Students who are supporting with the Ada Lovelace day event
Inspiring the next generation of female computer scientists at Ada Lovelace Day events
Over 150 pupils from local schools will be taking part in a range of hands- on computer science activities to learn about AI as part of celebrations for Ada Lovelace Day.
A programme of activities are taking place on the 8th and 9th October, organised by a team led by Dr Marjahan Begum from the University of Nottingham’s School of Computer Science with students from Women in Computer Science Society and Computer Science Society. The team have organised activities focusing on the AI revolution and aim to help young people understand what AI is and how it will impact their future.
Year 8 and 9 girls from Nottingham University Academy of Science and Technology (NUAST) will be taking part in a day of events on campus with talks from AI scientists and students about their ground breaking work. The girls will also take part in hands-on activities using bbc micro:bit and understand AI through unplugged activity. They will also attend a workshop on responsible AI.
The team are also running the same event at Medicity in collaboration with Ignite for around 150 pupils from across Nottinghamshire.
Ada Lovelace day celebrates the achievements of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Events are taking place all over the world with the aim of encouraging more girls to pursue STEM as a career.
Ada Lovelace is the only daughter of Lord Byron. She is the first person to communicate the potential of the first computer called Analytical Engine invented by Charles Babbage. She is often referred to as the “first computer programmer”.
Dr Marjahan Begum explains why events like these are so important: “Like other STEM subjects, computer science lacks diversity and celebration events like these have kept inspiring young female for generations. Whilst we do see more women coming into Computer Science there is still room for more and we hope to both remember the important history of Ada Lovelace but also look forward to the future of computing.”
More information is available from Dr Marjahan Begum on marjahan.begum@nottingham.ac.uk or Jane Icke, Media Relations Manager for the Faculty of Science at the University of Nottingham on jane.icke@nottingham.ac.uk