Principians Attend Computer Conference for Women
It isn’t every day one gets to hear from female movers and shakers in the technology industry, but last month seven Principia women in computer science and engineering majors, along with Engineering Professor Dr. Marie Farson, did just that at the Grace Hopper Conference on Women in Computing in Orlando, Florida. Beginning with the keynote by Melinda Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, they heard from CEOs, software developers, entrepreneurs, and technology company executives on topics ranging from breaking through the glass ceiling to diving deep into the latest electronic devices.
“There were almost 100 different talks to choose from each day,” says senior Emma Herman, a computer science major. “Fortunately, the GHC17 app made it easy to choose the talks that interested me the most.” Speakers were very encouraging, with leaders from major tech companies like Google, Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and many startups telling the 18,000 attendees that they are vitally needed in the industry.
In addition to the talks, the conference included a large career fair with booths staffed by company representatives sharing information about career opportunities and inviting students to submit résumés. “Attending the conference was a boost of confidence,” Emma comments. “I also loved the booths that had coding activities and algorithms for women to nerd out on. It was a fun way to collaborate and show our skills!” Junior Paige Cooley, a mechanical engineering major, noted the caliber of participants. “I felt the camaraderie of all the attendees, exhibitors, and speakers,” Paige says. “I'm very grateful I had the opportunity to participate in such a renowned gathering of women in science!”
The group also enjoyed collecting lots of swag. “We walked away with tons of cool new gadgets, totes, shirts, fidgeting craziness items, and more,” says Emma. Far more important, though, students left the conference feeling hopeful about life after graduation. “We all sort of felt at home there, bonded by our love for tech and the desire to make a difference in the industry,” Emma says.
Most in the group had on-site interviews during the conference. And for senior Amanda Breneman, a computer science major, the in-person opportunity yielded excellent results. “I went in with the goal of finding a job for after graduation, and after spending a lot of time at the career fair and interviewing with companies, I'm happy to say that I ended up with a couple of offers to choose from, which was really cool.”