ANITA BORG INSTITUTE ENCOURAGES STUDENTS TO APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS

USA (SANEPR.com) April 30, 2008 -- The Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology (ABI) announced today that scholarship applications are now being accepted for the 2008 Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing Conference, which brings together women in all aspects of computer science and engineering. This year’s conference will be held October 1–4, 2008 at the Keystone Resort in Colorado. The deadline for scholarship applications is Sunday, June 15, 2008.

Offered by the Anita Borg Institute and made possible through generous grants from the Anita Borg Institute, the National Science Foundation and sponsors, numerous full and partial scholarships are available for this year’s conference. Full scholarships cover conference registration, lodging for three nights, and travel expense reimbursement. Partial scholarships are also available. While the largest portion of scholarships are awarded to undergraduate and graduate students, junior faculty and members of non-governmental organizations and non-profits are also eligible to apply.

“Last year, 115 full scholarships and 23 partial scholarships were awarded,” said Deanna Kosaraju, director of programs, ABI. “We received 915 applications, and we expect a similar response for 2008.”

Applications are being accepted online at http://gracehopper.org/2008/participate/student-scholarships/. The deadline for applying is Sunday, June 15, 2008. A scholarship committee consisting of men and women from industry and academia performs blind reviews of the applications and scores each one. Scholarships are awarded to the candidates with the highest scores.

“We use a variety of criteria, and we evaluate each candidate individually. We consider academic achievement, potential in the field, and need,” says Kosaraju. “But we also look for thoughtful, creative, well-written essays that stand out.”

The Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing is a program of the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology and is co-presented with the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). The 2007 Grace Hopper Celebration attracted record-setting attendance with 1,436 participants from 23 countries with more than 250 presenters.

A research study of last year’s participants revealed that more than 70 percent of student respondents said the conference increased their commitment to earning their degree in technology and pursuing a technology career. In addition, many student attendees reported that the opportunity the conference afforded them to take part in a community of technical women and the knowledge they gained from the speakers and presenters inspired them and increased their confidence in their chosen field.

The theme of this year’s 8th annual conference is “We Build a Better World,” which recognizes the contribution that women in computing are making to the world around them using technology. The conference will feature plenary sessions, panels, poster sessions, and workshops led by successful researchers and professionals in the computer science industry.

About the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology (ABI)
The Anita Borg Institute provides resources and programs for industry, academia, and government to help them recruit, retain, and develop women leaders in high-tech fields resulting in higher levels of technology innovation. ABI programs serve high-tech women by creating a community and providing tools to develop their careers. ABI is a not-for-profit 501(c) 3 charitable organization. ABI partners include Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft Corporation, Sun Microsystems, Google, IBM, Intel, Cisco, Juniper Networks, National Science Foundation, Symantec, NetApp, and Capgemini. For more information, visit www.anitaborg.org.

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Media Contact
Anita Borg Institute
Jerri Barrett
650-857-6095
jerrib@anitaborg.org