Jillian Aurisano, an M.S. computer science student and research assistant at the Electronic Visualization Laboratory (EVL) at University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), recently received a Palantir Technologies for Women & Minorities in Computer Science scholarship to attend the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing Conference, October 3-6, 2012 in Baltimore. Aurisano was selected from a competitive pool of over 1,000 applicants. The scholarship award covers registration, meals, accommodations and travel support.

The Grace Hopper Celebration of Women In Computing Conference, founded in 1994 and inspired by the legacy of Admiral Grace Murray Hopper (an early computer scientist and developer of the first compiler for a computer programming language), brings the research and career interests of women in computing to the forefront. It is the largest technical conference for women in computing and results in collaborative proposals, networking and mentoring for junior women, and increased visibility for the contributions of women in computing.

Aurisano is very active at UIC. She is currently President of the Women in Computer Science Organization and Treasurer of the Computer Science Graduate Student Council, and she also finds time to participate in UIC / EVL computer science outreach activities, particularly those geared toward high-school and elementary school girls. Earlier this year, Aurisano was the recipient of a Google Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship. As an EVL research assistant, she focuses on the development of novel approaches to biology data visualization using advanced tiled display walls.