Sue Black (computer scientist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sue Black
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Sue Black in 2012
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Susan Elizabeth Black
1962 (age 62–63) |
| Alma mater | London South Bank University (PhD) |
| Known for | Saving Bletchley Park |
| Awards | John Ivinson Award (2009) |
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| Thesis | Computation of Ripple Effect Measures for Software (2001) |
| Doctoral advisor | Robin Whitty |
Susan Elizabeth Black, born in 1962, is a British computer scientist and a person who starts projects to help society. She is famous for helping to save Bletchley Park, a very important place where secret codes were broken during World War II. She did this through her "Saving Bletchley Park" campaign. Since 2018, she has been a Professor of Computer Science at Durham University. Before that, she worked at the University of Westminster and University College London.
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Early Life and Education
Sue Black was born in 1962 in Fareham, Hampshire, England. She left school and home when she was 16 years old, which was the youngest age allowed by law. She got married at 20 and soon had three children.
After a difficult time, Sue and her children found help at a local women's refuge. She then started taking a maths class at night school. This class helped her get into a university degree program. Sue Black earned her bachelor's degree in computing from London South Bank University in 1993. Later, in 2001, she completed her PhD in software engineering. Her research was about how changes in software can affect other parts of it.
Career and Important Work
Before joining Durham University in 2018, Sue Black was the head of a department at the University of Westminster. She also worked as a senior researcher at University College London (UCL). Today, she is still an honorary professor at UCL.
She was the first leader of a special group called BCSWomen within the British Computer Society. She led this group from 2001 to 2008. Sue Black is a strong supporter of encouraging more women to work in technology.
Saving Bletchley Park
Sue Black led a very successful effort over several years to get money to fix up Bletchley Park. This historic site in the UK was the main place where secret enemy messages were decoded during World War II. In 2003, she visited the site and saw that the buildings were in very bad shape. She also learned that over 10,000 people had worked there during the war.
To raise awareness, she started a blog. A picture of one of the huts covered with a blue tarp to protect it helped get many computer scientists interested. She then used Twitter actively, which brought even more people to support the cause. The staff at Bletchley Park also used other online tools like Facebook and Twitter to connect with people.
At the end of 2015, Sue Black wrote a book about her campaign called Saving Bletchley Park. This book was funded by many people online, making it the fastest crowdfunded book ever.
Techmums Program
Sue Black also created a program called Techmums. This program helps mothers learn about technology, especially what their children are doing online. Techmums offers free classes in things like digital safety, using social media, and learning the Python computer language. The goal is to help women feel more confident with technology, close the digital divide (the gap between those who have access to technology and those who don't), and help them improve their lives.
The first Techmums program was held at Bishop Challoner Catholic Collegiate School in London. Techmums describes itself as a program of short, hands-on workshops with a helpful online community.
Sue Black has appeared on BBC television and radio. She was interviewed for the show The Life Scientific in 2019 and was a guest on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs.
Politics
In March 2019, the Women's Equality Party announced that Sue Black would be their candidate for the Mayor of London election in 2020. However, in February 2020, it was announced that she had to withdraw from the election for health reasons. Another candidate, Mandu Reid, took her place.
Awards and Recognition
Sue Black has received many awards for her work.
- In 2009, she won the first John Ivinson Award from the British Computer Society.
- In 2011, she received the PepsiCo Women's Inspiration Award.
- In 2012, she was named one of Datamation's 10 Women in Tech Who Give Back.
- In 2014, she was one of 30 women featured in the British Computer Society's e-book "Women in IT: Inspiring the next generation."
- In 2015, Computer Weekly named her the 7th Most Influential Woman in UK IT.
- In 2016, she was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her services to technology. This is a special honor given by the Queen.
- In 2017, she received the Social Impact Abie Award from the AnitaB.org organization.
See also
In Spanish: Sue Black para niños
