Edith Clarke, Mary Engle Pennington, Maria Klawe, Lydia Villa-Komaroff, Rosalind Franklin what do all these women have in common?

They are all credited with bringing STEM (thats Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) to the forefront and paving the way for more women to break glass ceilings in these disciplines.

Clarke was the first female electrical engineer. Pennington discovered the worlds first safety standard for milk storage. Klawe increased the number of women studying computer science at her faculty to 40%. Villa-Komaroff found that bacteria can be engineered for insulin production and Franklin provided critical research for the DNA structure.

Yet, as qualified and impressive as they are, they are outliers. Women are significantly underrepresented in STEM fields only 28% are women and receive lower pay than men.

If you seek to narrow this gap and change this trend, set your sights on universities that will offer the time, effort and resources to ensure your success. These institutions have role models, plus academic, social and professional opportunities for women in STEM. Check out our pick of universities in Europe that best fit this description:

If the STEM industries are looking for women talent, Coventry University graduates are candidates.

After all, they come from an institution with a long string of accolades: #1 Modern University in the Midlands (Guardian University Guide 2021), University of the Year for Student Experience (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2019), Gold for Outstanding Teaching and Learning, to name a few. Here, 97% of students found jobs or continued to further studies within six months after graduation (DLHE survey, UG UK, 2016/17, published in 2018).

Source: Coventry University

In the Universities two dedicated engineering and computing buildings, students evolve into masters in their field of study, as well as gain further personal, cultural and work experiences through taught masters programmes such as Computer Science; Cyber Security; Data Science/Data Science with Computational Intelligence; and Management of Information Systems and Technology.

Aspiring female postgraduate students are welcome to pursue these programmes here. Many graduates remember their Coventry experience as one defined by making lifelong friends, being inspired by dedicated teachers and having opportunities to contribute.

I found inspiration and was amazed by the possibilities and potential that could be achieved when applying the taught content. I loved what I studied, and it helped me keep going, the idea that with this knowledge, I would be able to improve lives, experiences or even the world itself, shares MSc Data Science graduate Toma Petraviciute.

Ume University, the largest institution of higher education in northern Sweden, has over 36,000 students from 60 countries 66% are females. It recently won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 2020 and has 44 international programmes at least 40 programmes are taught in English.

Ume Universitys peaceful campus. Source: Ume University, Facebook

The universitys interdisciplinary collaborations span over 2,000 researchers working in top national and international research teams. Students can access top-range facilities and equipment at Ume such as High Performing Computing Centre North, Integrated Science Lab and NanoLab.

Students like Adriele Pradi recall how her teachers at Ume made her study experience enjoyable with their teaching expertise and subject knowledge.

The lecturers are very friendly and supportive. I like the way they focus on creating self-reliance and independence in the students, Cartrine Anyango, another student from Nairobi, shares.

For international students, the Buddy System Programme helps them meet and mix with domestic students to learn from each other and transition better into university life.

Masters programmes offered here include Computing Science, Statistics and Data Science and IT Management.

The University of Edinburgh is world-renowned for many things: ranked #16 in the QS World University Ranking 2022, fourth in the UK for research power, and famous alumni that include Nobel laureates and Olympic athletes.

Sunset at the University of Edinburghs campus. Source: The University of Edinburgh, Facebook

The University of Edinburgh is also ranked among the top 20 most international universities, is a member of Universitas 21 research network as well as the European networks: Coimbra Group, League of European Research Universities (LERU) and Una Europa alliance.

Besides being located in one of the worlds top 20 student cities, Edinburgh, the university also offers outstanding facilities for learning including well-stocked libraries and 30 computer labs.

Due to its superior ratings, cutting edge learning environment, fascinating postgraduate programme and impressive staff, the university greatly appealed to me, Zia Barnard, a Biotechnology graduate from Saint Lucia, says.

A wide array of taught masters programmes are offered here. This includes the MSc Computer Science, MSc Data Science and the MSc Cyber Security, Privacy and Trust.

As the biggest engineering university in the Czech Republic with 19,000 students, BRNO University of Technology ranked among 2.3% of the worlds best universities has some of the best engineering equipment within excellent research centres such as the Central European Institute of Technology.

Brno in winter. Source: BRNO University of Technology, Facebook

Being located in Brno translates to affordable living costs and close proximity to technology companies for students. Since Brno is dubbed Europes Silicon Valley, students can participate in numerous foreign internships and international project collaborations 95% of graduates easily find jobs within six months.

