Women In Computing West – CS-CAN | INFOCAN

Canadian Celebration of Women in Computing West (CAN-CWiC West) 2025

CAN-CWiC is Canada’s premiere computing conference for young women and non-binary people in technology, inspiring curiosity and awareness for the digital innovations shaping our world. In 2025, CAN-CWiC will unfold on both the east and west coasts of Canada, with Simon Fraser University (SFU) and University of British Columbia (UBC) proudly co-hosting CAN-CWiC West on Friday, November 7, at SFU Harbour Centre in Vancouver, BC.

Join us as we celebrate the accomplishments and contributions of women in computing, fostering a sense of community and inspiration. The day will feature keynotes, panels, breakout sessions, networking opportunities, and a livestream connection with the East Coast keynote. Together, these activities aim to build a stronger regional community and affirm that women and non-binary people belong in computing.

It provides students and professionals an excellent opportunity to connect, share insights, and participate in discussions surrounding the exciting developments in the field. Don’t miss out on this unique chance to be part of a nationwide celebration. Mark your calendar, and let’s celebrate together in the spirit of empowerment and innovation!

Program Schedule

08:30

Check-in & Registration

09:00

Opening Remarks

09:15

Keynote Speech

10:45

Panel Discussion

12:00

Lunch & Networking

12:30

Career Fair

(In parallel: Resume Review + Networking Tips)

02:30

Parallel Sessions

04:00

CAN-CWIC East Keynote Session

05:00

Poster Session

06:00

Closing Remarks

06:30

Social Mixer & Networking

More information about the program will become available soon.

For more information contact admin@cscan-infocan.ca

Registration

Mark your calendar for Nov 7, 2025, and join us to celebrate together in empowerment and innovation.

Early Bird

Until Sep 30, 2025

$75 + processing fee

Get Ticket

Standard

Oct 1 – Oct 31, 2025

$100 + processing fee

Get Ticket

Late

Nov 1 – Nov 7, 2025

$125 + processing fee

Get Ticket

Note: Please contact your school or department to check if you are eligible for sponsored tickets.

Please feel free to contact us at cancwicw@cscan-infocan.ca if you have any questions regarding attending the event.

Organizing Team

Co-chairs

Ouldooz Baghban Karimi

Senior Lecturer, Simon Fraser University

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Dr. Ouldooz Baghban Karimi teaches and conducts research on data, systems, and networks. She is passionate about networks and systems, computing science education, and facilitating progress towards diversity, inclusion, equity, and fair access in the computing science discipline, and through computing science in the society. She is active in taking opportunities to serve the community. She has served as the Chair of Diversity Committee, at the School of Computing Science, Simon Fraser University (2019-2025), Diversity and Inclusion Chair at ACM MMSys 2023, co-chair of CAN-CWIC 2023 and CAN-CWIC West 2025, and steering committee member of CAN-CWIC since 2024. She is currently a senior lecturer and a Rajan Family Scholar at the School of Computing Science, Simon Fraser University.

Giulia Toti

Associate Professor of Teaching, University of British Columbia

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Dr. Giulia Toti is an Associate Professor of Teaching in the Computer Science Department at the University of British Columbia (UBC) - Vancouver. Her academic background includes a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Biomedical Engineering from the Polytechnic of Turin and a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Houston. She teaches large undergraduate courses on introduction to systematic programming, applied machine learning, and ethics in computer science. She is also the chair of her departmental Committee for Outreach, Diversity and Equity (CODE).

Program Management

Mantaj Dhillon

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Mantaj is a Computing Science student at Simon Fraser University and a past president of SFU Women in Computing Science (WiCS). Outside of her leadership activities, she is dedicated to building technology that is challenging, meaningful, and capable of real change. She is a huge supporter of women in tech and casually enjoys heading outdoors and building small, crafty projects.

Sarah Liu

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Sarah Liu is a computer science at UBC and a software developer who loves full-stack development, where she gets to blend the creativity of front end with the problem solving of backend. Outside of tech, she enjoys matcha and playing guitar. She is always excited to learn new things and connect with people. Feel free to reach out!

Event Management

Selin Uz

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Selin (she/her), is a computer science student in her final year at the University of British Columbia. She currently serves as Co-President of UBC Women in Computer Science, leading a team dedicated to creating space, opportunity, and support for underrepresented genders in tech. Professionally, she has completed two eight-month internships as a Technical Project Coordinator and is excited to further explore product management roles in the future. She is passionate about solving problems through creative and critical thinking, improving processes, and increasing efficiency. She enjoys using her technical background to simplify and optimize workflows, and sees technology as a kind of superpower that can make everyday life easier. Outside of work and school, she loves sailing when the weather allows, reading, and practicing street photography.

Mara Liwayway David

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Mara is a third-year Computing Science student at Simon Fraser University (SFU) with a strong passion for full-stack development, machine learning, and teaching. She currently serves as the Co-President of SFU Women in Computing Science, where she helps foster a welcoming and inclusive community for women and gender diverse individuals in tech. She has always been dedicated to creating spaces where people can learn without judgment and feel empowered to express themselves, whether through coding workshops or camps for SFU Science Alive, outreach events, or mentorship opportunities. As a member of the event management team, Mara is committed to ensuring the conference runs seamlessly and it provides a meaningful, enjoyable experience for attendees. In her free time, she enjoys singing, playing guitar, and creating multimedia projects such as graphic design and video edits.

Registration Management

Emily Qin

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Emily is a CS student who helped organize the inaugural CAN-CWIC West last year, and she’s thrilled to be growing the conference on the West Coast again this year. She’s passionate about planning events for students, especially those that uplift WiCS, and hopes this event will bring opportunities, networking, and community building.

Karan Chick

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Karan is an incoming fourth year at UBC studying business and computer science. Outside of school, Karan is a Co-President at UBC Women in Computer Science and enjoys throwing ceramics and watching movies.

Sponsorship Management

Isabelle Kwan

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Isabelle is a third-year Computing Science student at SFU, thrilled to be part of the organizing team for CAN-CWIC West for the second year in a row. She is proud to see how much the event has grown since its first iteration and is passionate about continuing that momentum. An active member of her community, Isabelle volunteers with her student society and clubs such as Women in Computing Science (WiCS). Through CAN-CWIC, she hopes to connect with other women in technology and highlight the incredible contributions they make to our communities.

Kim Tran

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Bio coming soon.

Presentation Submissions

Do you have an exciting research project or case study to share with fellow computer scientists? This is your chance to present at CAN-CWiC West 2025 and inspire others!

We are currently accepting submissions for a variety of presentation formats: Posters, Graduate and Undergraduate Student Research Presentations, Workshop Proposals, and Birds of a Feather (BoF) Session Proposals.

Important Dates

Resume Database

You can also share your resume/CV with us, so that we can share it with the schools and companies that are attending the event. Selected applicants may be contacted by organizers for possible meetings arranged during the day of the conference (Nov 7, 2025).

Please feel free to contact us at cancwicw@cscan-infocan.ca if you have any questions.

Our Sponsors

This event is organized by the student organizers’ valuable volunteer time, and the generous support of the School of Computing Science at Simon Fraser University (Silver Academic Sponsor), the Department of Computer Science at the University of British Columbia (Platinum Academic Sponsor), and Google Research (Platinum Industry Sponsor).

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