Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing (GHC 2008)

ANITA BORG INSTITUTE ANNOUNCES 2008 SOCIAL IMPACT, TECHNICAL LEADERSHIP, AND DENICE DENTON EMERGING LEADER AWARD WINNERS

annieb — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 14:19:26 +0000

ANITA BORG INSTITUTE ANNOUNCES 2008 SOCIAL IMPACT, TECHNICAL LEADERSHIP, AND DENICE DENTON EMERGING LEADER AWARD WINNERS

Prominent Women in Technology to Be Honored at Awards Ceremony in Keystone, Colorado Oct 2nd 2008, During Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing

PALO ALTO, Calif. — Sept. 29, 2008 —The Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology (ABI) announced today the winners of this year’s Anita Borg Social Impact and Technical Leadership Awards and the Denice Denton Emerging Leader Award. The winners will be honored for their accomplishments and contributions to women in technology at an awards ceremony on October 2, 2008, during ABI’s 8th Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing in Keystone, Colorado.

The Anita Borg Social Impact Award honors an individual or team that has caused technology to have a positive impact on the lives of women and society or has caused women to have a significant impact on the design and use of technology. The 2008 award winner is BlogHer. Founded in February 2005 as a labor of love by bloggers Elisa Camahort Page, Jory Des Jardins, and Lisa Stone, BlogHer’s mission is to create opportunities for women who blog to pursue exposure, education, and community and economic empowerment. Today BlogHer provides the number-one community for and guide to blogs by women via annual conferences, a Web community, and blogging news hub. BlogHer offers a publishing syndicate of more than 2,200 qualified, contextually targeted blog affiliates. The Anita Borg Social Impact Award is underwritten by Microsoft.

The Anita Borg Technical Leadership Award is given to a woman who has inspired the women’s technology community through outstanding technological and social contributions. This year’s winner, AT&T Fellow Elaine Weyuker, has had a career of firsts: She was the first woman to receive a doctorate in computer science from Rutgers University; the first female faculty member at the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences at NYU; and is the only female AT&T Fellow. A leader in the software-engineering research community, Dr. Weyuker specializes in software testing, reliability assessment, metrics and measurement, and empirical studies; and is a fellow of both ACM and IEEE. The Anita Borg Technical Leadership Award is underwritten by Cisco.

The Denice Denton Award is given each year to a junior non-tenured faculty member under the age of 40 at an academic or research institution who is pursuing high-quality research in any field of engineering or physical sciences while contributing significantly to promoting diversity in his/her environment. The 2008 Denice Denton Award winner is Naomi Chesler, an associate professor in the department of biomedical engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. A leading researcher in biomedical engineering, Dr. Chesler has steadfastly pursued diversity and gender equity in engineering academia, both nationally and locally, while maintaining the highest standards of scholarly research. Her accomplishments can be summarized in terms of her application of engineering principles to improved diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease; her scholarship contributions to mentoring programs for women faculty in engineering; and her programmatics contributions to improving diversity in engineering. The Denice Denton Award is underwritten by Microsoft.

About the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology (ABI)
The Anita Borg Institute provides resources and programs to help industry, academia, and government recruit, retain, and develop women leaders in high-tech fields, resulting in higher levels of technological innovation. ABI programs serve high-tech women by creating a community and providing tools to help them develop their careers. ABI is a not-for-profit 501(c) 3 charitable organization. ABI Partners include: Google, Microsoft, HP, Sun Microsystems, Cisco, Intel, SAP, Juniper Networks, National Science Foundation, National Center for Women and Information Technology, IBM, Symantec, CA, NetApp, and Capgemini. For more information, visit www.anitaborg.org.

