Dr. Sue Black

Professor Sue Black is a multi-award-winning computer scientist, technology evangelist and digital skills expert. An influential figure in technology, she is Vice President of the British Computer Society and Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Computer Science and Professor of Computer Science at Durham University. A prominent advocate for women in STEM and a leading UK Government Advisor, She is renowned for establishing the UK’s first online network for women in tech, BCSWomen, in 1998. Considered a thought leader in AI and the transformative power of emerging technology, she delivers educational and highly informative presentations as a world-leading keynote speaker.

Despite a tumultuous family life and becoming a single mum of three at 25, Sue earned a bachelor’s degree in Computing and a PhD in Software Engineering at the London South Bank University. In 1998, she became a lecturer in Computing and later a Senior Lecturer in Computing at LSBU before joining Kings College London and becoming a Reader at London South Bank University. Sue joined IBM as a Secondee in 2006 before becoming a Crucible Fellow at NESTA. In 2007, she concluded her time with the European Commission as an Expert Evaluator and joined the University of Westminster as Head of Department, Information and Software Systems.

As a distinguished technology expert, she became a Committee Member at the UNESCO Information Society and Council for Heads and Professors of Computing. She also served as a Mentor and Consultant at Google and founded The <goto> Foundation to make computer science more meaningful to the public. She later became an Expert Advisor at the Foreign Secretary’s Advisory Group on Freedom of Expression and founder of #techmums. Moreover, Sue has published 40 academic articles on computer science and contributed a monthly technology column for The Guardian. Renowned for her outstanding efforts to save Bletchley Park, Sue authored Saving Bletchley Park, which became the fastest crowdfunded book ever. As a leading social entrepreneur, she was appointed Trustee at Comic Relief and Digital Ambassador for the Global Partnership for Education.

Recognised for her pioneering contributions to technology and empowering women in STEM, Sue was awarded an OBE for services to technology in 2016 and included on the Diversity Powerlist Top 100, named one of Forbes World Top 50 Women In Tech and inducted into the British Interactive Media Awards Hall of Fame. She has also appeared on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs and created the 100 Moments That Rocked Computer Science podcast. Now a distinguished speaker, she has spoken at several prestigious events ranging from the UN and Geneva to Cambridge and Oxford Universities. Championing women in tech for over two decades, Sue is an inspirational figure who shares her thought leadership and stimulating story with emerging technology in her speaking engagements.