By Haleema Mohammed, 2nd Year Computer Science with a year in industry BSc
Studying Computer Science at King’s, I’ve never felt my opportunities are limited, and I believe that can be credited to the fact that I’m surrounded by so many women following the same goals as me and succeeding. I’m given equal opportunity to pursue my interests, and I feel respected by my peers.
Nevertheless, this is still a heavily male-dominated field. Many students hold inherent biases and limited perspectives on what it means to be a computer scientist. While there is a steady increase in women pursuing roles in technology, many are still deterred.
Additionally, due to the sheer size of our cohorts, there often isn’t enough opportunity for students to come together outside of class. Forming genuine connections and building a network of like-minded people is important for anyone, but especially those who feel out of place or undervalued.
That’s where WiCS comes in
I’m coming to the end of a year as Co-Vice President of the Women in Computer Science society, and it’s been such a valuable experience. WiCS is a society aimed at providing a space for and uplifting gender minorities in Computer Science. We host panel events, workshops, application advice, and hackathons, as well as more laidback events like study sessions and socials. Ultimately, WiCS aims to make the barrier to pursuing Computer Science less daunting (or break that barrier altogether).
It’s WiCS’ fourth year as a society and, in my opinion, it has been its best year. We’ve grown our active membership significantly, hosted some great events, and made industry connections that will set up next year’s committee to do even better things. Here are some personal highlights!
Breaking the Code
One thing I often feel I’m missing out on is advice from people who have been in the same situation. I believe many students feel the same. That’s what WiCS’ annual panel event, Breaking the Code, counteracts. We invite talented women from academia and industry to share their experiences and offer advice in a laid-back atmosphere. I had the privilege of hosting the industry panel and I ended up gaining far more from the event than expected. Hearing the stories and seeing the successes of people like you is a wonderful way to find motivation you might be struggling to find.
Hackathon
HackSprint ’25 was arguably WiCS’ biggest event so far – an inter-uni hackathon in collaboration with UAL Computer Science and NUL Computing. On WiCS’ behalf, I was the primary coordinator of the event, and I think it’s one of my proudest achievements. Despite many bumps in the road, the event was a success with a great turnout. It’s always impressive to see so many cool projects implemented in such a short amount of time – shoutout to our winners, ‘Block Designer’!
And yes, men attend our events too – we’re open to everyone.
Socials
The reason I joined WiCS in the first place was it was a society where I felt comfortable and genuinely clicked with the people I met. Social events are a big part of that. We encourage our membership to get to know each other as people, beyond academics. Our ice-skating social is definitely a fan favourite!
Okay, what’s your point?
I’m not just here to convince you to join WiCS – although, if you’re interested, you should! I’m here to emphasise the importance of providing students with spaces where they can feel understood, supported, and celebrated. Students know that better than anyone, and that’s why I’d highly recommend putting yourself out there and looking into societies that feel like they fit you if it’s not something you’ve done before.
For any women who are considering studying Computer Science at university but have heard stories about the lack of diversity, know that there’s a space here for you at King’s. There have been so many revolutionary women in technology – you could be the next!
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