Dr Sue Black

Dr Sue Black is currently Professor of Computer Science and Technology Evangelist at Durham University. At The Yes List, we love to see high profile women in Tech and Dr Sue Black’s journey to success is certainly an inspiring story to tell.

At 25, Sue Black was living in a women's refuge with three young children having fled an abusive relationship. In the years that followed she went on to get a PHD in computer science and started an industry initiative BCS Women (British Computer Society). She was instrumental in the campaign to save Bletchley Park and has written a book about the campaign which took over her life for three years, Saving Bletchley Park. In 2012 she founded #techmums, an initiative to teach mums about technology so that they have a better understanding of what their children are up to online and in the last month has begun teaching as a Professor at Durham University, to name just a few highlights.

I first came across Dr Sue Black when she was a guest on Radio Four’s Desert Island Discs where she was interviewed about her life story and some of the music that has been the soundtrack to her life, spoiler, I fell in love with her with her introduction to her second track. You can give it a listen here.

Donna Ferguson at the Guardian recently interviewed Dr Sue Black and they talked about her plans in her new post at Durham University to ‘make computer science at the university “very female-friendly” for undergraduates, postgraduates and staff members. At present, just 12% of the department’s undergraduates and around a third of postgraduates are women. Black wants to see that edge closer to 50%. “The head of the department and I want Durham to be a game-changer. It’s the most exciting role that I could have, because diversity is something I’ve spent my life thinking about.”’ You can read the rest of their conversation here.

Instagram: @blackse

Twitter: @DR_Black