BRNO University offers English-taught masters programmes such as Applied Sciences in Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Information Technology, and Environmental Sciences and Engineering.

Finally, BRNO has an interesting affiliation with women in STEM Zdena Rbov pioneered IT in Czechoslovakia and worked at the Faculty of Information Technology at BRNO. The Summer Schools (F)IT for Girls is also offered at BRNO University for high school female students who want to learn IT.

*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International

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4 universities nurturing tomorrow's women STEM experts - Study International News

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Kathleen Williams is like many students at Portland State University shes juggling other responsibilities on top of school. She recently had to miss class because of her internship, but that wasnt a big problem.

Williams is part of a pilot at Portland State this fall in which students can choose to go to class in-person or online on any given day. Some professors, like Williams, also opt to record lectures for students to view at a later time.

I can just watch the lecture after work, Williams said. I do prefer in-person classes, so having that option is great, but its also inconvenient to not have the option to not go sometimes, so I guess this is just the best of both worlds.

Portland State University instructor Annette Dietz lectures to the 13 students in the classroom and others who are online, Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021 in Portland. PSU is experimenting with a new course modality in hopes of moving toward becoming a "hybrid university, where students can choose to attend class in person or virtually.

Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB

Back in spring 2020, the pandemic forced all of Oregons universities to pivot to online learning. While many classes have shifted back on campus, conversations are starting around what changes forced by the pandemic are worth keeping.

The flexibility of simultaneous in-person and online classes has potential, particularly for students with busy lives. But there are still concerns, ranging from teaching quality to support for instructors to technology constraints. The university is hoping to work out the kinks as it determines how the new course modality might fit into its future, and the future of higher education as a whole.

In her welcome email to the Portland State campus community early last month, University Provost Susan Jeffords wrote that PSU has begun considering what it would mean to become a hybrid university.

Jeffords told OPB the university will start to have conversations this year about what a hybrid university could look like, and what it would take to get there.

What we had been hearing, and then the pandemic really accelerated, is how much our students would like to be engaged in their learning in different ways, Jeffords said. We began to hear our students really wanted more flexibility in the ways that they could access their learning, and so, at the heart, thats what a hybrid university looks like.

The pilot program that student Kathleen Williams is part of, called Attend Anywhere, is one hybrid proposition thats come up so far.

The University of Oregon launched a similar pilot last year it called its HyFlex method. Now, the university says it is using the mixed in-person and remote course modality mostly for students who are isolating or quarantining because of COVID-19 exposure. UOs Portland campus is also experimenting with the format for some of its graduate students this year.

At Oregon State University, some faculty have been teaching using that format. Other schools across the nation have been attempting this too as the pandemic continues. And some colleges began experimenting with the model way before the pandemic, in the mid 2000s.

Jeffords said the idea for the course modality at PSU started when classes were still mostly remote, but some instructors wanted to be able to teach online students from a classroom in order to use a whiteboard.

If youre doing that anyway, within the pandemic restrictions, are there ways that some students could come to that class, and not all would have to? she said. That became the genesis of this idea.

Jeffords said the university used some of the federal COVID-19 relief funds to outfit many of its classrooms with Zoom capabilities such as installing microphones and cameras on lecture podiums. PSU now counts 151 Zoom-capable rooms.

Still, experimenting with Attend Anywhere classes is starting small.

Were studying this right now to try to figure out the best way both for students to engage in learning in that way, but also, what is it that faculty need in the way of support to be able to teach effectively in that way, Jeffords said.

There are 145 Attend Anywhere class sections offered this fall, less than 5% of PSUs total classes. The bulk of those Attend Anywhere sections, 74 classes, are in PSUs Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science.

I think we recognize that Attend Anywhere would meet sort of the needs of both the students who wanted an in-person learning and the students who wanted a remote experience, said Chris Monsere, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the college of engineering and computer science.

Monsere said the college sent a survey out to students registered in Attend Anywhere courses at the beginning of the term. About 80% of the survey respondents said the flexibility of Attend Anywhere increased their confidence they could successfully complete the course.

One of the things that weve been talking about both at the college level and as well as the department level is what to extract from the pandemic and remote learning, especially for Portland State University and our student population, Monsere said.

He continued: Theres a split between students who need in-person learning to be successful And then there are students who are able to manage things better with the ability to have remote attendance.

Kathleen Williams Attend Anywhere class a water resources engineering course is in the College of Engineering and Computer Science.

