Girls In Tech

Grace Hopper celebration of Women in Computing  will take place in Portland this year November 9-12, 2011. The conferences designed to bring the research and career interests of women in computing to the forefront. Keynote speakers line up would be Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook and the honorable Shirley Ann Jackson, President, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

4 days of conference with special sessions focus on the role of women in today’s technology fields, including computer science, information technology, research and engineering.

Check out daily schedule here.  Registration is now closed, as it’s a sold out conference. So, follow me @MsSonicFlare for conference updates this week.

Tags: 24notion, Computing, executive leaders, facebook, girls in technology, gitpdx, grace hopper, ivo, Ivo Lukas, mssonicflare, technology, women in computing, women in technology
Posted in All Chapters, GIT Mentorship, Portland | No Comments »

Late last month May 23-25, 2011, NCWIT kicked off its Summit on Women and IT in New York City. NCWIT mission is a national community of change-leader organizations working to significantly increase the meaningful participation of girls and women in IT. The yearly summit brings in together leaders, change agents, and stakeholders to focus on research-driven practices and ideas that can strengthen the computing workforce and promote technology innovation by increasing the participation of girls and women.  The NCWIT Summit on Women and IT convenes prominent leaders from corporations, K-12 and higher education, non-profits, startups, and government organizations. Topics to be addressed during the summit include:

• How an increasingly diverse U.S. population impacts the future of IT
• How to develop diversity in open source
• Ways to better inform and educate girls about IT career choices
• How diversity impacts innovation and how stereotype threat affects underrepresented groups in particular environments
• What organizations can do to promote a diverse work environment, retain talent and avoid high attrition

The Department of Labor estimates that the U.S. workforce will add 1.4 million technology jobs by 2018, yet universities will produce fewer than half of the technology-trained candidates needed to fill these jobs. Research shows that the number of women in IT is dwindling; in 2009, only 25% of U.S IT professionals were women, compared to 36% in 1991.

check out NCWIT’s Alliances

Check out NCWIT BLOG |   Photos from the NCWITSummit |   Schedule of the prominent speakers/panelist |  Don’t forget to read all of the coverage #NCWITSUMMIT @NCWIT, And last but not least, like their Facebook page |   Fun digital photo booth on the last night hosted at MTV HQ for Symons Innovator Award |   Press Release for media

Follow me @MsSonicFlare

Tags: 24notion, Computing, diversity, education, girls in technology, innovation, IT, Ivo Lukas, NCWIT, ncwitsummit, New York, tech, technology, women in technology
Posted in All Chapters, All Chapters, Girls In Tech | No Comments »

Despite the highest number of female Internet users of all Arab states in the Gulf, young women in the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) are reportedly especially prone to becoming victims of cyber crime.  This is something the Dubai government & American IT companies hope to change so are launching the inaugural TechnoGirls event held at Dubai Women’s College.

To educate young girls on the dangers of social-engineering scams and hackers, more than 400 Emirati students from public and private schools on April 13th participated in TechnoGirls, a one-day event launched by the Dubai Minister of Education Humaid Al Qutami and Dubai Women’s College, who worked in partnership with Microsoft, HP, and Intel.  Along with promoting awareness on how girls can educate themselves to be protected against cyber crime — to protect themselves online — the event also sought to raise awareness for these young women on career opportunities in technology-related fields.  “There is a dire need of Emirati students in robotics, programming, software engineering and security systems,” said Jyothi Ganglani, a faculty member in charge of the project, to the Khaleej Times Online.

What a great event; and one which we hope will be repeated for girls in tech in other countries, as well as here in the States!  To read more about the event and those involved, click Here.

(quote courtesy of the New New internet.com)

Tags: cyber crime, girls in technology
Posted in All Chapters | No Comments »

Girls In Tech PDX cordially invites you to mingle with our local GIT members. Thanks to all of you for joining and supporting Portland Girls In Tech.

We would like to welcome all of you to join us for an evening of cocktails, mingling and of course some tech talk! Bring your friends and co-workers to the Tear Drop Lounge on Thursday May 28th from 5:30pm-8pm

Pls RSVP through eventbrite or Facebook

Where: Tear Drop Lounge
1015 NW Everett St, Portland, OR

Free Door prizes sponsored by 24Notion
$50 Gift Certificate to Kanani Pearl Spa
$50 Gift card to Sephora

Tags: event, girls in technology, Portland, Social mixer
Posted in Events, Portland | No Comments »