Supporting women to succeed in High Performance Computing

Durham is a member of the N8 Centre of Excellence in Computationally Intensive Research (N8 CIR), which has been recognised as a chapter of the Women in High Performance Computing (WHPC) organisation.

The new WHPC chapter is committed to:

• Addressing the issue of gender balance within the N8 CIR,
• Improving the gender balance at workshops by identifying barriers that women face when applying for places,
• Identifying and challenging reasons why there are so few women in senior roles in HPC and raising the profile of people from underrepresented groups.

The N8 CIR will also address wider diversity concerns and support people from minority communities, and those with disabilities, to work and contribute to the HPC community.

Trailblazing women in HPC

Dr Marion Weinzierl, a research software engineer (RSE) at Durham, was recently included on a list of trailblazing women in HPC.

Marion, who is also the N8 CIR RSE theme leader, said: “I’m thrilled that the N8 CIR has become recognised as a chapter of WHPC. Our group is open to everyone and welcomes contributions and support from all genders and gender identities.”

Opportunities in technology

We’re working hard to increase diversity in computer science, including setting up the Durham University Women in Tech society; we’re involved in the TechUP programme to help people from minority groups into the tech industry; and we host regular lectures and talks from leading figures in tech.

We’re supporting students from low income, under-represented backgrounds to create opportunities in technology through our alumni-funded scholarship programme.

We also run Computer Science for Girls to help female GCSE and A-level students discover computer science.

Find out more

• The N8 Centre of Excellence in Computationally Intensive Research is part of the N8 Research Partnership of northern England’s eight research intensive universities, including Durham.

• Women in High Performance Computing is at the forefront of promoting women in the HPC community across academia and industry. Find out more about the work of N8 CIR’s WHPC chapter by subscribing to the N8 CIR newsletter.

• Read more about why Dr Marion Weinzierl, in Advanced Research Computing at Durham, is a trailblazing woman in HPC.

• See how we’re improving Diversity and Inclusion in Computer Science at Durham and learn more about TechUP.

• Discover undergraduate and postgraduate opportunities in Computer Science and find out more about our alumni-funded undergraduate scholarships.

Image details: SSI WiSE Software Carpentry workshop (Manchester, UK, December 2015). © 2015 The University of Edinburgh. Used with permission.