Williams said Attend Anywhere fit her life better than a strictly remote or strictly in-person class.

Her internship schedule makes it hard to schedule classes around, but she still likes to have the option to attend in-person when she can.

Attend Anywhere is the most convenient, Williams said.

She also really enjoys her professor, Annette Dietz.

Portland State University instructor Annette Dietz walks between desks as she conducts an engineering class, Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021 in Portland. The course is run both in-person and online as part of a pilot called "Attend Anywhere."

Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB

Dietz is teaching two courses this term one, the class Williams is in, is officially Attend Anywhere. The other is mostly in-person, though it has some online components. Dietz said she had specific reasons for choosing those course modalities.

The Attend Anywhere course is mostly seniors, like Williams.

Theyre pretty comfortable with the remote format from their experience last year, Dietz said of that class. The students, especially those who are seniors, theyre working on internships; theyre motivated; theyre organized, and I feel like they can be successful using that method.

As for the other class Dietz is teaching, those students are mostly incoming juniors. Dietz felt it was more important to have those students attend class in person.

Many of the students are transfers, and theyre new to PSU and their junior year, and its their first quarter here, Dietz said. I really felt it was important to at least start the quarter being more in community.

As Dietz gets more familiar with the various options online, in-person, hybrid shes finding certain instructional situations that only work one way.

I just havent figured out a way to really effectively and equitably offer a lab experience as a remote or in-person, flexible option, Dietz said. We did some creative things last year, letting students take home equipment and do experiments that way. But I feel like the students will really benefit in that class being in lab in-person.

PSU Provost, Jeffords, said she doesnt foresee every class at the university being offered as Attend Anywhere. Hands-on arts and performance-based classes make sense to continue offering in-person, as well as small senior or graduate seminars.

Its no good if one person out of 12 shows up in-person, right? Jeffords said. You ruin some of the kind of texture of conversations that happens with a small group of folks sharing a space together.

As the Attend Anywhere pilot continues, Dietz said PSU should consider how its helping or hindering students.

Maybe we think about only offering it for upper division courses, or maybe its only offered if you can maintain a certain GPA, because, you know, it seems like maybe youre having trouble with a remote setting, Dietz said. Some students do feel like they do better with in-person classes. Thats for sure.

PSU has a larger-than-average number of non-traditional students in comparison to Oregons other public universities. According to the university, 25% of students have children.

Overall, Dietz said, the Attend Anywhere course has provided flexibility for students as their lives have changed further during the pandemic.

Ive had one of my students welcome a new baby into their family, and so, how wonderful to just be able to not have to make that trip and lose the commute time to be able to spend more time with your family, she said.

Dietz said she also had students who appreciated having access to the coursework when they were kept from in-person learning by having to isolate or quarantine due to COVID-19. One of her students ended up getting COVID-19, but continued going to class online.

They hadnt been coming to class in-person, because they had symptoms, and they didnt feel this pressure to show up in-person that I think we always used to have.

Although the Attend Anywhere format might be more convenient for students, it inevitably adds work for instructors who have to manage both a classroom of in-person students and a Zoom room full of online students at the same time.

The PSU Faculty Senate Academic Quality Committee shared that concern earlier this year with administrators. They also worried about quality of learning for students.

For example, we know from the shift to remote that not everything that works in a classroom works on Zoom, and vice-versa, the committee wrote. Will faculty need to plan their courses and classroom activities for two different types of audiences? Or will faculty simply lecture or do some kind of low student-input activity, given the potential logistical challenges of handling the two different groups?

Dietz said she can see where the concerns from the faculty groups are coming from.

Of course theres always a learning curve, Dietz said.

Dietz said shes experienced the expected issues, like making sure everything is properly connected and running smoothly over Zoom.

She said at times it can be hard to keep track of online students asking questions over Zoom, as well as remembering to repeat questions from in-person students so that remote students can hear them.

In the college of engineering and computer science teaching assistants sometimes monitor students over Zoom, while professors focus on teaching in-person.

One of the challenges, I think in any format, is keeping students engaged and interested, and that doesnt change even if theyre all there in person, Dietz said.

University Provost Jeffords said administrators are looking to improve the Attend Anywhere experience by expanding classroom Zoom capabilities, such as adding cameras and microphones to classrooms. That way professors can move around more freely, and remote students can get more than just one view of the classroom.