Media Contact:
Denise Nelson
Ventana Public Relations
925 837 6277 office
925 858 5198 mobile
denise.nelson@ventanapr.com

ANITA BORG INSTITUTE CHANGE AGENT AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED

annieb — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 16:09:12 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ANITA BORG INSTITUTE CHANGE AGENT AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED

Women from Turkey, Pakistan, and Kenya to Be Honored at Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing

PALO ALTO, Calif. — Sept. 22, 2008 —The Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology (ABI) today announced the three winners of the Anita Borg Change Agent Awards for 2008. These awards, underwritten by Google, honor technical women living and working outside the United States who work in their community to attract and support women in technology. This year’s winners — Reyyan Ayfer from Turkey, Zahara Khan from Pakistan, and Dorcas Muthoni from Kenya — are being recognized for their technical leadership and advocacy work.

The winners will be honored and will speak at the 2008 Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing in Keystone, Colorado, October 1-4, 2008.

Reyyan Ayfer is chair of the department of computer technology and programming of Bilkent University in Ankara Turkey. In addition, she is assistant chair of the department of computer and instructional technology for teacher education, general coordinator of the Bilkent Instruction Technology Support Team, and director of the Institutional Relations and History Unit. Through her role in the field of information technology education, Ayfer has dedicated her career to helping meet the demand for expertise in programming. She represents Turkey as an ambassador in the Association for Computing Machinery-Women and is leading students at Bilkent University who have formed the first international ACM-W Student Chapter.

A true believer in individual social responsibility and sustainable business models for development, Zahara Khan co-founded and became president of d.o.t.z Technologies. The software applications developed by d.o.t.z include e-stores, used to market the “one village, one product” products internationally; and e-Sehat, which provides basic health services to rural communities. In Pakistan, Khan has implemented many programs aimed at the inclusion of women in the ICT sector. She is currently CEO of Sehat First, a social venture targeted at delivering affordable quality basic health care across Pakistan through self-sustainable franchised telehealth centers.

Dorcas Muthoni is the CEO and founder of Openworld Ltd., an IT consultancy and professional development training firm which the Computer Society of Kenya honored as the Open Source Solution Provider of the Year in 2006. Openworld plays a key role in supporting bi-monthly technical community forum meetings. Muthoni has also worked to provide mentorship and guidance to women and girls in information and communications technologiesacross Africa. She is co-founder of LinuxChix Africa and has worked to encourage women and girls in Africa to develop careers in computing.

“These three women are real examples of how individuals can contribute to building a better world,” said Telle Whitney, CEO of the Anita Borg Institute. “We are delighted that all three are able to attend and will be speaking at the Grace Hopper Celebration. They are truly role models for all our attendees.”

The world’s largest gathering of women in computing in industry, academia, and government, the Grace Hopper Celebration (GHC) is a four-day technical conference designed to bring the research and career interests of women in computing to the forefront. Conference registration is open until September 27, 2008. For more information, go to www.gracehopper.org.

About the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology (ABI)
The Anita Borg Institute provides resources and programs to help industry, academia, and government recruit, retain, and develop women leaders in high-tech fields, resulting in higher levels of technological innovation. ABI programs serve high-tech women by creating a community and providing tools to help them develop their careers. ABI is a not-for-profit 501(c) 3 charitable organization. ABI Partners include: Google, Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, Sun Microsystems, Cisco, Intel, SAP, Juniper Networks, National Science Foundation, National Center for Women and Information Technology, IBM, Symantec, Computer Associates, NetApp, and Capgemini. For more information, visit www.anitaborg.org.

Media Contact
Anita Borg Institute
Jerri Barrett
650-857-6095
jerrib@anitaborg.org

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What you should bring to Keystone!

Amy — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 01:10:49 +0000

Business Cards   If you haven’t signed up with the CONNECT project, then it may be a good idea to bring some printed business cards. CONNECT is sponsored by ACM-W and funded by NSF. Even if you are a student, it is always a good to have business cards with you so you can network like a professional. Otherwise, it is a great idea for everyone to sign themselves up with CONNECT. Just fill out a questionnaire , specifying your networking goals, and then make sure to find a CONNECT SCANNER when you are ready to share your information with a colleague at the conference. By participating in this, you will receive emails every night updating you regarding how you are progressing on meeting your networking goals. Then, when the Conference is over, all the information about the contacts you have met will be emailed to you.

