YOUNG computer scientists got to meet Pepper the humanoid robot at an event designed to help girls into the subject.
Secondary school girls from across Scotland learned how to code and instruct robots after taking part in a Girls in Computer Science open day hosted by female students and academics at Heriot-Watt University.
The event was created specifically to help generate an interest in computing, artificial intelligence and robotics in girls from a young age.
Its aim was to address the chronic shortage of women currently employed in or studying Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) in the UK.
As well as being given an overview of the university’s latest research and demonstration of exhibits from Heriot-Watt’s 50-year computer science history, including a chance to interact with Pepper, its in-house humanoid robot, pupils were taught how to program a mobile app.
Figures from Skills Development Scotland show that less than one in every eight (13 per cent) UK jobs in STEM are held by women and just 27 per cent) of women who study a related subject pursue a career in STEM.
Professor Fairouz Kamareddine, of the School of Mathematical and Computer Sciences at Heriot-watt University, said: “There’s been a lot of research on the gender gap between boys and girls which is a phenomenon around the world.
"The first programming language was designed by a female computer scientist, Ada Lovelace, two centuries ago.
"Women have contributed to the synching, design and engineering of computers and we hope to encourage more into computer science through events like our open day."
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