20 Facts About Anita Borg

Anita Borg was an American computer scientist celebrated for advocating for women's representation and professional advancement in technology.

Anita Borg founded the Institute for Women and Technology and the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing.

Anita Borg grew up in Palatine, Illinois; Kaneohe, Hawaii; and Mukilteo, Washington.

Anita Borg was awarded a PhD in Computer Science by New York University in 1981 for research investigating the synchronization efficiency of operating systems supervised by Robert Dewar and Gerald Belpaire.

Anita Borg died from brain cancer, in Sonoma, California on 6 April 2003.

Anita Borg's experience running the ever-expanding Systers mailing list, which she founded in 1987, led her to work in email communication.

In 1997, Anita Borg left Digital Equipment Corporation and began working as a researcher in the Office of the Chief Technology Officer at Xerox PARC.

Anita Borg passionately believed in working for greater representation of technical women.

Anita Borg strove for technical fields to be places where women would be equally represented at all levels of the pipeline, and where women could impact, and benefit from, technology.

In 1987, Anita Borg founded Systers, the first email network for women in technology.

In 1997, Borg founded the Institute for Women and Technology.

Anita Borg was recognized for her accomplishments as a computer scientist, as well as for her work on behalf of women in computing.

Anita Borg received the Augusta Ada Lovelace Award from the Association for Women in Computing for her work on behalf of women in the computing field in 1995.

Anita Borg was charged with recommending strategies to the nation for increasing the breadth of participation fields for women.

Also in 2002, Anita Borg received an Honorary Doctor of Science and Technology degree from Carnegie Mellon University.

Anita Borg received the EFF Pioneer Award from the Electronic Frontier Foundation and was recognized by the Girl Scouts of the USA, as well as listed on Open Computing Magazine's Top 100 Women in Computing.

Anita Borg was a member of the board of directors of the Computing Research Association and served as a member of the National Research Council's Committee on Women in Science and Engineering.

Anita Borg continued to lead the Institute for Women and Technology until 2002.

Anita Borg died on April 6,2003, in Sonoma, California.

The UNSW School of Computer Science and Engineering offers the Anita Borg Prize, named in her honor.