ACSW Board
History and objectives
The ACS National Council unanimously agreed in November 2002 that:“The ACS has an obligation to the Australian community to bring about economic, social and intellectual benefits through a higher participation of women in ICT.
At national, state and regional levels, the ACS commits to create and support initiatives that encourage the entry, development and retention of women in ICT professions generally and within the ACS.”
ACSW was established in 2004 to advance this policy and to represent women members of the ACS at the most senior level of the society.
The objectives of ACSW are:
- To promote development and implementation of strategies to encourage the entry, development and retention of women in the ICT profession in Australia
- To develop and implement strategies to encourage recruitment, development and retention of women members of the ACS
- To prepare policy and position papers related to the participation of women in the Australian ICT profession
- To create links with other organisations involved in the education and support of women in the ICT profession and to provide leadership in cooperatives initiatives affecting women in ICT
- To advise the ACS and the ICT and professional community on “best practice” in relation to women in ICT
- To support ACSW representation on working parties, national and international standards and technical committees relating to ICT
- To cooperate with and advise ACS Boards, Branches, Committees and Special Interest Groups in areas relevant to women in ICT.
Leoni Warne
We would like to acknowledge the contribution made by the late Dr Leoni Warne to supporting women in the ICT sector.
Leoni was a founding member of the ACSW Board and was the Deputy Director of ACSW. She was highly committed to promoting the role of women in IT and was a key contributor to all ACSW Board activities. Leoni had a significant role in the development of the 2008 and 2010 ACSW surveys. Leoni passed away in 2010. Her capacity to motivate others, her passion for promoting women in our industry and her friendship will be sadly missed.
To honour her contribution to women in ICT, the ACS, AAIS, and ACPHIS have collaborated to establish the Leoni Warne Prize, which recognises the best research article published during the year in any outlet (book, book chapter, conference or journal). The award is based on articles submitted to a judging panel comprising senior practitioners and academics working in the field of Women in ICT. The inaugural winner of the Leoni Warne Prize in 2011 was Associate Professor Catherine Lang.