Women in Computing Forum - Panel and Discussion session as
Part of International Women’s Day convention and Hackathon
by WTM&GDG Kuwait 2019

Topic of the Forum: Challenges facing tech women in society and the workplace in Kuwait
Date: Thursday 28th March, Time: 6pm-10:15pm

Program coordinators:
Dr. Zainab AlMeraj (WTM Lead, ArabWIC President)
Zahra Aboulloul (Kuwait university)

Agenda:
6:00-6:30pm Registration and networking
6:30-6:50pm Introductions and motivation (recorded) talk by invited
speaker
Dr. Lubna AKazi (Center of Womens studies at Kuwait University)
WTMGDG and Women in Computing Kuwait
by Dr. Zainab AlMeraj
Challenges we face by Engr. Aseel AlMesad

7:00-7:50pm Panel discussion – Challenges facing tech women in society
and the workplace in Kuwait
Moderator: Arwa AlJaser (Mukkan.com– Entrepreneur)
Panelists:
Shaymaa AlTerkait (Microsoft - Education)
May Dashti (Gulf Bank – Cyber Security expert)
Fatma Fouad (PACI – Cyber Security)
Engr. Aseel AlMesad (PAAET – Data Science)
7:50-8:00 Q/A + grab hot choco
8:10-8:15pm Divide attendees into groups based on workplace.

Facilitators:
Undergraduate students: Arwa AlJaser (Mukkancom)
Graduate students: Dr. Stacy AlQawas (Soroptimist)
Startups and entrepreneurs: Dr. Melissa Langworthy
Government sector: Sahar Shawa
Private/Industry: Engr. Shaymaa AlTerkait (Microsoft)

8:15-9:00pm Small group discussions
9:05-9:30pm Share findings, gather proposals and directions future
activities and closing
9:35-10:15pm I am Remarkable session by Shorook Saleh and Dr. Zainab AlMeraj

Event partners: Soroptimist, Women Mentor Forum, Birth Kuwait, Mukkancom

Target audience: Computing Women in Kuwait industry, academia, government, non-government or non-profit and private sector, entrepreneurs and SMEs.