Celebration of Women in Computing - Computer Science Canada/Informatique Canada

Annual Canadian Celebration of Women in Computing Conference (CAN-CWiC)

CAN-CWiC is the premiere Canadian computing conference for young women and non-binary people in technology. This annual event has been offered since 2011 and features networking, learning, sharing and mentoring. CAN-CWiC embodies the mission of encouraging curiosity and awareness for the digital innovations that change the community and world around us. Bringing together leaders in research, education and industry from across Canada. Get inspired by stories from women who have been there and done that and how they succeeded.

If you are a student interested in attending contact your department chair as they may coordinate the attendance of a number of students in your department. You can also register yourself via this website registration portal (opens in early spring).

The event will be held at the Delta Hotels by Marriott Toronto Airport and Conference Center in Toronto.

If you are a student from outside the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), contact your department chair to inquire about transportation and accommodation. If your school is participating in CAN-CWiC, it will provide the opportunity to students to attend the event and will arrange and (in most cases) pay for your transportation (by bus or air) and accommodation (on the 20^th). If your school is not attending as a group, you can still register yourself via the Registration Form You will then be responsible for your own transportation.

CAN-CWiC is arranging for bus transportation for students from Quebec (leaving from Montreal) and Ontario (outside the GTA – leaving from Ottawa, Kingston, and schools in the Golden Horseshoe, Windsor/Kitchener/Waterloo areas). The buses leave in the morning of the 20^th, drop you off at the hotel, and drive you back to your school on the 21^st. Your department chair will have information on the bus schedule. If you are from outside Quebec or Ontario, you need to arrange transportation either through your department or by yourself.

CAN-CWiC will arrange and confirm your accommodation at the hotel once you have registered for the conference. Your hotel room will be double occupancy and you will share the room with another female student, and, in most cases, you have an option to be matched up with a person of your choice.

All your food and beverage, including the Friday October 20^th CAN-CWIC Banquet, are included in your registration fee.

On Friday, October 20^th all registered students will have an opportunity to attend the amazing CAN-CWiC reception and banquet. There are fun photo booths and we have some amazing keynote speakers lined up and you will receive a beautiful four course meal. It’s a great opportunity to dress up, mingle, meet other students from across Canada and have fun.

More Information Will Become Available Soon

Steering Committee

The steering committee provides direction and advice to the co-chairs about the program. Co-chairs are chosen annually and move around from west to east. Co-chairs are responsible for finding and managing local support to run elements of the conference organization.

CO-CHAIRS

OULDOOZ BAGHBAN KARIMI

Lecturer, School of Computing Science
Chair, Computing Science Diversity Committee
President, Academic Women
Simon Fraser University

Jeremy Bradbury

PhD Associate Professor Computer Science Faculty of Science, Ontario Tech University

Steering Committee Members

Joanne Atlee

Professor
Cheriton School of Computer Science
University of Waterloo

Sheila McIlraith

Professor
Department of Computer Science
University of Toronto
Vector Institute, Canada CIFAR AI Chair
Associate Director and Research Lead, Schwartz Reisman Institute

Kate Larson

Professor
Cheriton School of Computer Science
University of Waterloo

Program

All events will take place at the Delta Hotel. Information about keynote speakers and parallel sessions will become available over the summer.

Friday, October 20th

12:00 noon – 5:00 pm: CS-CAN|INFO-CAN Faculty Meeting
4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. - Registration
6:30 p.m. – Banquet - Keynote Speaker: To be confirmed

Saturday, October 21nd

7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. - Breakfast
8:00 a.m. - 2 p.m. - Registration

8:45 a.m. - 9:50 a.m.
NCWIT Aspirations in Computing National Award - Keynote Speaker: to be confirmed

9:50 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Break

10:00 a.m. - 11:50 a.m. - Parallel sessions
12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. - Lunch and Career Fair
2:00 p.m. - 3:50 p.m. - Parallel sessions

3:50 p.m. – 4:10 p.m. Break

4:10 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Panel Session: Moderated by Joanne Atlee, Professor, University of Waterloo

5:30 p.m. End of the program

More Information Will Become Available Soon

Thank you for your interest in the 13th Celebration of Women in Computing Conference (CAN-CWiC). CAN-CWiC provides an excellent opportunity to connect with hundreds of female computing students from across the country.

Sponsorship Benefits

Statistics from 2022

CAN-CWIC is funded by sponsorship by industry, government and universities/colleges. Becoming a sponsor of the CAN-CWIC affords your organization the opportunity to:

Influence and attract tomorrow’s computing professionals
Showcase your commitment to diversity
Provide opportunities for your technical women to develop leadership, mentor and network
Participate in the career fair
Promote your organization’s needs
Strengthen relationships with participating universities, scope out potential collaborations
Support a program that improves the climate for the sector at large
Academic Sponsorship – recruit Graduate Students

650 attendees
Over 35 organizations attended
30+ institution were represented from B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia
Over 30 sponsors
100% of sponsor funding went towards supporting students allowing them to attend the event.
25 amazing lightning talks
3 awards presented through our partnership with NCWIT Aspirations in Computing Award
30 booths at the job fair

CAN-CWiC is 75% funded through sponsorship by industry, government, universities and colleges.

All funds are used to support student participation. Sponsorship allows CAN-CWiC to offer highly-subsidized fees for students to attend all presentations, panels and workshops, participate by giving talks or presenting posters, network with other attendees and attend the career fair and banquet. Thanks to our sponsors, we are also able to provide overnight accommodation, and, in many cases, transportation for students.