As part of the Female Student Travel Awards (FSTA), we, Annika Gabrian, Isabel Schwalm and two other FSTA winners, traveled to the United States for the Grace Hopper Celebration. It took place this year from October 8 to 11 in Philadelphia and is one of the largest conferences in the world dedicated to highlighting the interests of women in computer science.

In addition to networking events and a large career fair, there was a diverse selection of lectures and workshops. As we are both studying for a Master’s degree in IT Security, our focus was on lectures and workshops in this area. Among other things, we attended lectures on pentesting, panel discussions on career opportunities for women specifically in IT security and a workshop on network security.

Four women waiting for their flight at the airport.

Annika Gabrian (2nd from left) and Isabel Schwalm (2nd from right) and two winners of the FSTA travelled to the Grace Hopper Celebration in the USA. Photo: Annika Gabrian and Isabel Schwalm

Career fair with renowned universities and companies

At the careers fair, we came into contact with many renowned companies from a wide range of industries, such as Google, SpaceX and Goldman Sachs. In addition to companies from the business world, well-known American universities were also represented, who presented their graduate and PhD programs in particular.

Networking was a clear focus at the conference. We were able to made many international contacts, both with other students from all over the as well as with women who already have some professional experience. Overall, we were impressed by the size of the conference, with over 40,000 participants and 275 presentations and workshops.

Four women at the Grace Hopper Celebration in Philadelphia. Photo: Annika Gabrian and Isabel Schwalm

275 presentations and workshops were presented at the Grace Hopper Celebration in Philadelphia. Photo: Annika Gabrian and Isabel Schwalm

We take away many valuable impressions and insights for our future academic and professional careers. Before the conference began, we spent a few days in Washington and on the East Coast. Not only did we learn a lot about the history and politics of the USA, but also formed close friendships with each other. At the end of our trip, we traveled to New York City for two days and enjoyed the big city. We would like to take this opportunity to thank emergenCITY once again for this unique experience. We had an unforgettable time and were able to gain many valuable experiences.

Authors:

Annika Gabrian and Isabel Schwalm are studying for a Master of Science in IT Security at TU Darmstadt. In July, they received the Female Student Travel Award, which enabled them to attend an international conference.