The Google Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship: Europe, the Middle East and Africa The Google Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship: Europe, the Middle East and AfricaArtificial Intelligence Research Institute (IIIA) of the Spanish Research Council (CSIC), Spain
| Degree: | MSc |
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| Programme: | Computer Engineering |
A good friend encouraged me to do so. She sent an email to everyone she thought that, like herself, matched the profile. I am very grateful to her.
It has had a big impact on my career and has made me feel more confident. It helped me to realise the relevance of all the hard work that I have done in the past. Being a scholarship recipient is an important achievement which has raised my profile in the scientific community. I also met really interesting people and had an enjoyable time with them. I received several employment enquiries and also the media took an interest in me. Can you imagine me, a computer engineer, in newspapers, on the radio and TV? Crazy, isn’t it? Crazy but fun.
University of Cyprus, Cyprus
| Degree: | PhD |
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| Programme: | Computer Science |
A poster for the Google Anita Borg Scholarship on a noticeboard at my University attracted my interest. I visited the official website of the scholarship to learn more about it. I found Google’s initiative of funding women in order to encourage their participation in technology-related fields very worthy. Initially I was a bit reluctant to apply, since I knew that the process was going to be competitive. However I did apply, since I found it a great challenge to give a try for a scholarship from a prestigious company such as Google; it could benefit me a lot!
The scholarship, as a recognition coming from outside the boundaries of the University I study in, was very important to me. It increased my self-confidence and encouraged me to continue with what I am doing. It was like a reward for all of my efforts so far. Being awarded the scholarship was a lesson; it is worth pursuing high goals and believing that you can achieve them. The scholarship was also a useful vehicle to meet an interesting community at the retreat: scholarship finalists and Googlers. It was great to meet so many talented people and talk about things of common interest with them.
Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel
| Degree: | MSc |
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| Programme: | Computer Science |
I heard about the Scholarship from a good friend who’s an engineer herself. She encouraged me to apply, and though I had no idea whether I had a chance to become a finalist, I thought that even just writing the application would be a new and interesting experience. At the time I was beginning my MS studies, and the scarcity of fellow female students in comparison to my BS studies was very noticeable. I liked the idea behind the scholarship, of women taking a more active and leading part in creating technology. I decided to go for it, and it turned out to be a very positive experience.
Participating in the retreat was very exciting – it was a great opportunity to meet other researchers from different fields of Computer Science and hear about their experiences. It has changed my perspective in that I now feel part of a wider community. I was especially inspired by the way the women I met managed to combine outstanding professional achievements with extensive social activities and a multitude of other interests. The talks, panels and discussions, all held by female engineers, focused on issues of shared interest and relevance, such as choosing between an academic career and industry. We also got a glimpse of what it’s like to work at Google. More generally, I feel that receiving the scholarship has changed my way of thinking, in that I am now more confident about what I can achieve, both professionally and in the ongoing effort to support women in technology.
Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic
| Degree: | BSc |
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| Programme: | Computer Science |
A friend of mine told me about Anita Borg Scholarship. There are very few women who follow my programme at my university, and I liked the idea that Google was encouraging women to become leaders in technology. It made me curious to meet other women in the field, and I wanted to try something new and fun!
I applied for the scholarship last year, and since then many things have changed in my life. The most important was that I found people with similar interests and similar problems and by talking to them and by taking part at the discussions and panels I have become more decisive about my future. I’ve also gained more confidence. In addition, I decided to apply for a Google internship which I probably wouldn’t have done otherwise. Being chosen as an Anita Borg 2007 finalist encouraged me in my studies, efforts and activities to support women in the computer science community.
Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| Degree: | MSc |
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| Programme: | Computer Science |
At first, I did not want to apply. Considering that women from across Europe were sending in applications for the scholarship, I did not think I stood any chance of being selected. However, my friends encouraged me and I reconsidered. After all, it was an interesting opportunity to benchmark myself against other women in IT and possibly to meet them and find new friends. I was also curious to find out whether my friends were correct and I started to consider this scholarship as a true challenge.
I always kept asking myself whether choosing a subject as difficult as computer science was the right path for me, and whether I had a chance of success. Being an Anita Borg scholar provided me with tremendous encouragement, as I could finally answer the question. Being recipient of the scholarship gave me more confidence in my abilities. I was also given an opportunity to meet many like-minded women and I found a new community to share my ideas. Being a scholar also had an effect on the people around me. I meet high-school students very often and this award helps them to see that, if they try hard, they can achieve a lot.
University of Oxford, UK
| Degree: | DPhil (PhD equivalent) |
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| Programme: | Computer Science |
Quite honestly, I applied for the obvious reasons: getting a connection with Google, improving my CV, meeting up with other female computer scientists – and who can’t do with a little extra money? Even the application was worth it in and of itself, as it made me think about my position as a woman in computer science. I had to consider what I liked, and what I missed – how the current situation might be improved, and how I could be part of that. It was an experience in itself to take the time to think about the bigger picture.
When the finalists were announced, we all got in contact with each other via a mailing list. Most of us wrote a short introduction, and I know some got in closer contact because they worked on related topics, or had similar interests in general. It was really inspiring to see how many talented female computer scientists were out there – and they all did cool stuff in their free time, too. Admittedly, it was also a bit overwhelming (if not scary) to hear about so many excellent girls. At the retreat we all got to meet each other, and that was fantastic. No fear any more, but lots of friendly and very interesting people. You wouldn’t believe how much drive it can give you to see and especially talk to other women in your area if you usually work with men. The tech talks, all held by female Googlers, made it much clearer to me that they could actually be successful in computer science. In the end there is a difference in reassuring yourself and experiencing that it really does work. The panel discussions, in particular, were a forum where we could ask all sorts of questions (especially the critical ones!) They were very insightful and reassuring. How the scholarship has impacted me? It has made me more self-aware and more confident. It enabled me to establish valuable contacts with people that I appreciate on both a professional and personal level. Meeting people, and staying in touch with them is definitely something you can’t just get anywhere, and that I feel is the greatest prize included in this scholarship.
Saint Petersburg State Polytechnical University, Russia
| Degree: | PhD |
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| Programme: | Applied Mathematics |
I think the Google Anita Borg Scholarship is a unique opportunity for all female students because it turns on its head the usual disadvantage we face. During my studies and while looking for a job I had been experiencing prejudice against women in computer science and I had been working hard to overcome it. So the Google Anita Borg Scholarship was like recompense for it. I was very excited about this opportunity and of course I sent application.
Being a scholarship recipient gave me great confidence in my abilities and made me believe that I could make a successful career out of what I studied. The retreat in Zurich and acquaintance with talented girls studying Computer Science was the most thrilling experience. I hadn’t seen so many top-flight women who could understand technical discussions before. I am delighted at having got to know them. Talking to the girls and the Googlers at the retreat and the story of Anita Borg was very inspiring. I realized that there are a lot of opportunities for me to develop, and maybe I can change the world!