ACM-W Europe May 2026 Newsletter

In this issue:

 

Demystifying Patents for Women in Computing

We are excited to announce a brand new blog series in partnership with the European Patent Office (EPO) through its Observatory on Patents and Technology. The series aims to make patent information practical and accessible for computing professionals, researchers, and educators, because the numbers tell a clear story: women in computing are significantly underrepresented among patent holders, and lack of information should never be the reason why.

From understanding what a patent actually is, to navigating the patenting process and hearing from women inventors at the forefront of computing, this series has something for everyone regardless of your level of experience. The first post is out now on our blog!

 

There is more: the 2026 European Inventor Award!

The finalists for the 2026 European Inventor Award have just been announced, including several inspiring women inventors. There are two ways to get involved: save the date for the live ceremony on July 2nd, and cast your vote for the Popular Prize to show your support for the inventor whose work inspires you most.

 

 

Celebrating Our Own: Mansi Sharma Wins SheCanCode STEM Educator Award 2026

We are absolutely delighted to celebrate one of our very own ACM-WE Communications Team volunteers, Mansi Sharma, who has been recognised as an Emerging STEM Educator in the SheCanCode STEM Educator Awards 2026!

Mansi is a doctoral candidate in Computer Science at Saarland University and the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI), where she combines cutting-edge research in artificial intelligence, human-computer interaction, and brain-computer interfaces with a deep commitment to mentorship and teaching. She has supervised master’s students, research assistants, and interns, and brought STEM to broader audiences through science communication events including Science Slam Karlsruhe, where she won second place.

Beyond her research, Mansi has been a mentor with both SheCanCode and ACM-W Europe, actively supporting women in computing through career guidance and visibility initiatives. This award is a wonderful recognition of the energy and dedication she brings to everything she does, including her contributions to our own team here at ACM-WE.

Mansi, congratulations from all of us! We are proud to have you as part of the ACM-WE community. You can read more about her and all the 2026 winners on the SheCanCode website.

 

 

ACM womENcourage™ 2026 — Nice, France

The 13th ACM Celebration of Women in Computing, womENcourage 2026, is heading to the French Riviera in Nice, France from September 30 to October 2. This year’s theme is “Unmute Yourself, Grow Stronger Together”, focusing on well-being and support for women and gender diverse people in computing.

Here is what you can still do:

Apply for a scholarship

Due June 15th!

Scholarship applications are open now and close in just two weeks. Scholarships help students attend the event and are open to all genders. If you have a poster or workshop accepted, that strengthens your application, but it is not required. Notifications go out on July 2nd. Do not miss this one!

Join the hackathon

Registration opens June 10th. Early registration closes July 3rd, so keep an eye out for that opening next week. Teams are published on September 5th.

Visit the website for full details and to apply!

 

 

JKU ACM Celebration of Women in Computing 2026

 

On June 3 and 10, Johannes Kepler University in Linz, Austria is hosting its very first ACM Celebration of Women in Computing. This two-day event showcases over 30 student projects all working towards making JKU a more gender-inclusive campus. From addressing bias in AI systems to developing workshops and campaigns that highlight relatable role models, the projects reflect the creativity and commitment of students who believe technology can drive meaningful change. Light snacks and soft drinks will be served, so if you are in the area, come along and celebrate with them!

More here.

 

 

ACM-W Europe at the ACM-W Global Communications Meeting in Edinburgh  

This May, our ACM-W Europe Communications Chair Kitija Opheim and Social Media Manager Zeenat Madhani had the wonderful opportunity to travel to Edinburgh to take part in the ACM-W Global Communications Team meeting. Gatherings like this are truly special, bringing together communications representatives from across ACM-W’s global regions to share experiences, exchange ideas, and think collectively about how we can better connect and showcase our communities.

Closing the ACM-W Global Communications day over dinner, from left to right: Geetanjali Kale (ACM-W India Chair), Bimlesh Wadhwa (ACM-W Asia Pacific Chair), Adriana Wilde (ACM-W Communications Co-chair), Bethany Ahluwalia (ACM-W Communications website manager), Kitija Opheim (ACM-W Europe Communications Chair), Çiğdem Sengul (ACM-W Community Programs Chair and ACM-W Communications Co-chair), Rukiye Altin (ACM-W Global Chair), Fawzia “Fuzzy” Kara-Isitt (ACM-W Communications Content Editor), Zeenat Madhani (ACM-W Europe Communications Social Media Officer), and Marjana Prifti Skenduli (ACM-W Scholarships Committee Chair)

It is a great reminder that ACM-W Europe is part of something much bigger. Behind the newsletters, social media posts, and stories we share, there is a whole global network of dedicated volunteers working towards the same goal: keeping the women in computing community visible, celebrated, and supported. Being able to contribute to that conversation at a global level and bring those insights back home is one of the many wonderful things about being involved with ACM-WE.

To read more about the meeting, check out the message from ACM-W Global Chair Rukiye Altin here.

 

 

Research Spotlights in Computing: Navigating Imperfect Spaces in Research

In the second entry of our Research Spotlights in Computing series, ACM-W Europe team member Ayesha Afzal turns the lens toward the student experience, exploring the quiet doubts, invisible growth, and emotional resilience that shape the journey of becoming a researcher. From imposter syndrome to the trap of comparison, this blog offers an honest and encouraging reflection on how to keep growing in spaces that are still learning to make room for everyone. Read the full blog to find out more.

 

 

Cognitive Bias and its impact on women’s advancement in tech #4 : Maternal Bias

By Yildiz Culcu

In the fourth entry of our Cognitive Bias series, published to coincide with Mother’s Day, we explore one of the most well-documented yet persistent patterns in workplace research: maternal bias. While fathers are often professionally rewarded after having children, mothers frequently face assumptions about reduced commitment and availability that directly affect their hiring prospects, salaries, and promotion opportunities. Yet research tells a very different story, with studies showing that mothers often demonstrate stronger crisis management, greater efficiency, and leadership capabilities that organisations would benefit from recognising. Read the full blog to find out more.

 

 

Trailblazers in Computing: Dina St Johnston

By Toshna Rane

 

This month’s Trailblazers in Computing entry shines a light on Dina St Johnston, a true pioneer of the software industry. In 1959, she founded one of Europe’s earliest independent software companies at a time when most of the computing world was still focused entirely on hardware. Her vision, leadership, and entrepreneurial spirit helped lay the groundwork for software engineering as a professional field, and she did so while carving out space for herself in a heavily male-dominated industry.

Read her story here and discover how her vision helped shape the technology world we know today.

 

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 https://awards.acm.org/sig-awards.

For ACM Advanced Grades of Membership, please visit https://awards.acm.org/advanced-member-grades.

Thank you for joining us in recognising ACM Women’s accomplishments in Europe and ensuring they are nominated for ACM Awards they deserve.  

ACM-W Europe Website https://acmweurope.acm.org

ACM-W Europe Blog https://acmweurope.acm.org/blog

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