The Anne-Marie Imafidon Scholarships for Women in Technology

The Department of Computer Science is pleased to celebrate the availability of our Anne-Marie Imafidon Scholarships (AMI Scholarships) for Women in Technology, which we were delighted to name after our Advisory Board Member Anne-Marie, in recognition of her remarkable work inspiring young women to get involved in STEM. 

The AMI scholarships were established in 2017 with the support of our kind alumni community and expanded in 2023 thanks to the generosity of Atom Bank. They are designed to support and encourage more talented young women to study Computer Science with us here at Durham, and to celebrate the importance and impact of diversity in our field.

The under-representation of women in all STEM subjects – particularly in Computer Science – is a huge barrier to innovation, and we are proud to be striving towards a Department that is not only welcoming and inclusive, but also vibrant, diverse, and thriving as a result of this.

To find out more about our fabulous alumni community who have made this programme possible, along with our current cohort of scholars, please read more on our Impact Page. To find out more about the scholarships available, and to make an application, please see further information below.

About the Scholarship

• Recipients of the scholarship will receive an award of either £2,000 or £4,000 in each year of their study to contribute towards the cost of fees, living expenses, or any other purpose of the recipient’s choosing

• Recipients of the scholarship will be invited to become Ambassadors of the Department, and will be encouraged to participate in a number of exciting events and activities within the Department and across the wider University throughout the year

• The scholarship recipients and their winning submissions will be publicised on the Department’s website and across social media channels

Eligibility

• To apply for an AMI Women in Technology scholarship, you must be a female prospective student applying to student Computer Science (either the B.Sc. or M.Eng. degrees) at Durham University. We will also consider applications from students taking a substantial Computer Science component as part of a degree in Natural Sciences. 
• Prospective International students are welcome to apply for the scholarship.
• Scholarship awards will usually be announced in March, and you will be notified whether or not your scholarship application has been successful. You will only be eligible to receive the scholarship if you accept your offer from Durham and take up your place on your chosen degree successfully in October; students who defer, or who do not take up their place at the University will not be able to receive the scholarship. 
• To apply you should also be willing to take up the informal role of ‘Student Ambassador’ during your study at the University. What this role looks like is up to you, but it might involve some of the following;

• Creating a student blog around your experience of studying Computer Science
• Attending occasional open days/events to promote the Department
• Providing a case study for use on the Departmental website
• Supporting the Department’s social media activity around the Women in Tech programme and wider initiatives
• Consenting to the use of your original video submission for use on the website/Departmental social media channels

Receiving this prestigious award and taking part in some of the above activities will be a great addition to your CV, and will also give you the opportunity to share your own ideas about how we showcase our CS community here at Durham and make the student experience in the Department even better.

• At least one award will be made per academic year, and awards will only be made to students who have received and accepted an offer from Durham and who commence their studies at the University in the following October. Should you subsequently choose to defer your studies, you will no longer be eligible to receive the scholarship
• Continuation of the annual payments following the first award are subject to the recipient maintaining an average weighted mean mark of 50% (equivalent to a 2:2) at the end of each year; if your performance falls below this average you may be ineligible for subsequent payments of the scholarship. The final decision will be made by the Director of Education in Computer Science
• This scholarship will not affect your eligibility for other scholarships or awards available at the University.
• To be eligible for the higher award of £4,000, you must be a home student with a household income below £42,875.

How to Apply

• To make your application for the scholarship, please create a short video (maximum 2 minutes duration) in answer to the question ‘Why is diversity in technology important, and what would you do as an AMI Women in Tech ambassador at Durham University?’
• The details of the submission are entirely down to you, but they might include your direct response to the question, a ‘voice-over’ style video, or could even be presentation-based, but should not include any personal or sensitive information
• Submissions should be uploaded externally (via a private YouTube channel) with the location link sent to cs.office@durham.ac.uk. Please include your name in the email with your video link, and use the subject line ‘AMI Scholarship’, ensuring your submission is sent through by the deadline of Monday 26th February 2024. Please do not send video files directly as attachments
• Please be aware that that you are responsible for all content uploaded; it is your responsibility to select a secure and appropriate channel, and for deleting it once it is no longer needed. If your submission is chosen and you are awarded with the scholarship, please note that your video will be used on the Department’s website and social media channels and we will require a direct copy of your video.
• Video submissions will be examined by a panel to include the Head of Department and other senior members of staff, along with the previous award recipient where possible, and will be judged based on originality, depth of thought, creativity and inventiveness. All decisions will be made at the discretion and judgement of the panel, and will be final.
• If you believe you are eligible for the higher award, provide a copy of your Student Finance England letter confirming the amount of maintenance loan you will receive to cs.office@durham.ac.uk. If you do not have this information by the scholarship deadline please provide it as soon as you receive it from Student Finance England.
• For any queries regarding the scholarship, please contact cs.office@durham.ac.uk prior to the submission deadline for further assistance