Local student wins prestigious Google scholarship

A computer science student at Rhodes University in Grahamstown has won a prestigious Google scholarship and is set to fly to Zurich this month to take part in a networking retreat there.

Sinini Ncube’s master’s research programme involved “an investigation into the use of web-based user interfaces for the visualisation of zoonotic disease outbreaks.”

The Google Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship is awarded by Google in memory of Dr Anita Borg, who was a pioneer in shaping the relationship between women and technology.

Ncube, who is “thrilled and amazed by this award”, has been working on ways of using the web to provide techniques that enhance veterinary service-delivery in South Africa.

“Computer science is highly dominated by men and this is an opportunity to see and to be encouraged by what other women are doing and achieving,” Ncube told Memeburn.com.

In addition to a scholarship of €7000, the Zurich retreat features workshops with a series of speakers, panel discussions and breakout sessions, as well as numerous social activities.

Ncube believes that “discussing issues makes them clearer and gives us new ideas that we do not usually receive by researching for information electronically. This trip will give me an opportunity to share and listen to fresh ideas from different women.”

Google hopes that through the scholarship, it will “encourage women to excel in computing and technology, and become active role models and leaders.”