Celebrating female computer scientists: ‘Computer science is no longer just for men’
Four female computer scientists share a common goal: to showcase the significant contributions of women in computer science and inspire their students. Together, they are organising this year’s Alice & Eve event, a one-day symposium dedicated to celebrating women in computer science. The event, scheduled for 25 October, is open to all computer scientists, regardless of gender.
‘Computer science is not something you do in a dusty basement with little societal relevance,’ says Niki van Stein, assistant professor and one of the event’s speakers. ‘It’s a tool to solve tomorrow's problems. Even if you are passionate about biology or medicine, you'll inevitably come into contact with it. Besides, computer science is just cool to discover.’
‘Computer science is not an isolated discipline,’ adds Suzan Verberne, professor of Informatics and another keynote speaker. ‘It plays a crucial role in today’s society. To advance the field, we need to bring together people with diverse backgrounds and talents.’
A fortuitous collaboration
Four researchers from LIACS organised the event together. Lu Cao, Olga Gadyatskaya, Eleftheria Makri, and Shuang Sun wanted to organise an event that is meaningful to them and the community. The Alice & Eve event rotates locations annually across the Netherlands, and had never before been held in Leiden. This was the perfect opportunity.
Who are Alice and Eve?
In cryptography, the names Alice and Bob are characters exchanging a message. Eve represents an ‘eavesdropper’, who can listen to messages between Alice and Bob. The characters do not have to refer to people, they can be different computers or different programmes running on a single computer.
Role models in computer science
‘Our aim with this event is to show the many inspiring female role models in computer science and to demonstrate their success,’ says Gadyatskaya. The symposium will include an exhibition honouring these women, showcasing both well-known figures like Ada Lovelace and Grace Hopper as well as local Dutch role models.
‘This event gives a platform to master’s students and young researchers to showcase their work.’
When asked about their own role models, Makri reflects: ‘I don’t necessarily have any. What I value more is that everyone’s contributions matter. That’s why I appreciate that this event gives a platform to master’s students and young researchers to showcase their work.’
Broadening computer science
Verberne shares that some of her students view her as a role model. ‘At my inauguration in June, I received messages from female students saying it was particularly special to see a woman taking that step. That was wonderful to hear.’
Verberne also highlights the efforts the LIACS is making to increase diversity within the institute. ‘I’m an example of what can happen when you broaden computer science to attract more women.’ She studied language and speech technology, a study programme accommodated in humanities. With this background, she explores how to improve search engines and chatbots.
‘The idea that computer science is a male profession is outdated.’
‘Change is really coming’
Van Stein researches explainable AI and appreciates the multifaceted nature of her work. ‘It is incredibly interesting to see how to optimally use these techniques and come up with new ideas that can truly have an impact.’ That is also the message she would like to pass on to the next generation of female computer scientists.
‘Follow your heart, do the things you love,’ Verberne adds. ‘The idea that computer science is a male profession is outdated—there are so many great opportunities within the field. And change is really happening.’ She notes that Leiden is a supportive environment for women in science. ‘There are many ambitious and intelligent women here working on the future of science.’
Van Stein agrees on the importance of highlighting women in the field. ‘For the next generation, we need to challenge the bias that computer science is for boys. Girls need role models to show them that this field is cool.’
About the event
Alice & Eve is an initiative to celebrate the contributions of women in computing. The event comprises a wide variety of activities: keynote talks, a poster competition, a physical exhibition portraying twenty-five women in computer science.
The organisation welcomes everyone in computer science to attend the event, especially female Master and Bachelor students from Leiden. The event is open to participants from other Dutch universities as well. ‘We encourage male students to attend too,’ says Gadyatskaya. ‘It’s important for them to see the value of collaborating with their female colleagues and to understand the significance of gender diversity.’
You can find more information on the event website.