News

The Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology, an organization devoted to increasing the impact of women on all aspects of technology, is auctioning a two-hour luncheon meeting with Dr. Francine Berman, director of the San Diego Supercomputer Center at UC San Diego.

The eBay auction is taking place in conjunction with the third annual Anita Borg Institute Women of Vision Awards Banquet, to be held on May 8th at the Fairmont Hotel in San Jose, Calif. Bidding began today (May 5) on eBay and closes on Thursday, May 8, at 6:50 PDT.

"I am delighted to be able to contribute to the Anita Borg Institute in this novel way," said Dr. Berman, a member of ABI's board of trustees. "ABI's programs have contributed to the recruitment, retention, and advancement of women in technology in a tangible and meaningful way and I am proud to support this organization."

Dr. Berman is a pioneer in grid computing and an international leader in the development of 'cyberinfrastructure,' an integrated, fully accessible network of computer-based resources and expertise to accelerate scientific inquiry and discovery. In addition to directing SDSC since 2001, where she leads a staff of more than 300 interdisciplinary scientists, engineers and technologists. Dr. Berman, who has worked extensively in high performance computing, is also co-chair of the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Sustainable Digital Preservation and Access, a group formed to find economically sustainable solutions for preserving valuable digital information for future generations. She is also a professor in the UCSD Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Fellow of the ACM, and first holder of the High Performance Computing Endowed Chair in the Jacobs School of Engineering at UCSD.

The winner may select a local restaurant in San Diego or San Jose, Calif., or Washington DC and has the option to invite up to two additional colleagues to attend. The luncheon will be held before December 1, 2008 and will be scheduled according to Dr. Berman's availability. All funds raised through this auction will be donated to the Anita Borg Institute. Winners do not need to be present at the Women of Vision banquet to win.

The Women of Vision Awards honor women making significant contributions to technology in three categories: Innovation, Leadership, and Social Impact. Nominees are submitted by high-tech companies, universities, private industry, and the public, with one winner selected in each category.

This year ABI will honor:

• Innovation Award Winner: Helen Greiner, Co-founder and Chairman, iRobot
• Social Impact Award Winner: Susan Landau, Distinguished Engineer, Sun Microsystems, Inc.
• Leadership Award Winner: Justine Cassell, Professor, Northwestern University

Since 1995, ABI has developed tools and programs designed to help industry, academia and government recruit, retain and develop women technology leaders. By providing inclusive platforms designed to ensure women's voices, ideas and spirits will result in higher levels of technical innovation, ABI delivers programs that are changing the world for women and for technology.