find them online. Stay true to yourself – no one knows you better than you. Think about what you truly want from life. Don’t get distracted by what others expect.
Sue’s unconventional route didn’t just transform her life—it created pathways for thousands of others. Now in her sixties and having the wonderful role of being a loving grandmother to six grandchildren, Sue remains unstoppable and laughs at the idea of retirement. “Why would I stop doing what I love?” then adds with a naughty giggle and a twinkle in her eye, “I might work a little less one day – but I’ll never stop entirely.”
Her trademark spiky red hair still seems to shout, “Watch out, world — Sue’s on her way to save the day!” She’s every bit the true unconventional punk rocker — not for rebellion’s sake, but because, in her world, lifting UP other women with new opportunities in Tech with kindness is the new punk rock for her – a nod to the spirit echoed in the new Superman film where it’s always Lois who saves the day!
We ended the interview with a smile as I asked her what the next crazy, unconventional route might be. She laughed and pointed to her latest venture — the Women in Tech Power Network. A community built by a woman, and for women to help them grow in confidence, master new technologies, and lift one another higher.
The real power lies not in rising alone, but in lifting each other up — especially through the moments that test us most. Her work today continues to echo the same commitment to empowerment, equity, and social impact that first defined her campaign to save Bletchley Park. For me, this conversation wasn’t just an interview — it was a reminder of why I chose this field in the first place: to keep connecting, learning, and lifting others as we rise together. Because in the end, every unconventional route could lead to another woman’s rise.
What a legend and role model Sue is, and what a treat and inspiration it was to have this one-on-one conversation with this shero. Rock on, Sue!
Connect with Professor Sue Black OBE
Linkedin: Sue Black
Passions: TechUPWomen and Women in Tech Power Network
Book: Saving Bletchley Park
Keep walking your winding route, keep writing your code, and keep inspiring the next generation – because every U-RISE begins with an unconventional step. Share your own journey with us and help spark the next rise.
References
- Wikipedia – Sue Black (computer scientist). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sue_Black_(computer_scientist)
- Durham University Profile – Professor Sue Black OBE. https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/sue-black/
- STEMettes Zine – Meet Dr Sue Black OBE. https://stemettes.org/zine/articles/meet-dr-sue-black-obe/
- Sue Black Official Website – Biography. https://sueblack.co.uk/bio/
- Guardian staff reporter (2012) Tech Weekly Podcast: Sue Black on the campaign to save Bletchley Park, the Guardian. The Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/audio/2012/nov/14/tech-weekly-sue-black (Accessed: 30 October 2025).
- Guardian staff reporter (2015) Technology still has a problem with women – but change is in the air, the Guardian. The Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/jul/13/technology-women-gender-inequality (Accessed: 30 October 2025).
- Ferguson, D. (2018) From women’s refuge to evangelistic Durham professor of tech, the Guardian. The Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2018/nov/20/women-refuge-durham-professor-tech-sue-black (Accessed: 30 October 2025).
- BCSWomen – History and Founding (1998). https://www.bcs.org/membership-and-registrations/member-communities/bcswomen-specialist-group/news-and-conversations/bcswomen-founder-sue-black-interviewed-at-apps-world/
- Comic Relief Trustees. https://www.comicrelief.com/about-comic-relief/dr-sue-black/
- Canberra Cyber Conference 2025 Speakers – “Professor Sue Black OBE.” https://canberra2025.cyberconference.com.au/speakers/sue-black-v2cac
- Durham University Repository – Saving Bletchley Park (Worktribe). https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/person/211084/sue-black
- Computer Weekly – “Most Influential Women in UK IT.” https://noelgay.com/2025/07/professor-sue-black-obe-in-computer-weeklys-top-most-influential-people-in-uk-tech/
- ACM Digital Library – Rendering History: The Women of ACM-W. DOI: 10.1145/3640508
- This is Engineering – Royal Academy of Engineering. https://thisisengineering.org.uk/heroes/professor-sue-black/