Google praises Surrey computer student as one of the best in the World

Friday 3 June 2011

She said: "I am really happy and excited on winning the scholarship. It is great to be recognised by Google and to be given such a great opportunity."
The scholarship is named after Dr Anita Borg who founded the Institute for Women and Technology. Today this organisation bears her name, The Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology (www.anitaborg.org).
The Google Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship: Europe, the Middle East and Africa aims to encourage women to excel in computing and technology, and become active role models and leaders.
Scholarships are awarded based on the strength of candidates’ academic performance, leadership experience and demonstrated passion for computer science.
Jenny McColl, Google's University Programmes Manager, said: “Google created the Anita Borg Scholarship to encourage and reward women to excel in computing and technology, and become active role models and leaders. We have awarded Vedika the scholarship on the strength of her excellent academic performance and passion for computer science. Vedika is a fantastic example to her peers and she is thoroughly deserving of the Anita Borg scholarship.”
This month (June 2011), all scholarship recipients and finalists will be invited to visit Google’s Engineering Centre in Zurich for a networking retreat.
It will include workshops with a series of speakers, panels, breakout sessions and social activities, and will provide an opportunity for all finalists to meet and share their experiences.
Dr Lee Gillam, who acts as Vedika’s personal tutor and is the academic responsible for arranging year-long industrial placements for the Computing degree programmes, commented: “It is always pleasing to see the efforts of very dedicated students being rewarded.
“Vedika is developing an impressive track record, with this Google scholarship adding to her prizes for academic performance, and experience with IBM covering two summers and the year-long placement as part of her degree. I expect Vedika to graduate from Surrey with quite an impressive CV, making her a highly employable prospect.”
Professor Tony Ho, Head of the Department of Computing, added: “We are very proud of Vedika’s success in winning the prestigious Google Anita Borg Scholarship. This is truly a wonderful achievement and a testament to the teaching excellence, quality and employability of the Department’s degree programmes in meeting the ever changing needs of industry, a tradition that the University of Surrey is well-known for as being the UK number one in graduate employment.”

Notes to Editors:

Dr Anita Borg’s capacity to mix technical expertise and a relentless vision inspired, motivated and moved women to embrace technology instead of avoiding or ignoring it. She touched and changed the lives of countless women in the computing fields and beyond. She is responsible for including women in the technological revolution – not as bystanders, but as active participants and leaders. In 1987, prior to founding the Institute, Anita began an email online community called Systers which today has 3,000 members from all over the world. In 1994, Anita co-founded the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing Conference. The Grace Hopper Celebration has grown to become the largest gathering of women in computing in the world. The Anita Borg Institute is the umbrella organisation for both of these ongoing programs as well as the Virtual Development Centre, TechLeaders and a host of other dynamic partnerships and collaborations that embrace Anita’s ongoing vision.
During her life, Anita’s commitment to her vision and expertise in the field gained her significant recognition. In 1999 President Clinton appointed her to the Commission on the Advancement of Women and Minorities in Science, Engineering, and Technology. In 2002, she received the Heinz Award for Technology, the Economy, and Employment.
Born Anita Borg Naffz on January 17th, 1949 in Chicago, Illinois, she grew up in Palatine, Illinois, Kaneohe, Hawaii, and Mukilteo, Washington. Anita found her way to a computer keyboard in her mid-20s. She received a Ph.D. in computer science from the Courant Institute at New York University in 1981. She then embarked on a brilliant research career for some of industry’s commercial giants including, Nixdorf, Digital/Compaq’s Western Research Lab and Xerox PARC.
The Scholarship from Google recognises her enduring campaign to revolutionise the way society thinks about technology and dismantling barriers that keep women and minorities from entering computing and technology fields.

Media Enquiries

Howard Wheeler, Press Office at the University of Surrey, Tel: +44 (0)1483 686141, or Email mediarelations@surrey.ac.uk