Ada Lovelace Day: Combatting the Gender Gap in Tech
How do we combat the gender gap in the tech industries in Denmark? And how can companies and universities jointly find solutions enabling Denmark to catch up with the other Nordic countries? Join us this afternoon for inspirational talks, cases, debate and networking to celebrate Ada Lovelace Day.
Why is this important?
Today, far too few women in Scandinavia are pursuing educations and careers in tech and IT, and according to The Women in Tech Index, Denmark ranks lowest in Scandinavia in areas such as the number of women in IT positions and the tech wage gap between men and women. This creates several problems in a society where understanding digitisation and the ability to develop and use technology is becoming more and more crucial.
We are and will become even more short of labour educated within STEM in the coming years. With the gender imbalance, the tech industry misses out on a large amount of potential and talent that can create great value for our society.
Why should you participate?
At this event, the Confederation of Danish Industry (DI) and the Department of Computer Science at the University of Copenhagen (DIKU) have joined forces on the official date of the celebration of Ada Lovelace Day to inspire businesses, universities and organisation’s achievements towards more diversity in tech and join the discussion on the continuous efforts focusing on both the gender agenda, initiatives to push the agenda, and a wider focus on diversity in general.
About Ada Lovelace
Ada Lovelace (1815 - 1852), was a mathematician, inventor, translator, poet, engineer and is recognized as the world's first programmer. Ada Lovelace wrote the world's very first "computer program" for a machine that she, with mathematician and computer pioneer Charles Babbage, had devised. The Machine was called the analysis machine.
On Ada Lovelace Day, which is held on the 2nd Tuesday in October, female pioneers and inventors within STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematic) are celebrated.
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Parking in the university's parking areas requires a valid parking ticket, which can be handed out on arrival and must be placed in the car's windscreen - therefore arrive well in advance if you are in a car. Also remember to set your parking disc when you arrive. See parking areas here: https://science.ku.dk/kontakt/filer/Parkering_FRB_Campus.pdf (The auditorium is located in area 1).
Programme
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Moderator: Birgitte Kofod Olsen, Partner, Carve Consulting
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Arrival and networking
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Opening remarks and introduction to the issue of gender imbalance in the tech industry
Meet Rikke Hougaard Zeberg, CEO, DI Digital, Jakob Grue Simonsen, Department Chair, Department of Computer Science University of Copenhagen, and Henrik Ernlund, Country Manager SAS Institute DK & Head of Nordic Sales Public Sector. Henrik Ernlund will address why the gender imbalance is major issue seen from a tech industry-perspective and present the steps taken by SAS Institute to foster more female talent.
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Nordic case presentations: Specific initiatives towards a more diverse tech industry
Meet Hanna Vuorikoski, VP and Head of HR Finland, Tieto Evry Finland, Maria Arneng, Secretary General, Hello World, Sweden, and Jacob Dyrehave, Head of Special Projects, People Experience, Nokia Denmark. The Finnish digital service and software company TietoEvry has a high priority on diversity issues and have among other initiatives gained success attracting female applicants by changing gendered content in their recruitment ads. Swedish non-profit organization Hello World will share with us how partnering up with companies and encouraging and inspiring “computer-aided creativity” amongst kids and teenagers can create great shared value. Finally, Nokia Denmark will present its efforts to increase equality in the workplace by minimizing the gender wage gap.
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Coffee break
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Research cases
Meet Naja L. Holten Møller, Tenure Track Adjunkt, Department of Computer Science University of Copenhagen, and Claus Brabrand, Associate Professor, IT University of Copenhagen.
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Panel debate: How can the industry and universities collaborate in creating more diversity in tech?
Meet Sahra-Josephine Hjort, Co-founder and CEO, CanopyLAB, Idunn Tara Asgrimsdottir, Software Development Project Manager, 3Shape, Naja L. Holten Møller, Tenure Track Adjunkt, DIKU, Henrik Ernlund, Country Manager, SAS Institute DK & Head of Nordic Sales Public Sector, and Claus Brabrand, Associate Professor, IT University of Copenhagen.
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Seminar concludes
By Rikke Hougaard Zeberg, CEO DI Digital and Naja L. Holten Møller, Tenure Track Adjunkt, Department of Computer Science University of Copenhagen,
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