ACM-W Europe May 2025 Newsletter

In this issue:

 

Empowering the Community by Anna Szlávi

 

This insightful blog post offers essential reading for anyone involved in technology education, hiring, or policy-making, as it unveils the stark reality behind ICT’s gender gap and provides concrete, research-backed solutions that have proven effective across Europe. Anna Szlávi, a respected researcher at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and former Fulbright scholar, brings unique credibility to this discussion through her leadership roles in major EU projects like EUGAIN and Women STEM Up, where she has systematically mapped the barriers keeping women out of technology and developed practical interventions like mentorship programs and role model networks. Her work bridges the crucial gap between academic research and real-world application, offering readers not just statistics about why only 16.5% of ICT majors are women, but actionable strategies that universities, companies, and individuals can implement immediately to create more inclusive tech environments—making this a must-read for anyone who recognizes that diverse teams build better technology and wants to move beyond good intentions to measurable change.

Read the article on our blog.

 

 

Blog series – ACM-W Scholarship Spotlights

Welcome to ACM Scholar Spotlights, a series where we shine a light on the inspiring paths of women in computing who received the 2024 ACM-W scholarship. Through their own words, we hear how they found their place in tech, what motivates them, and how they’re making an impact. These stories reflect not only technical achievement, but also courage, curiosity, and community.

Yamilka Toca – a PhD student originally from Cuba, studying Systems and Informatics Engineering at the University of Zaragoza, Spain. Yamilka shares her powerful journey of perseverance and purpose in this interview-style reflection.

Soundharya Parashuram – a Master’s student in Computer Science and Engineering, who is currently working as an Assistant at the International University of Sarajevo. She shares her reflections on attending the womENcourage conference and the inspiration it sparked for her future in Artificial Intelligence.

Sofia Pinto – whose creativity spans poetry and programming, art and algorithms. Her story is a powerful reminder that technology isn’t just about code—it’s also about expression, imagination, and impact.

Ștefania Tudor – a student from Romania whose early curiosity, deep-rooted cultural awareness, and growing expertise in ethical AI are paving the way for her journey in technology.

 

 

womENcourageTM 17 – 19 September 2025

Participation Scholarships

Purpose & Eligibility

Scholarships encourage women in computing to accelerate careers, build networks, and learn from peers. Open to undergraduate/postgraduate students in computing at European universities. All genders welcome—we encourage diversity.

Application Requirements

Submit via HotCRP platform only:

  • University email address
  • CV (2 pages max, PDF)
  • Career relevance abstract
  • Academic supervisor recommendation

If Awarded

  • Attend all event dates
  • Write blog post for ACM-W Newsletter
  • Participate in group photo
  • Handle own travel arrangements

Call for Scholarships:

  • Scholarship Applications Open: May 5, 2025
  • Application Deadline: June 17, 2025
  • Notification of Acceptance: July 10, 2025

Questions? Contact: womencourage2025_scholarships@acm.org

Keep an eye on the website for more details.

 

Wikipedia Gender Diversity Workshop

Workshop Overview

ACM-W Europe’s Wikipedia working group presents research on gender diversity in English Wikipedia, examining women’s representation across computer science disciplines and ACM Fellows. Since November, we’ve analyzed current status and developed strategies to increase visibility of women computer scientists.

Objectives

  • Present current Wikipedia gender diversity data
  • Teach effective Wikipedia editing techniques
  • Improve notability of women computer scientists’ entries
  • Form ongoing monthly collaboration group

 

 

ACM-W, WICE and N2Women Event at INFOCOM 2025

On 20 May 2025, a joint event of ACM-W, ComSoc WICE and N2Women took place at IEEE INFOCOM 2025 in London, UK. It featured a series of presentations, a panel discussion, and a networking lunch—all focused on the critical themes of women’s leadership in tech and diversity. During the discussion, panellists discussed the barriers that women encounter in tech, diverse approaches for career growth, including the role of mentorship, as well as the roles current leaders and organisations can play to improve diversity in their future leadership teams.

The event was organised by Toktam Mahmoodi (WICE chair), Cigdem Sengul (ACM-W Communications Co-Chair), Eirini Eleni Tsiropoulou (N2Women Co-chairs), Dola Saha (N2Women Co-chairs), and Shu Hong (N2Women Fellow). Speakers including Carla Fabiana Chiasserini (Politecnico di Torino), Mona Ghassemian (Huawei) and Francesca Meneghello (University of Padova) shared inspiring stories and actionable insights. ACM-W was represented by the ACM-W Europe Chair, Dorota Filipczuk.

 

 

ACM – W Celebrations of Women in Computing – Summit on Gender Equality

June 5-6, 2025 | University of Piraeus, Greece

The Summit aims at promoting gender-equal access to the computer-related scientific frontiers, encouraging and educating women and men in an equal way to achieve their goals and utilize their potential in digital professions. The goal of the Summit is also to celebrate and disseminate the achievements of computer professionals in a fair and gender-equal way.

About the Summit

The ACM-W Celebrations of Women in Computing Summit champions gender-equal access to computer-related scientific frontiers, empowering both women and men to achieve their goals and maximize their potential in digital professions. This two-day event serves as a platform to celebrate and fairly disseminate the achievements of computing professionals while addressing critical gender equality challenges in our field.

GEC’s Development Over the Years – To learn more about the Greek ACM-W Chapter and GEC Summit visit the article Spotlighting The Greek ACM-W Chapter.

Who can participate

Students, Researchers and Professionals in the field of Computer Science & Engineering. Registration is FREE but mandatory.

Why participate

Join a dynamic summit that celebrates achievements in computing while actively working to measure and reduce gender stereotyping and inequalities. Be part of the conversation that’s shaping a more inclusive future for technology professionals.

Venue

University of Piraeus
Conference Auditorium
80 Karaoli & Dimitriou Str., 185 34
Piraeus, Greece

Ready to join us? Registration is free but spaces are limited.

 

 

Announcements

ACM Awards and Advanced Grades of Membership Deadlines

Each year ACM recognizes outstanding achievements of its members through awards that cover a spectrum of professional and technological areas and different stages of professional development. 

To learn more about awards, we recommend the article by the ACM President Cherri M. Pancake, who dispels 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.

Call for ACM Senior Member Nominations

The Senior Member advanced grade of membership recognizes ACM members with at least 10 years of professional experience and 5 years of continuous ACM Professional membership. Nominations are accepted on a quarterly basis. The next deadline for nominations is September 3, 2023.

Students
Early Career
Mid Career
Late Career
Area-Specific, typically Mid to Late Career

For SIG-specific Awards, please visit here.

For ACM Advanced Grades of Membership, please visit here.

 

Thank you for joining us in recognizing the accomplishments of ACM Women in Europe and ensuring they are nominated for ACM Awards they deserve.

 

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