How a first-year Computer Science student won 3rd place at a National Computing Conference
Meet Sumayah - the EECS student who took her research on algorithmic bias all the way to a national conference and came home with 3rd place.
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The BCSWomen Lovelace Colloquium is one of the UK's most prestigious computing conferences for women and non-binary students, and this year Sumayah was among those selected to present her work.
We sat down with Sumayah to hear about the experience: what the conference was like, the research she presented on bias in facial recognition systems, and why she thinks events like this are so important for the next generation of women and non-binary people in tech.
For anyone who hasn't come across it before, what is the BCSWomen Lovelace Colloquium?
For anyone who hasn't come across it before, what is the BCSWomen Lovelace Colloquium?
The BCSWomen Lovelace Colloquium is an annual two-day conference for women and non-binary students pursuing Computing and related subjects, organised by the BCS Institute. This year it was held at the University of Bath.
How did the conversation about entering come about?
I came across the event online and was drawn to it as it was one of the few research opportunities open to undergraduates, especially first years that I had seen. Interested in exploring bias in machine learning for my topic, I approached my lecturer, Dr Tina Peterson, whose course related to AI and ethics I had taken. She supported my application as a referee and offered valuable guidance with her expertise during the early stages of my research.
What was the day itself like? Can you tell us about the work you presented?
The first day started with a welcome talk by the BCSWomen team, followed by some breakout sessions from women in both academia and industry backgrounds. Hearing those different career perspectives was very insightful. However, the highlight of the event was definitely the poster session. I spent most of my time roaming around, and it was incredible to see the range of amazing ideas from other students. My poster, focused on algorithmic bias in facial recognition systems. Having developed my own system in the past, I had seen firsthand how popular programs often suffer from lower accuracy rates for women and people of colour. My work highlighted where these biases stem from-often in the training data, and suggested accessible methods for mitigation.
Why do you think events like this matter, particularly for women and non-binary students in computing?
The Computing and IT industry can sometimes feel like a high-pressure environment where you have to constantly prove your technical worth. Events like this matter because they flip that narrative. What I found most interesting wasn't actually presenting my own poster, it was being inspired by the sheer depth of research from fellow students. I saw incredible ideas in areas of computing I’d never even considered before, and it expanded my view of what’s possible in this field. While I was incredibly nervous at first to present my work, it eventually struck me that this didn't feel like a formal presentation. Instead, it felt like a conversation with friends about topics I genuinely love. That welcoming, low-stakes but high-interest environment is exactly what women and non-binary students need in my opinion to really succeed in the industry. It provides a space to be curious and bold without the fear of being judged, which is a benefit that stayed with me long after the conference ended, as I now have a network of like-minded students with whom I can navigate the industry together with.
What would you both say to students and academics who haven't yet engaged with opportunities like this?
To students: Don’t be discouraged by the idea of presenting, these events are far more welcoming than they seem. Sharing your work is less about perfection and more about starting conversations and building connections that can last throughout your career. To academics: Your encouragement is pivotal. By supporting students, especially early in our degrees, you’re helping us build the confidence and the network we need to thrive.