Amazon to fund new bursaries for female computer science students at Cambridgep~
Source: Adam Care
Doug Gurr, Amazon's UK country manager, announcing the new bursaries for Churchill College
A drive to get more women to study computer science in Cambridge has been launched by one of the world's biggest tech companies.
Amazon will today announce an extension to its Women in Innovation Bursary programe, which will see it offer funding for women from less advantaged backgrounds looking to study at Cambridge's Churchill College.
The programme was launched at the University of Edinburgh in 2014, and will now be rolled out to Cambridge, and King's College London.
It will provide grants of £5,000 per year to a female undergraduate studying computer science, in order to support 'high-tech innovation' in the UK.
“We hope that over time this new programme will make a big difference to many young women who one day will become future leaders in innovation."
Students from households with an annual income under £42,620 will be eligible for the bursary, with each recipient to be chosen by their own university.
The students who receive the bursary from Cambridge will be based at Churchill College, on Storey's Way.
The college was founded in 1958 with a specific focus on training students for the key engineering and scientific skills needed in post-war Britain.
image: http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/images/localworld/ugc-images/276453/binaries/Churchill%20College%202.jpg
Churchill College
Senior tutor Dr Sally Boss said: “Churchill College is pleased to partner with Amazon for the Women in Innovation Bursary.
“We believe that this programme will help encourage young women from less advantaged backgrounds to consider studying computer sciences at the university, and we're delighted to be working with Amazon to encourage applications for the course."
The three cities hosting the bursaries all sites of Amazon's UK development centres.
As well as supporting students' living costs for up to four years, the firm will provide mentoring on business skills, CV-building and interview techniques, as well as a potential placement at the centres.
Amazon projects currently under way in Cambridge include the development of cloud-based voice service Alexa, and Prime Air, a drone-based delivery system designed to deliver parcels to customers in 30 minutes or less using unmanned aerial vehicles.
It is currently testing drones at a rural site to the south of the city.
Student Katie Worton, 19, is studying artificial Intelligence and Computer Science at Edinburgh University, thanks to the existing bursary programme.
She said: “The scheme has given me the chance to grow thanks to real-life, hands-on experience during my placement at Amazon's development centre in Edinburgh.
“It's a fantastic programme, and I'd encourage any young woman who wants to explore a career in innovation to apply."
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