ACM-W Europe February 2026 Newsletter

In this issue:

 

Local ACM Celebration of Women in Computing: Women’s Talk Marathon 2026

For the fifth time, the women of Kiel University will present their work on March, 6th 2026 – two days before international women’s day. From students to professors, from projects to research, we are proud to present an exciting event about the work and studies of the women of Kiel University.

This day of talks is meant to present all the various areas women at Kiel University work in, but it is also there to remind everyone that the situation for women at universities is still not optimal, e.g., to few women start to study, a higher-than-average drop-out rate, and the glass ceiling. Thus, all the speakers not only want to enthuse the audience about their work but also want to encourage pupils to start studies, students to keep on with their studies, and PhD-students and PostDocs to aim higher. Alongside the talks, there will also be time for questions and networking. Even in the university, one never knows if there isn’t the chance of a collaboration between people who never thought that their fields of experience overlap.

More details here.

 

 

 

Apply to Host a Local Celebration

ACM‑W Europe invites members of the community to host an ACM Celebration of Women in Computing in their local area. These events play an important role in supporting, recognizing, and advocating for women in computing across Europe. Hosting a Celebration provides an opportunity to strengthen regional networks, highlight local achievements, and create a dedicated space in which participants can engage with peers, industry partners, and academic colleagues. 

ACM offers financial sponsorship of $3,000 for each approved event, together with access to planning resources, branding materials, and guidance from experienced organizers. Events must run for at least one day, follow the established Celebration model, and be clearly branded as an ACM Celebration of Women in Computing. Applications are welcomed from individuals of any gender and from a wide range of professional backgrounds, including academia, industry, and the wider computing community. 

Apply for hosting an ACM Celebration using this form. Further information, including detailed guidance and requirements, is available at Association for Computing Machinery.

 

 

Regional ACM Celebration of Women in Computing: Africa CWiC 2026

Africa CWiC 2026 is a two-day Celebration of Women in Computing which brings together students and researchers from various universities, alongside industry professionals from across Africa. The programme includes keynote addresses, technical workshops, panel discussions, a career fair, and networking sessions focused on advancing and celebrating women in computing and technology.

Under this year’s theme, ‘Rewriting Africa’s Story through Computational Thinking’, we invite undergraduate students, postgraduate students (MSc and PhD), and professionals to submit posters showcasing research, innovative projects, and emerging ideas across all areas of computational sciences.

We are pleased to announce that the Poster Track for the ACM Africa Celebration of Women in Computing (Africa CWiC 2026) is now open for submissions.

Important dates:

  • Submissions open: March 1, 2026
  • Poster abstracts due: April 15, 2026
  • Acceptance notification: May 1, 2026
  • Final poster submission: May 22, 2026

We kindly request that you share this call with students, researchers, and colleagues within your department and institution. Full submission guidelines and details are available on the event website.

 

 

Blogs

Inclusion and Belonging in Computing Education by Tina Vrieler  

In this reflective piece, PhD researcher Tina Vrieler, who works at the intersection of computing education,sociology of education, andsocial justice, explores what it truly means for students to feel they belong in computer science. Drawing on both personal experience and research, the blog examines how teaching practices, classroom culture, and the values we reward can either open doors or quietly exclude, and offers practical ways to build more inclusive computing environments.

Read the insightful blog here.

 

 

 

 

Cognitive Bias and Its Impact on Women’s Advancement in Tech by Yildiz 

 

Why do equally capable professionals often receive unequal recognition in computing? In this thought-provoking guest post, ACM-W Europe volunteer Yıldız Culcu examines the cognitive bias that quietly affects how women’s work, potential, and achievements are evaluated. By unpacking how this bias operates in everyday academic and industry settings, the article invites readers to reflect, question assumptions, and consider practical ways to create fairer pathways for career growth.

Read the full blog here.

 

 

Trailblazers in Computing: Sophie Wilson, written by Toshna Rane 

This edition of Trailblazers in Computing turns to Sophie Wilson, the architect behind the design principles that power most of the world’s mobile and embedded devices today. From shaping the BBC Micro to co-designing the ARM instruction set, Wilson’s work shows how thoughtful, efficient engineering can scale from the classroom to billions of devices. It is a story about elegant design, lasting impact, and how ideas developed in one corner of Europe can quietly transform computing everywhere.

Read more details here.

 

 

The future needs her: Advancing women in STEM

European Patent Office Event

Whether you are a woman already working in STEM — or just beginning your journey — this event offers inspiration and guidance on advancing your career. For those working in policy, research, industry, finance or entrepreneurship, it provides data-driven analyses and potential solutions for building a more inclusive and innovative STEM ecosystem.

What to expect (and why it’s worth joining):

  • New data from the Observatory on women’s career progression in research, innovation, and patenting (including longitudinal tracking of science careers: advanced tech PhDs, tech startups, patents, and more).
  • Leading voices sharing what it means – and what it takes – to move from data to action, including a conversation between inventors Catia Bastioli (CEO and European Inventor Award winner) and Marie Perrin (Young Inventors Prize winner).
  • A policy-focused panel addressing challenges, solutions, and new perspectives to strengthen the innovation pipeline.

Online event – free registration – 3 March 2026

 

 

AINCLUSION Launch

We are excited to highlight AINCLUSION, a new non-profit organization operating at the vital intersection of AI, Inclusion, and Creativity. Registered in Norway, AINCLUSION is working to ensure that Artificial Intelligence serves as a force for intersectionality and ethics, empowering people across all genders, ages, and backgrounds.

Mission

To make AI accessible and empowering for everyone — across gender, ages, fields, and backgrounds — by providing inclusive learning, practical tools, and community support that enhance (not replace) human work.

Purpose

  • Support and advocate for a humanistic, inclusive, and ethical AI
  • Create a sustainable network of actors (National and international) who want to share resources and needs with respect to creation and use of inclusive AI
  • Create meeting and volunteering spaces for interdisciplinary collaboration between AI, Creativity, Inclusion. Examples are exhibitions, innovative courses, and creative AI projects. 

Get Involved: Membership to the AINCLUSION network is FREE for 2026. We encourage our community of researchers, practitioners, and students to explore this initiative.

Learn more on their website.

 

Announcements

ACM Awards and Advanced Grades of Membership Deadlines

Each year, ACM recognises its members’ outstanding achievements through awards covering a spectrum of professional and technological areas and different stages of professional development. To learn more about other awards, we recommend ACM President Cherri M. Pancake’s article, dispelling some common myths about ACM Awards and Honors in the Communications of the ACM, August 2019. One of the myths is that the ACM Awards never honour people working outside North America. Prof. Pancake writes that even though nothing would make ACM committees happier than to recognise the achievements of people from around the globe, there are very few nominations. Source: Dispelling Common Myths About ACM Awards and Honors

 

Students HPC Fellowships, Cutler-Bell Prize
Early Career Hopper Award, ACM and SIG Dissertation Awards (recent graduates), SIG “rising star” awards; also Senior Member
Mid Career ACM Prize in Computing; also Distinguished Member
Late Career Turing Award, Distinguished Service Award; also Fellow
Area-Specific, typically Mid to Late Career Thacker Award, Software System Award, Athena Lecturer, Newell Award, Lawler Award, Eckert-Mauchly Award, Kennedy Award, Bell Prize, Karlstrom Award, Kannellakis Award, Policy Award, SIAM/ACM Prize – plus dozens of awards from individual SIGS

 

For SIG-specific Awards, please visit this website. .

For ACM Advanced Grades of Membership, please visit this website. 

 

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