We dont want to just say to people, we want you to do this and it has to look like this, Jeffords said. Were trying to give faculty some flexibility in how they want to adapt this kind of technology to their instruction.

Jeffords said PSUs Office of Academic Innovation will be assessing all of the universitys course modalities that took place this fall term. That office will also get direct feedback from the professors who taught Attend Anywhere classes, and start offering professional development.

Thats absolutely the next step here, Jeffords said. Its never a bad idea to invest in our faculty.

PSUs Office of Academic Innovation will also look at how students GPAs were affected, and other metrics like persistence to see how Attend Anywhere worked for students.

I think by the spring were going to have a much clearer idea of where were headed on this, Jeffords said.

More:

Portland State University experiments with Attend Anywhere model - OPB News

Computer science certifications are non-degree credentials that verify that you have certain skills in information technology or cybersecurity. Earning a certificate in computer science proves you have current, practical, and hands-on knowledge.

Salaries for computer science certificate holders average at around $63,000 according to PayScale, but can reach up to six figures. Continue reading to learn more about the process for and value of earning a certification in computer science.

The time and effort required to earn a certification depend on your experience with a particular software or digital application. For example, one tech blogger suggests a person with some experience with Amazon Web Services could prepare for the AWS Solution Architect exam in about three weeks, but a complete beginner should set aside six weeks.

In contrast, candidates for the Certified Information Security Manager certificate must meet prerequisites that include five years of experience in information security management. (You can submit an experience waiver for a maximum of two years.) Once you establish eligibility, register, and pay for the 150-question long exam, you have a full calendar year 365 days to take it.

Most IT or cyber certification exams are offered online. You can even take some exams from the comfort and privacy of your home. That said, some certifications require exams at in-person testing centers.

Additionally, few certifications last forever. For example, both the AWS Solution Architect and CISM certifications expire after three years.

Certificates in computer science generally offer a good return on your investment of time and money. One recent analysis found that 52% of people said cloud-related certifications expanded their career opportunities.

Computer science certifications usually focus on a single, specific skill or role. That's different from earning an academic degree or diploma in computer science. Degrees and diplomas usually require general education coursework. Each year, about 65,000 US students graduate with computer science degrees. In contrast, hundreds of thousands of IT and cybersecurity professionals have certifications. All of these people are part of a US workforce of about 2.1 million computer science professionals.

More than 80% of people with a cloud certificate said they earned a higher salary as a direct result of this credential. On average, IT professionals who gained new skills or certifications saw their pay increase by about $12,000.

Some certifications, like the Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert, or CCIE, cost about $2,000 to earn. While you may be able to earn that investment back in salary in a short time, it may be more difficult to quantify the value of your time spent studying and preparing for the test.

There are hundreds of computer science certifications to choose from. To help you make your decision, we've rounded up some of the most popular:

Companies of all sizes use Amazon Web Services, an Amazon-based technology. This solutions architect certification validates that a person has demonstrated knowledge and ability to design and implement distributed systems on AWS. It's ideal for people with at least one year of hands-on experience with AWS technologies.

People who pursue the Certified Ethical Hacker, or CEH credential, learn the latest professional hacking techniques and methods. You then apply this knowledge in an ethical, professional manner to help organizations improve their security. People with this certification may work in more than two dozen job roles, including information security analysis, network security engineering, or cybersecurity analysis.

The CCNA certification demonstrates competence in network fundamentals, like automation and programmability. No prerequisites are required, but Cisco suggests that people pursuing this certification have at least one year of working with Cisco technologies. People who earn this certification may have opportunities to work as entry-level network engineers, help desk technicians, or network administrators.

This global certification validates that you have a baseline level of skills and knowledge in IT security. The CompTIA Security+ certification indicates you have the skills and knowledge to assess an organization's security situation. This certification also validates that you can recommend and implement security solutions, monitor and secure cloud, mobile, and internet of things environments, and identify and respond to security incidents.

As the use of cloud-based technology continues growing, organizations are finding it harder to fill IT positions. This Google certification demonstrates that you have the skills to design, build, manage and scale up a cloud system that's based on Google technologies. Advantages of earning this certification include the ability to opt into a public credential holder directory created for the certified community. This visibility could facilitate connections for employment and professional networking.

Fast and easy are subjective measures. But consider this: There's a lot of computer science certifications that you can study for in about six months. Check out these three popular entry-level IT certifications that cost $125 or less.

