Google honours Carnegie Mellon students in Qatar

Google has recognised two Carnegie Mellon students through its 2012 Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship programme, the university has said. The recipients, Sidra Alam and Hanan Mohammad Alshikhabobakr, were among 40 young women chosen this year in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region. The students, both juniors in computer science, will receive a 7,000 euro scholarship and an invitation to the Google Scholars' Retreat to be held in Zurich, Switzerland from June 17 to 20. "We are very proud of Sidra and Hanan, who now join an elite group of young women who have been recognised for their academic performance and potential in computer science and technology," said Ilker Baybars, dean of Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar. "This award recognises their excellence at Carnegie Mellon as well as their leadership experience and passion for computer science." The scholarship programme honours 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 programme continues to support undergraduate and postgraduate women completing degrees in computer science and related areas, recognising 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 was selected in 2010, and Keghani Kouzoujian in 2009.