WiCS and WiT Conference 2021

The Women in Computer Science (WiCS) student group hosted its fifth annual Women in Tech (WiT) Conference on September 18, 2021, held virtually this year. Per their website, the WiT Conference seeks to bring together talented, passionate women and femme nonbinary individuals who are interested in learning about technology and want to join the field academically or professionally.

This year’s keynote speaker was Alina Aronova, an executive in the field of educational technology. Her presentation, “Sustainable Transformation – How to Make Change Stick,” gave advice about the business side of technology, discussing various projects and lessons from her own career.

Other talks included topics such as the UI/UX/PM Career Paths Panel, Careers in Engineering Panel, Cybersecurity, Machine Learning in Banking, and Tech in Healthcare. 

Over 500 people attended the conference. Ananya Pavuluri, A22, conference chair, shared that, while the audience was primarily Tufts students, there were also attendees from Brandeis, Georgia Tech, University of Montana, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Harvard, MIT, BU, Wellesley, Cooper Union, Brown, Lehigh, and many more schools. Recent graduates from these universities and Tufts alumni were in attendance, as well as students from overseas.

The conference was sponsored by 31 corporate sponsors. Pavuluri reports that the event also “had sponsors ranging from Big Tech like Google to brand new startups with less than 50 employees. Corporate sponsors recruited at our career fair, where they all had virtual booths, and attendees could ask questions and share resumes and other information. Some also held workshops to give advice on career development, networking skills, and self-advocacy in the workplace.” 

This conference was organized and run by a group of about 35 Tufts students, consisting of both graduates and undergraduates. The Department of Computer Science sends congratulations to the organizers of the conference, who include Imogen Eads, A22, Manpreet Kaur, E24, Jennifer Liu, E23, Tina Ma, E23, Rebecca Miller, E22, and Ananya Pavuluri, A22.

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The Women in Computer Science (WiCS) student group connects and supports women and femme nonbinary individuals studying computer science at Tufts. The group does this in a variety of ways, including holding social events, workshops, tech talks, and “lunch and learns.” They also offer networking opportunities, which include being a part of a cluster group and/or mentorship program. Cluster groups provide an opportunity to share advice on different classes and experiences in tech in a small group setting that are formed at the beginning of the school year. The mentorship program pairs alumni and experienced professionals with students who are keen to explore a career in computer science. WiCS is currently looking for more mentors for prospective student mentees. If you are interested in becoming a mentor, please fill out this interest form.