Cardiff students achieve success at BCSWomen Lovelace Colloquium

The Lovelace Colloquium is the national conference for undergraduate and MSc women and non-binary students in computing

School of Computer Science and Informatics students Geneve Purayil and Lakshmi Sikha were chosen as finalists in their selective year groups for the event, which took place at the University of Liverpool on 4 April.

Geneve, a second year BSc Computer Science student, went on to win first prize in the Second Year category for her poster, titled ‘AI-lluminating Drug Discovery: Shedding Light on AI's Impact in Pharma.’

Geneve’s poster explored the possibilities of using AI in drug discovery and the implications of advancements in AI on the pharmaceutical industry in the near future.

Geneve said: “Winning gave me a stronger sense of confidence in my own abilities to research and explain complex computing topics in a creative manner, but also the validation that people find the area I'm passionate about, using data and computer science for good, interesting.

“However, what really impacted me was talking with other contestants about their work, especially third year students and masters students, and seeing what they could achieve in their dissertations made me excited to start my own next year.”

Lakshmi, a first year BSc Computer Science student, presented a poster titled ‘Self Aware AI: Pro or Con’, which explored the idea of establishing regulatory frameworks in order to mitigate risks posed by advancements in AI.

Lakshmi said: “The experience I got at the Colloquium was exceptional. Being a first year Computer Science student and attending an event that brought together more than 100 talented finalists from various universities across the UK is a special moment for me as I got to learn a lot about growing tech opportunities, the future of robotics and the capabilities of women in tech.

“I would like to congratulate Geneve on winning first place in the Second Year category. Watching a teammate win and represent our university was a proud moment.

“This opportunity taught me to expand my horizons and helped me discover my interests related to technology. I hope that our experiences motivate the other students, and we represent Cardiff with a much bigger group next year in Glasgow.”

The BCSWomen Lovelace Colloquium began in 2008 with the aim of supporting and encouraging women and non-binary students in computing and related subjects. The annual colloquium aims to provide a forum in which these students can share their ideas and network, as well as hosting talks from women and non-binary people in computing, both in academia and industry.

The next BCSWomen Lovelace Colloquium will take place on 16 April 2025 in Glasgow, and abstract submissions will open later this year.