CS Undergrad Receives Grace Hopper Conference Scholarship Grant
Tasnim Rahman (pictured below), a fourth year Computer Science major, was awarded a scholarship to attend the Grace Hopper Celebration (GHC) of Women in Computing Conference. GHC scholarships typically cover all expenses related to attending the conference. Tasnim was sponsored by the National Science Foundation.
The Grace Hopper Celebration (GHC) of Women in Computing Conference was designed to highlight the research and career interests of women in computing. Co-presented by the Anita Borg Institute and the Association of Computing Machinery (ACM), the GHC not only increases women’s visibility in the field of computer science, but also gives women the opportunity to collaborate, network, and mentor the GHC attendees.
Presenters are leaders in a wide variety of fields including industry, academia, and government. Sessions are organized by clusters which include tracks such as Career, Open Source, Technology, Emerging Tech/Best of, and Productization. Attendees also experience professional development through a variety of activities at the conference. In 2014, the conference was attended by more than 7,800 people from 65 countries, with over 800 companies present. GHC took place October 14 – 16.
One of the most enjoyable presentations for Rahman was given by Brianna Wu, cofounder and head of development of Giant Spacekat. Wu often speaks on topics concerning women in technology. Rahman said it was reassuring to see the impact and number of successful women in the technology industry.
The GHC provided Rahman the opportunity to network with women in tech, connect with UChicago alumni, and bolster her confidence about in her place in the world of computer science.