ACADEMIA

This past week, Google recognized two Carnegie Mellon students through its 2012 Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship program.

The recipients are Sidra Alam and Hanan Mohammed Alshikhabobakr, both juniors in computer science. The students are among 40 young women who were chosen this year in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region. The students will receive a scholarship equivalent to 7,000 euros and an invitation to an all-expenses-paid Google Scholars' Retreat, which will be held in Zurich, Switzerland from June 17-20.

"We are very proud of Sidra and Hanan, who now join an elite group of young women who have been recognized for their academic performance and future potential in computer science and technology," said Ilker Baybars, dean of Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar. "This award recognizes how they have excelled at Carnegie Mellon, as well as their leadership experience and passion for computer science."

The scholarship program honors Anita Borg, a computer science pioneer who dedicated her life to changing the way people think about diversity and technology. Now in its ninth year, the program continues to support undergraduate and postgraduate women completing degrees in computer science and related areas, recognizing and encouraging the next generation of technical leaders and role models. Google Anita Borg Memorial Scholarships are offered on a competitive basis in Africa, Asia, Australia, Canada, Europe, Middle East, New Zealand and the United States.

Carnegie Mellon Qatar now boasts four Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship recipients. Samreen Anjum (CS'11) was selected in 2010, and Keghani Kouzoujian (CS'10) in 2009.