Data science is quickly becoming an indispensable tool in understanding and addressing some of the world's most pressing challenges and opportunities, from climate change to artificial intelligence. The Faculty's success in this field would not have been possible without the generosity of donors who have helped break down barriers to access for students from underrepresented groups, empowering students to pursue an education at U of T.
How It Started
A&S alumna Beatrice "Trixie" Worsley, believed to be the first woman in the world to earn a doctorate in computer science and Canada's first female computer scientist, worked at U of T's Computation Centre. Established in 1948, the centre was the precursor to the Department of Computer Science. Worsley worked on some of the earliest computers and even named the first computer at U of T.
Beatrice "Trixie" Worsley with U of T's and Canada's first electronic computer, Ferut, circa 1952-58.
How It's Going
Professor Charlotte Froese Fischer, internationally recognized mathematician and computer scientist, established in 2013 the Beatrice "Trixie" Worsley Graduate Scholarship in Computer Science — and contributed an additional $100,000 to the award in 2020.
Professor Charlotte Froese Fischer.
Where We're Headed
In September 2021, the University launched the Data Sciences Institute, led by academic director Lisa Strug. Worsley's legacy lives on, not only in the scholarship that bears her name but also in the women who are leading the way in driving global change across a broad spectrum of disciplines.