Resume   Make sure to not only bring copies of your resume, but also to upload your resume into our resume database so that employers can take a look at it from now until December. Your resume will also come in handy for the Resume Clinic taking place on Wednesday, October 1st, sponsored by Cisco.

Layers   The weather in Keystone will definitely require layers. If it’s chilly outside, you’re going to be a little too warm wearing your favorite wool sweater when inside. Instead, wear layers that can be added or removed depending on the weather. That means long sleeve t-shirts, sweatshirts, coats, etc. Also, don’t forget gloves, hats, and scarves. You never know what the weather will have in store for you.

Walking Shoes Since Keystone is arranged over six neighborhoods, high heels might not be the best shoes to get around in. Instead, you might want to go for some walking shoes or boots. This way, you’ll be spending more time enjoying what’s going on than in terrible pain!

Your Favorite Party Clothes The Grace Hopper Celebration itself has no specific dress code. However, for the reception and awards ceremony you have the opportunity to dress up a little if you feel like it. However, this is by no means a rule. We at GHC are there to celebrate who you are- a technology woman. Feel free to be yourself, no matter what you’re wearing. Also, there will be dancing, so don’t forget those dancing shoes

Since Keystone is arranged over six neighborhoods, high heels might not be the best shoes to get around in. Instead, you might want to go for some walking shoes or boots. This way, you’ll be spending more time enjoying what’s going on than in terrible pain! The Grace Hopper Celebration itself has no specific dress code. However, for the reception and awards ceremony you have the opportunity to dress up a little if you feel like it. However, this is by no means a rule. We at GHC are there to celebrate who you are- a technology woman. Feel free to be yourself, no matter what you’re wearing. Also, there will be dancing, so don’t forget those dancing shoes

Grace Hopper Bloggers Go Live!

kathyg — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 21:59:50 +0000

On August 4, 2008 we launched our new Grace Hopper Bloggers site, where conference presenters and bloggers share their plans for the Grace Hopper Celebration and invite your input. Here are a few highlights from our first week.

Researcher S. Revi Sterling gets things started with a pre-Keystone discussion on ICTD (Information and Communications Technology for Development) as a means to benefit society. Revi and her co-presenters for the GHC panel Having Global Impact as a Technical Woman invite you to join them in a forum they’ve created for pre-conference discussion on ICTD. Over the weeks to come they’ll post research and travel blogs from Africa, background on their work in the developing world, and invite your questions and input.

Next are two of our official GHC bloggers. Graduate student Kate Tsoukalas, co-presenter of the Birds of a Feather (BoF) session Student Groups Networking + Integrating Ideas = Together We Can Make a Better World. Kate shares her excitement about the conference, the BoF (and how she found her global collaborators!) in 3(.5) Reasons I’m Looking Forward to this Year’s Grace Hopper Conference. DePauw student Ed (nee Erin) introduces herself and describes some of the GHC sessions she’s most looking forward to in Hi, My Name is Ed.

Watch for more Grace Hopper Bloggers posts in the coming weeks, including two presenters whose sessions are on Ed’s short list. Next week you’ll hear from Jerri Barrett, who’s leading the conference Resume Clinic. Later in August you’ll hear from Jo Miller, who’s presenting our Wednesday Networking Events. And more of our official bloggers will introduce themselves.

Please continue to watch http://gracehopper.org/2008/news/ for official conference news. Then come on over to http://ghcbloggers.blogspot.com and join the discussion!

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A Better Way to CONNECT at GHC!

Amy — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 19:37:57 +0000

It is a known fact that women who have robust networks don’t need to find their next step on the career path, the opportunities present themselves! At this years’ GHC we have implemented the CONNECT project to help you set networking goals for yourself and we will help you achieve them!

