ACM Scholar Spotlights: Annika Huch
Welcome to ACM Scholar Spotlights, a series where we highlight the journeys of women in computing who received the 2025 ACM-W womENcourage Scholarship. Through their reflections, we explore the experiences, opportunities, and communities that continue to shape their paths in technology.
In this edition, we feature Annika Huch, a PhD student in Theoretical Computer Science at Kiel University, Germany, whose passion for combinatorics on words, automata theory, and formal languages has led her towards a career in fundamental research. Reflecting on her womENcourage experience, Annika shares how taking part in the Hackathon, learning from women in computing, and connecting with the wider community strengthened her confidence and motivation for the journey ahead.
Introduction
Hi! My name is Annika Huch and I am a PhD student in Theoretical Computer Science in Kiel University, Germany. My passion for theory began with my undergraduate studies and the first Bachelor’s theory courses, and I was especially drawn to combinatorics on words, automata theory and formal languages because it allows me to combine creativity with mathematical problems.
In my career, I hope to continue working in academia, contributing to fundamental research. What helped me get here was a combination of the profound theory education in Kiel University but also the support from mentors, supervisors as well as friends and family.
This year I had the opportunity to attend womENcourage and it was an incredibly enriching experience. This was the second womENcourage I joined but my first Hackathon participation and I enjoyed the motivating and inspiring speeches from female role models in computer science, the team work in the Hackathon and the wide variety of workshops.
The program was truly inspiring because it showcased role models, emphasized resilience, encouraged collaboration and I left even more motivation for my career journey and daily work in computer science. One of the most valuable lessons I learned at womENcourage is staying confident in male-dominated environments, which I believe will greatly help me in my professional growth.
My advice to women who are considering attending next year’s womENcourage is: Go for it! Take every opportunity to network, learn from the sessions and share your own ideas. It’s a community where you will feel supported, inspired and empowered to continue breaking barriers in computer science.
Inclusion4EU: Co-Design Approaches for Inclusion by Design in Computer Science Education
One of my highlights was the workshop “Inclusion4EU: Co-Design Approaches for Inclusion by Design in Computer Science Education” by D. O’Sullivan, C. Rivera, A. Becevel, E. Murphy, S. Hensman. We started by learning about the Inclusion4EU project, which brings students into the co-design process to help make software more inclusive. Co-design means developers and the actual users work hand-in-hand, shaping tools that really fit their needs.
In the session, we got to try out a reading pen equipped with a camera for text recognition and speech output, created to support people with dyslexia. Testing it on novels, comics, and textbooks quickly revealed some challenges: the pen struggled with very small or large fonts, scanning only worked at a very specific speed, it was not suitable for left-handed use, and the buttons were so awkwardly placed that you would press them by accident.
Together, we brainstormed ways to improve it. Some ideas focused on refining the current design, while others took a more radical turn – like imagining a ring-shaped camera that slips onto your fingertip, with all the controls moved to a separate display. It was inspiring to see how creative the ideas became once everyone’s perspective was included.
Overall, this experience taught me how powerful co-design can be in creating technology that truly serves its users. Testing the reading pen firsthand and discussing its flaws opened my eyes to how easily accessibility can be overlooked if end-users are not actively involved in the design process. It reshaped my thinking: Accessibility is not just an afterthought or an “extra feature” – it should be considered from the very beginning.