Dr. Anita Borg (1949–2003)
Anita Borg believed that technology
affects all aspects of our economic, political, social and personal lives. A
technology rebel with a cause, in her life she fought tirelessly to ensure that
technology’s impact would be a positive one. It was this vision that inspired
Anita in 1997 to found the Institute for Women and Technology. Today this
organization continues on her legacy and bears her name, The Anita Borg
Institute for Women and Technology (www.anitaborg.org).
The Scholarship
Dr. Anita Borg devoted her adult life to revolutionising the way we think
about technology and dismantling barriers that keep women and minorities from
entering computing and technology fields. Her combination of technical expertise
and fearless vision continues to inspire and motivate countless women to become
active participants and leaders in creating technology.
As part of Google’s ongoing commitment to
furthering Anita’s vision, we are pleased to announce The Google Anita Borg
Memorial Scholarship: Asia-Pacific (APAC). Through the scholarship, we aim to
encourage women to excel in computing and technology, and become active role
models and leaders.
Scholarships will be awarded based on the strength of candidates’ academic
performance, leadership experience and demonstrated passion for computer
science. A group of female Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD students will be chosen
from the applicant pool across Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Korea, Southeast
Asia and India. Each scholarship recipient will receive a scholarship amount
specific to their local region in respect to tuition.
All scholarship recipients will be
invited to visit a Google office in Sydney, Australia for a networking retreat.
It will include workshops with a series of speakers, panels, breakout sessions
and social activities, and will provide an opportunity to meet and share
experiences.
Eligibility requirements
Applicants must:
- Be a female student enrolled in full-time undergraduate or postgraduate study at an university.
- Be enrolled at a University in any of the following countries: Korea, Japan, Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand and India. Citizens, permanent residents, and international students are eligible to apply.
- Be studying Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a closely related technical field.
- Maintain an excellent academic record.
How to apply
Please complete the online application and submit all required documents
online by 31st of May,
2013. First-time users will be required to register and create
an account. You will be asked to submit electronic versions of the following:
- Resume – with education, work and technical accomplishments included
- Transcripts
- Bachelor’s: A copy of your current academic record
- Master’s and PhD: A copy of your previous and current academic records
- Two letters of
recommendation
- The letters should be written by individuals who are qualified to evaluate your academic and leadership accomplishments, e.g. from a professor, adviser or supervisor. You will be asked for the name and contact information for each of your references when you complete the online application. Each contact you enter will receive an email generated by the online application including instructions on how to submit their letter electronically. The deadline for your references to complete the letter of recommendation is June 10, 2013.
- Answers to three short essay
questions (suggested word count is 400-600 words per question)
- Describe a significant computer science
project you have worked on. (If you have worked on a major independent research
project, such as research for a graduate program, please describe that work
here). Give an overview of the problem and your approaches to the key technical
challenges. If this was a group effort, be sure to specify your individual role
and contributions.
- Give an example(s) of a situation(s) where you significantly demonstrated
your leadership abilities. Explain what you set out to achieve and how you went
about it. What was the outcome of your efforts? These need not be demonstrated
through formal or traditional leadership roles. Feel free to think broadly and
examine the many ways you impact members of your technical
community.
- Have you thought of the next big product/technology to revolutionize the market as we know it? Write out a business proposal to a Venture Capitalist, including a description of the product/technology, your planned methodology to develop it to bring it to the consumer market and the expected positive impact on people's lives.
- Describe a significant computer science
project you have worked on. (If you have worked on a major independent research
project, such as research for a graduate program, please describe that work
here). Give an overview of the problem and your approaches to the key technical
challenges. If this was a group effort, be sure to specify your individual role
and contributions.
For specific questions not answered on this page or in the FAQ section,
please e-mail anitaborg-apac@google.com. The
subject field of your email must include “Anita Borg Question”.
About the Scholars’ Retreat
All scholarship recipients will
be invited to an expenses paid retreat held in Sydney, Australia in September.
In addition to free time for sightseeing and socializing, the formal part of the
retreat typically includes:
- Welcome meal and tour of Google;
- Informal ice breaker activities and introductions;
- Introduction to the Anita Borg Institute and the scholarship program;
- Personal insights, technical talks, and workshops.
You can read the scholars' interview
about the 2012 Asia Anita Borg Memorial Scholars' Retreat in Singapore on Google Student Blog.
We look forward to receiving your
application!
