Professor Sue Black has gained a new role with the Chartered Institute for IT as well as being named in the Diversity Power List.
Professor Sue Black OBE has been recognised in a brand-new Diversity Power List, which honours 50 of the UK’s most inclusive and inspirational people.
Not only that, but Sue has also recently been named as the incoming Deputy President of BCS – the Chartered Institute for IT.
Receiving the Diversity Power List award at the 2022 Inclusive Awards held on 1 December, Professor Black was celebrated for her continuous championing of using technology as a power for good.
Sue joins a list of inspirational people who have shown outstanding bravery and dedication to promoting diversity and inclusion both within their communities and the wider world. Many well-known names are among the 50 who received an honour - including Katie Piper OBE, Marcus Rashford, Warwick Davis, Diane Abbott MBE, Ellie Simmonds OBE, Stormzy and Clare Balding CBE.
Through her work as a Professor of Computer Science and Technology Evangelist, Director of the TechUP initiative and with her own social enterprise, #techmums, Sue has had a huge impact on the opportunities available to a wide range of underserved groups across the UK.
Paul Sesay, CEO of Inclusive Companies, said of the winners:
They have shown outstanding dedication in their respective fields, many creating a huge impact within their industry sector, with others stepping out of the sector for which they are known to make their mark.
Sue will take up her role as Deputy President at BCS in March for a term of one year, before becoming President in March 2024.
BCS exists to lead the IT industry through its ethical challenges, support the people who work in the industry, and to make IT good for society by raising standards and conduct in all areas.
Sue’s work across the sector was recognised through the application process, spanning six months, which was fully endorsed by our Vice-Chancellor and Warden, Professor Karen O’Brien, and Head of Department for Computer Science, Professor Matthew Johnson.
Professor Black, who will be pivotal in helping to deliver on the objectives of BCS, has a long relationship with the organisation, going back to 1995. Since then, she has been a member of council for 10 years and was responsible for creating and launching BCSWomen London, which went on to become BCSWomen, a group dedicated to supporting female and non-binary tech professionals and tackling the industry's gender gap.
A global leader in raising awareness of the importance of women in tech, Sue is known for raising standards across the tech industry, and was the founder of a campaign to save Bletchley Park (home of WWII code breakers) in 2008. Her work was recognised in the 2016 Queen’s New Year’s Honours List with an OBE for services to technology.
TechUP programmes have so far upskilled over 8,000 people, providing them with the tech skills they need to pursue a career in the Technology sector.
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