The Grace Hopper Conference; What is it and why is it important for Citi?

The Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing (GHC) is a conference hosted by the Anita Borg Institute that annually draws more female technologists than any other such event in the world. This year, over 18,000 female technologists will come together in Orlando, Florida, to learn from and inspire each other, and draw inspiration from Grace Hopper, a pioneering American computer technologist and United States Navy Rear Admiral. Citi first engaged with the GHC conference in 2016, and this year we've expanded our presence with nearly 100 attendees from seven different areas of the company. We will also have a prominent presence in the career fair area, and look forward to meeting with potential recruits at all career levels.

GHC is an inspiring event because all the keynote speakers and many participants are truly leaders and pioneers in their fields. Many have already changed the world in their respective domains with their unique contributions to the advancement of artificial intelligence, computational and cognitive neuroscience, and even in some cases, philanthropy and entrepreneurship. As an attendee, I can't wait to hear what these talented leaders have to say. The conference sessions are invariably led by acknowledged leaders in their fields, and are organized into tracks ranging from computer systems engineering to data science, human computer interaction, security and privacy, software engineering, IoT and wearable technology. Attending these sessions always re-energizes my love for all things technological, and also ignites a firestorm of ideas for further exploration when I get home and back to work. Attending the conference always reminds me that there's so much more that I and other attendees have to learn! I always return to my job filled with passion, energy and excitement.

The conference is also committed to exploring issues of gender diversity, with numerous panels and side-conversations focused on what it's like to be a women working in technology. Attending this conference always solidifies, for me and other attendees and participants, the singular importance of being a role model for other women in technology.

This event annually attracts thousands of women from a wide variety of backgrounds, industries and levels of experience. Through our recruiting efforts at the conference, we will showcase the breadth and the depth of innovation at Citi as we work together to attract top female technical talent to our firm.