Systers Anita Borg 2016 Pass-It-On Award Winners
Systers Pass-It-On Systers Anita Borg Institute
Since 2007, Systers Pass-It-On Award winners have been making an impact world wide. This is what our impact looks like globally. Continue reading about the amazing work these women are doing in their communities around the world.
To read each winner’s bio, click on the name on the left margin.
Project Title: Solidarity of Systers
Project Description: India
Solidarity of Systers is a web application that provides a common place for women who have been subjected to a crime. This is a platform for women to share their stories anonymously without feeling the stigma of being a victim in order to seek the support they need. This platform also helps women get connected to organizations that can assist in filing court cases on their behalf. There will be legal assistance available through SMS, Voicemail, or the web when requested.
Many women who have been stigmatized feel as though they are transforming from a whole person to a tainted one. They feel different and devalued by others. We can have a common place where we can ask a set of questions to her once she will answer that we can send the set to all the concerned people.
Project Title: Girls Hackathon for Social Change & Development
Project Description: Lilongwe, Malawi, Africa
The goal of this project is to improve female participation and involvement in Computer Science by enabling them to be creative. This will be done through training girls to develop android applications that are targeted towards social change and development in Malawi. It is hoped that the project will equip the participants with the necessary skills for future development. Therefore, the project will embrace a proportion of the women and girls that are in schools, colleges and unemployed to motivate them to take on ICT as a career. The project intends to identify and nurture women and girls with skills in technology and software development. The project is aimed to teach young girls to think creatively and solve problems systematically.
Project Title: Hackathon for Humanity — Cluj Edition
Project Description: Romania
Using the tech talent Romania has, regardless of gender, we can bring value both to programmers, exposing them to exciting experiences and the open source communities in need of contributors. However, the outsourcing industry is leading and most programmers therefore export their talent. Open source and social entrepreneurship are not very well spread.
In order to bring awareness to the issue, I want to organize a weekend long hackathon dedicated to building software for social good and help organizations that are already on this path.
Currently, Romania has the highest percentage of girls studying computer science in Europe, around 13%, a still lower rate than men, who sum up to 33%.
Project Title: Attendance of Summer School on Argumentation and COMMA conference
Project Description: London, UK
I am at an early stage of my research career and I believe that it would be very valuable for me to have this opportunity to connect with other early researchers in my area as well as with established researchers. In addition, SSA will be an excellent way to learn more about my subject area, whereas attending COMMA would allow me to gain insight into what conferences are like and I would be able to hear about cutting edge research in my area by the researchers themselves.
As with many events in Computer Science, I would expect the gender balance of the attendees to be skewed. I believe that it is important to cultivate environments within STEM and Computer Science in particular where women feel welcome and comfortable, and I believe that aiming to have more women attend these events can contribute to this.
Project Title: Code it, girl!
Project Description: Bangladesh
Women are hugely under represented in the tech industry and a very few percentage of girls join the Computer Science/Engineering field. This results in fewer women entering the tech industry for work. A long term solution to this problem could be to introduce the girls to the world of programming at an early age. Currently, Code it, girl! has organized a couple of daylong training sessions, created a Facebook group, and utilize free online tutorials, books, and success stories via an online forum. Code it, girl! would like to host several workshops in different cities across the country. This will raise awareness and create learning opportunities for the girls from smaller cities as well.
[We] have realized that girls from our region are usually very shy and they hesitate to ask questions even in a girls only group. Therefore, training sessions/ workshops are more effective as we get to directly interact with them.
Project Title: Girls get WISE: Techxpedition
Project Description: Wolfville, Nova Scotia
The project “Girls get WISE: Techxpedition” is aimed towards middle school girls so that they are inspired to try computing activities like programming and working with robotics. The project “Girls get WISE: Techxpedition” is based on the successful model of the “Girls get WISE: Tidal Energy” program which was held in March 2016 at Acadia University. The event will have two sessions: one will be geared towards robotics programming and the other will be concentrated towards game development. The participants will be mentored by university students throughout the two sessions.
It is essential that the girls achieve a successful outcome in each activity. It is also essential that each session be adaptable to take into consideration the computing background of each of the participants.
Project Title: Namakkal District, Tamilnadu, India
Project Description: India
This project will provide training for 20 girls in Basic Computer Applications along with Certificate course in Tally (Accounting Software) and Certificate Course in Desk Top Publishing. Each trade of this computer course will be taught for a period of three months. Soon after the training program, the girls will also be placed for jobs in browsing centres, printing press, ware-houses, poultry units and other offices as accountants/computer operators/programmers/network administrators to handle the computer software and computerized applications.
Many of them are adolescent girls willing to learn skills to come up in life. As they have limited or no scope for education and developmental trainings, we would like to train them in computer skills to take up a job to income the family income and to gain confidence.
Project Title: Design and Technology as Tools for Collaboration
Project Description: Detroit, MI
Design thinking acts as a platform for interdisciplinary skills and learning to create unique, and relevant results. I have continued developing and embracing design thinking as a way to expose myself and other women to the technology field through my positions with Challenge Detroit and WaitTime by mentoring current fellows, hosting graphic design workshops, and providing design templates, strategies, and insight. As the company has developed, it has become increasingly apparent that developing my technology skills would greatly benefit myself, WaitTime, and the nonprofits in Detroit with whom I work.
I am currently investigating a multitude of platforms in which to expand and share these skills including workshops, boot camps, classes, and mentoring networks.
