ARM has signed a multi-year partnership with Ada Lovelace Day to be the official ambassador for the semiconductor industry. In this role ARM will support the development and delivery of an educational resource pack for use in schools globally, as well as other projects to inspire girls and women to engage in science subjects.
The event is named after Ada Lovelace (1815-1852), who is widely regarded as the world's first computer programmer. 2015 marks the bicentenary of Ada's birth and is the seventh annual celebration. This year Ada Lovelace Day Live will take place at Conway Hall, London on 13 October, with grassroots celebrations being held around the world by independent organizers.
"I'm thrilled to have ARM as a key partner in Ada Lovelace Day, supporting our rapidly expanding efforts to inspire and support women in STEM around the world," said Suw Charman-Anderson, founder, Ada Lovelace Day. "We look forward to collaborating with ARM to develop educational resources that will inspire the next generation of girls to consider science, technology, engineering or maths as a future career."
"Ada Lovelace Day provides an excellent opportunity to inform and encourage women and girls to pursue and explore careers in STEM subjects," said Jennifer Duvalier, executive vice president of people, ARM. "Our partnership will raise awareness that a career in engineering is an exciting and well-rewarded option for women as well as help elevate the profile this inspiring organization and celebration globally. We are positive that this long-term partnership will provide engagement for women to kick-start their careers and become successful engineers of the future. Being headquartered in Cambridge where Ada's seminal work on the Difference Engine took place, adds an additional resonance to our partnership."
In further celebration of International Women's Day, ARM is also supporting the 'everywoman Forum 2015: Advancing Women in Technology' event at London's Hilton Hotel on 17 March 2015. Six hundred delegates will be joining together to debate and engage in business master classes.
ARM's director of server systems and ecosystems, Lakshmi Mandyam, is appearing as a speaker on leadership challenges. Lakshmi heads ARM's server initiatives and has a BSEE from the University of Texas in Austin and was named in the top ten Women in Tech by theCube in 2015.