Category Archives: women in technology

Dr. Parul Yadav Wins the International Educator of the Year – Special Recognition Award 2025

The International Conference on Data-Processing and Networking
(ICDPN-2025) was held from November 7th – 8th. During the conference, the FUSION Awards 2025 celebrated trailblazers, thinkers, researchers, and change-makers who exemplify excellence in academia, industry, and innovation. This prestigious international platform recognizes collaborative brilliance, where ideas meet execution, research drives real-world impact, and cross-sector synergy accelerates global progress.

Dr. Parul Yadav, who won the International Educator of the Year Award, was recognized for her global educational leadership and cross-border impact. “I am delighted and humbled…the experience was truly enriching. The sessions offered valuable insights into emerging research, innovation, and collaborations happening across the globe. It was a wonderful opportunity to connect, learn, and engage with experts and educators from different countries”, said Dr. Yadav.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Yadav on her most recent accomplishment.

For more information on the awards and selection criteria, please click here to visit their website: 2025 ICDPN Fusion Awards

Red Chair Pittsburgh’s Annual Event Held at UPMC Event Center on October 23, 2025

The annual Red Chair Pittsburgh Annual Event was held at the UPMC Events Center on October 23, 2025. This year’s theme was New Horizons: Empowering Women, Shaping What’s Next.

Welcome remarks were given by RMU’s Provost, Dr. Joe Zimmer. This was followed by a keynote given by Kathleen Lovett, VP & CIO of Supply Chain at VSP Vision. This empowering keynote address was followed by a moderated panel discussion that included a panel of inspiring speakers, including the keynote speaker and four others:

  • Brenasia Ward-Caldwell, CISSP, Senior Solutions Engineer at Microsoft
  • Dr. Karen Paullet, Professor of CIS at RMU
  • Jenn Sydeski, Health Tech & Life Sciences Innovator and Strategist
  • Laura Freedman, Senior Vice President, Wealth Management at Raymond James

The panel was moderated by the talented:

  • Meesha Gerhart, Founder & CEO, RedTree Web Design
Panel Speakers at Red Chair Pittsburgh 2025 (L to R): Jenn Sydeski, Laura Freedman, Brenasia Ward-Caldwell, Dr. Karen Paullet, Kathleen Lovett, and Meesha Gerhart

A number of RMU students were able to attend, network, and become part of this incredible community supporting women in tech.

Dr. Parul Yadav Receives the Woman in Research Excellence – Global Woman of Science Award

Congratulations to Dr. Parul Yadav!

The “Woman in Research Excellence – Global Woman of Science Award” is an ElevateX Award given at the International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Networking (ICAIN). Dr. Parul Yadav received this award at ICAIN 2025, held in Dubai this October, for her contributions to research and innovation. The award celebrates women’s achievements in research, focusing on merit-based evaluation of innovation, impact, and leadership, especially in AI and related fields.

The ICAIN conference brings together scientists, researchers, and industry experts to discuss advancements in computing and networking. The ICAIN 2025 event was organized by BITS Pilani, Dubai Campus, in association with the Universal Innovators and the Indian Institute of Information Technology, Allahabad.

  • Award Goal: The ElevateX Awards, which included the “Woman in Research Excellence” category, were created to recognize individuals and institutions for outstanding contributions in research, academia, and industry.
  • Selection Process: The awards used a merit-based selection process with multiple stages of evaluation, including a call for nominations, an initial screening, and a final review by an expert committee. 

Congratulations again to Dr. Parul Yadav!

Red Chair Pittsburgh’s 2025 Annual Event

The countdown is on! We are just two weeks away from Red Chair Pittsburgh’s 2025 Annual Event, and we can’t wait to celebrate with our incredible community of women in tech, allies, and changemakers.

This year’s theme, New Horizons: Empowering Women, Shaping What’s Next, is all about exploring bold ideas, sparking new connections, and celebrating the future we are building together.

Here’s what you can look forward to:
✨ VIP Experience for deeper networking and meaningful conversations
✨ Dynamic Keynote to inspire innovation and growth
✨ Powerful Panel of bold voices sharing real-world strategies and stories
✨ A Room Full of Trailblazers ready to elevate one another
 

📅 Date: October 23, 2025
⌚ Time: 6:00 PM
🧭 Location: UPMC Events Center


 

🎟️ Seats are limited, and the countdown is ticking. Secure your ticket today before they’re gone!
👉 Get Your Ticket Now 

We are a 100% volunteer organization. Your donations (big or small), sponsorships, and ticket purchases directly support the opportunities we are able to offer to future candidates.