CONNECT helps GHC participants build long term relationships with other
attendees - Free
Sign up now

CONNECT is a research project designed to explore techie ways to help
people make and maintain meaningful relationships from casual encounters.
By participating you will be able to record and access connections you
make at the conference. You will receive tips, motivation, and support
for improving the value of connections you make. Learn More …

Your Best Job Ever Begins Here!

Amy — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 22:22:45 +0000

GHC 2008 Resume Database Submission

Looking for that next job on your career path to success? Starting to think about an internship next summer? Looking for your first job when you graduate? Look no further — gain an inside track to some of the best tech companies around.

All you have to do is complete this online form. Upon submission, you will receive an email notification to confirm receipt and posting of your resume. The email will also include all the contents entered in the form for your record. The resumes will be available to GHC2008 sponsors through December. Submit early so you will have a chance to interview at GHC2008! They are waiting to hear from you! More info…

Volunteer Gracehopper.org Web Developer/Webmaster Wanted

kathyg — Fri, 30 May 2008 01:48:29 +0000

The Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology is looking for a volunteer to take over managing and maintaining the gracehopper.org website. This is a great opportunity to get more involved and make a significant contribution to the Grace Hopper Celebration’s community of technical women. If you are interested in this highly satisfying volunteer opportunity, please email your resume with “Volunteer Web Developer” in the Subject to Community at anitaborg dot org.

TITLE: Volunteer Web Developer/Webmaster for Gracehopper.org.

SUMMARY: The Web Developer/Webmaster will help the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology update and maintain the conference web site for the annual Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing, held in October. This is a virtual volunteer opportunity. Hours vary from one hour a month to several hours a week as the conference draws closer.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Website Maintenance
Work with internal technical, program, and marketing teams to update content and resolve Wordpress issues.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

Two years Wordpress experience (running on Apache/MySQL on FreeBSD)
Experience with SSH and FTP and Unix command line
Hands on experience with PHP, HTML and CSS
Hands on experience with Adobe Photoshop, Fireworks, or any other image editing software
Familiar with Flickr
Experience with social networking-based community web sites a definite plus
Experience with RSS and blogging preferred
Experience with installation and maintenance of wiki and message board software preferred
Extensive knowledge of web standards and technologies
Familiarity with basic networking and system infrastructure platforms
Understand and practice website design principles and best practices
Understand and practice content management principles and applications
Ability to work independently
Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing
Ability to meet deadlines.
Positive attitude and ability to work in a team setting

UPDATED June 15, 2008

Looking for a bargain airfare? Check out this NY Times Article

Amy — Tue, 20 May 2008 05:37:45 +0000

By MICHELLE HIGGINS

Is it still possible to find cheap airfares? With prices rising — the average cost of an airline ticket in the United States was up 10.2 percent in March, compared with a year ago, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics — and with airlines raising fees on everything from ticket changes to checked bags, it’s no wonder that a lot of travelers are talking about just staying home this summer.

But it’s still possible to score cheap airline tickets. Here are some strategies to help keep your costs down.

Hotel Reservations/Shuttle Discounts Now Available

Amy — Mon, 19 May 2008 00:52:34 +0000

Deadline for reservations is August 27th or when the block is full. There are many lodging options available at reasonable rates. There are condos, studios, rooms at the lodge and spa (ahhh) and the very cute Inn at Keystone right on River Run and the lake. Don’t wait too long or your favorite room may be unavailable. For more information, visit our Registration and Travel page. Registration for GHC2008 begins June 1st.

Important Dates! Don’t miss anything!

Amy — Wed, 14 May 2008 22:26:45 +0000

Please check our Important Dates page to keep track of all the key deadlines for the upcoming Grace Hopper Celebration.

This page will be updated as more dates become available so please check back here often!