This certification verifies your ability to perform on-site diagnosis, repair, and replacement of Cisco networking and system devices. Two CCT paths are available: data center or routing and switching. The CCT Data Center certification covers support and maintenance of Cisco Unified Computing systems and servers, while the routing and switching specialization focuses on on-site support of routers and switches.

This certification proves you understand Microsoft 365 applications and services. These competencies include security, privacy, the benefits of the SaaS cloud model, and user support. Microsoft 365 includes the globally popular Office suite of software, along with cloud-based tools and features. Formerly known as Office 365, more than 50 million people subscribed to Microsoft 365 as of April 2021.

This certification assesses three areas of knowledge: Google Cloud products and services, Google Cloud knowledge, and general cloud knowledge. People with this certification are "well-versed in basic cloud concepts and can demonstrate a broad application of cloud computing knowledge in a variety of applications." The company says Google Cloud-Certified professional architects may earn an average salary of $139,529.

Born and raised in upstate New York, Brian Nichols began his IT education through a vocational high school where he focused on computer science, IT fundamentals, and networking. Brian then went to his local community college, where he received his associate of science in computer information science. He then received his bachelor of science in applied networking and system administration from a private college. Brian now lives in Kansas City, where he works full-time as a DevOps engineer. Brian is also a part-time instructor in cybersecurity. He's passionate about cybersecurity and helping students succeed.

Brian Nichols is a paid member of the Red Ventures Education freelance review network.

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Certificate in computer science: What you need to know - ZDNet

The 9th HLF will take place from September 18 to 23, 2022 (with young researcher registration on September 17). This prominent, versatile event combines scientific, social and outreach activities in a unique atmosphere, fueled by comprehensive exchange and scientific inspiration.Laureate lectures and discussions, plus various interactive program elements are some of the Forum's fundamental elements, which are delivered on a platform that welcomes unfettered exchange.

The application period for the 9th HLF runs from November 11, 2021, until February 11, 2022. Young researchers at all phases of their careers (Undergraduate/Pre-Master, Graduate PhD or Postdoc) are encouraged to complete and submit their applications by February 11 (midnight at the dateline) via the following link: http://application.heidelberg-laureate-forum.org

Over the course of the weeklong conference, young researchers will be given the exclusive possibility to profoundly connect with their scientific role models and find out how the laureates made it to the top of their fields. As described by a young researcher, The balance between scientific sessions and informal meetings, as well as discussions on the most up-to-date subjects was just perfect! As a young researcher, this was an experience I'll not ever forget, and I believe the contacts I made will have a positive impact on my future career."

All applications that are completed and submitted by the deadline are meticulously reviewed by an international committee of experts to ensure that only the most qualified candidates are invited. There are 100 spaces available for each discipline of mathematics and computer science. All applicants will be notified by the end of April 2022 whether or not they are invited.

For questions regarding requirements and the application process, please contact Young Researchers Relations at: yr@heidelberg-laureate-forum.org

For more information, please visit:

http://www.heidelberg-laureate-forum.org

Background

The Heidelberg Laureate Forum Foundation (HLFF) annually organizes the Heidelberg Laureate Forum (HLF), a networking conference where 200 outstanding young researchers in mathematics and computer science interact with the recipients of the most renowned prizes in the fields. The HLFF was established and is funded by the German foundation Klaus Tschira Stiftung (KTS), which promotes natural sciences, mathematics and computer science. The Scientific Partners of the HLF are the Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies (HITS) and Heidelberg University. It is also strongly supported by the award-granting institutions, the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), the International Mathematical Union (IMU), and the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters (DNVA).

HLF Images

To the Editors

With this press release, we would like to extend an invitation to attend and report on the 9th Heidelberg Laureate Forum.

Applicant Inquiries

Sarah MacLeod

Martina Wagner

Young Researchers Relations

Heidelberg Laureate Forum Foundationyr@heidelberg-laureate-forum.orgTelephone: +49-6221-533-387

Press Inquiries

Nicole Schmitt

Wylder GreenCommunicationsHeidelberg Laureate Forum Foundationmedia@heidelberg-laureate-forum.orgTelephone: +49-6221-533-389

Internet: http://www.heidelberg-laureate-forum.orgFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeidelbergLaureateForumTwitter: https://twitter.com/HLForumYouTube: http://www.youtube.com/LaureateForumScience Blog: http://scilogs.spektrum.de/hlf/

Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/hlforum/albums

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.

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Calling outstanding young researchers in mathematics and computer science! - EurekAlert