RMU has a limited number of discounted tickets available for students. Please contact Dr. Paullet (paullet@rmu.edu) for more details.

We hope to see you soon for an unforgettable evening of empowerment, connection, and celebration.

Healthcare IT: Workplace Day

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Interested in Healthcare IT? Just curious? Check out the UPMC Women in Information Technology for their in-person Healthcare IT Workplace Day!

Be sure to pre-register by August 29 by scanning the QR code above. You do not want to miss it!

  • Who: College students interested in technology careers
  • Where: US Steel Tower; floor 31; 600 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, 15219
  • When: September 12, 2025, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm; Arrival/registration 8:30 – 9:00 am

BNY Mellon’s “Be a Cyber Hero” Workshop for Girl Scouts Needs Volunteers

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BNY Mellon will lead a Cybersecurity workshop, “Be A Cyber Hero” for Daisy, Brownie, & Junior Girl Scouts. Girls will learn how to stay safe online. They’ll also have fun using their investigative skills to uncover problems & find solutions. This workshop will provide the cybersecurity badge & fun facts about cybersecurity for all 3 age groups.
 
The event will be held on Saturday, December 8th from 10:00am to 1:00pm at the innovation center in downtown Pittsburgh.  RMU students with an interest or skills in cybersecurity are needed to help with a demo and workshop for the girl scouts.  If you are interested, please contact Lauren Rauscher at rauscher@rmu.edu as soon as possible.

RMU Grad Torrie McLaughlin is one of the New Faces of IBM Z

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IBM is producing a set of videos that are quick conversations with a new generation of coders and creators on the mainframe.  Watch RMU alumna Torrie McLaughlin, who works on the mainframe at a large financial institution, describe how COBOL is a key asset to her professional toolkit.

FREE Women Learn Coding Event in November

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Interested in coding, but do not know where to start?  You are in luck ladies!

What is this?  This is an event perfect for all the women out there who want to learn how to code.  It is a free weekend workshop for women of all skill ranges – from never coded to professionals.  This event allows you to learn Ruby on Rails.

“Rails is the most well thought-out web development framework I’ve ever used.  And that’s in a decade of doing web applications for a living.  I’ve built my own frameworks, helped develop the Servlet API, and have created more than a few web servers from scratch.  Nobody has done it like this before.” – James Duncan Davidson, Creator of Tomcat and Ant

When/where is this?  November, in Pittsburgh’s very own Carnegie Museum of Art and Natural History.  4400 Forbes Ave Pittsburgh, PA 15213

InstallFest starts on Friday November 13th, 2015, from 7 – 9:30 PM, the Workshop starts on Saturday November 14th, 2015, from 8:30 – 5 PM, and Sunday November 15th, 2015, even has an after-party for those who attend the event.

Why do this? Why not??  It is free.  It is also an experience that may change your life forever.

“A lot of graduates love it so much that they decided to learn how to code, and even came back as teachers and TAs” – Professor John C. Turchek

How to sign up?  Go online to https://www.bridgetroll.org/events/223 to register.  **Only 22 students can attend this event so sign up fast!

SANS CyberTalent Immersion Academy for Women

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NCWIT Academic Alliance member students are encouraged to apply to the SANS CyberTalent Immersion Academy for Women. This is a great opportunity for RMU students since we are now members of NCWIT.

The SANS Institute is presenting the SANS CyberTalent Immersion Academy for Women to encourage women to enter the cybersecurity industry. Academy participants receive intensive, accelerated training and certifications to quickly and effectively launch careers in cybersecurity.

The SANS Institute is offering free SANS courses for female junior and senior college students and recent graduates; this is worth over $20,000.

Students must take the qualifying exam by October 30th to be considered for the Academy. Contact womensacademy@sans.org to get a unique link to the exam or if you have any questions about the program.

Here is a link for more information on NCWIT: https://www.sans.org/media/cybertalent/Womens-Brochure.pdf