Ada – Nominated for the Nordic Women in Tech Awards

-    Empowering women and non-binary students in tech at the University of Iceland.

Ada, the Association of Women and Non-binary Students in Tech at the University of Iceland, has been nominated for the prestigious Nordic Women in Tech Awards. The awards ceremony will take place in Oslo this November.

The Nordic Women in Tech Awards are an annual event organised by Wonder Codes, a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring, empowering, and supporting women in IT careers. This year, more than 600 nominations were submitted across ten categories, with only five finalists selected in each. Ada has been nominated in the Women in Tech Ally category, representing Iceland alongside Helen S. Jónsdóttir. This category honours organisations or individuals who have significantly contributed to empowering women in tech over the past two years, recognizing those who lead by example and actively work to foster greater diversity in the tech industry.

Ada's accomplishments are particularly noteworthy given its brief period of activity. Founded in 2018 at the University of Iceland, the association went on hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic before being revived in the autumn of 2022 by a dedicated group of women in computer science and software engineering. Since its resurgence, Ada has hosted numerous events and initiatives aimed at supporting women and non-binary individuals in information technology, whether they are students or professionals.

The association's name pays homage to Ada Lovelace, the 19th-century mathematician and countess who is widely regarded as the first computer programmer.

Educational Activities

Saeeda Shafaee, a third-year computer science student, played a key role in revitalising Ada after the pandemic. This year, she serves as the president of Ada, following her term as event coordinator last year.

"Ada organized more than 20 events last year, including educational evenings led by our former Vice President, Theresia Mita Erika. These sessions tackled important topics like relationship abuse awareness, financial literacy for students and early-career professionals, and CV-building workshops where attendees received help with their resumés and LinkedIn profiles, especially as they prepared for the summer job market," Saeeda explained.

Saeeda as event coordinator also organized numerous Girls Night ('Skvísó') trips to IT companies, designed to introduce female and non-binary students to career opportunities in tech and help them expand their professional networks. Additionally, using their experience from being active members of Ada, Saeeda and Mita organized their own successful week-long program under the title “Stelpur Forrita” (Girls who Code) at the beginning of the academic year. This initiative aimed to introduce women and genderqueer individuals to the possibilities within the IT field.

Despite growing efforts, far fewer women than men pursue studies in IT and STEM fields in general. According to Saeeda, Ada is determined to change that: "We want to be there for female and non-binary students, offering support whenever they need it. It’s important they know that no matter how difficult things may seem, everything can be figured out. They shouldn’t fear failure but should focus on pushing through and asking for help when needed. Finding a support group and people to talk to during challenging times can make all the difference," she said.

Reflecting on Ada's nomination for the Nordic Women in Tech Awards, Saeeda expressed her pride: "It’s a huge honour for Ada. We’ve built this association back up after COVID entirely on our terms, and it’s so meaningful to see that our work is being recognized. Whether we win or not, this nomination tells us we’re making a difference. It feels like someone’s saying, ‘You’re doing a great job!’"

The awards will be presented at the WonderCoders conference in Oslo, taking place from November 12 to 14. Saeeda will attend the event along with three of her colleagues from Ada—last year's president, Helena Stefánsdóttir, vice president, Guðrún Ísabella Kjartansdóttir, and social media manager, Kristín Fríða Sigurborgardóttir.

The names and roles of the 2024-2025 board members are as follows:

• Chair: Saeeda Shafaee (second to last person to the left)
• Vice-chair: Guðrún Ísabella Kjartansdóttir (left most person in the picture)
• Secretary: Andrea Eiríksdóttir
• Treasurer: Elma Karen Gunnarsddóttir
• Event coordinator: Ásdís Valtýsdóttir (rightmost person to the right)
• Social media manager: Kristín Fríða Sigurborgardóttir
• First-year representatives: Hildur Agla Ottadóttir