Professor Sue Black OBE is one of the digital technology industry’s most high profile and accomplished figures. Professor of Computer Science and Technology Evangelist at Durham University, she’s a digital skills expert, social entrepreneur, consultant and international keynote speaker with over 20 years experience.
Her first book Saving Bletchley Park about her campaign to save Bletchley Park is the fastest crowdfunded book ever.
Who is your digital hero?
How has their heroism helped drive digital?
Steve changed her name from Stephanie on her CV when she didn’t get called in for interview for jobs, and it made a difference immediately.
Steve started an incredible software company in the 1960s which employed hundreds of women, who mainly worked from home, writing high spec software. The Concorde black box flight recorder software for example.
She is now one of the UK’s major philanthropists having sold her company for hundreds of millions in the 1970s after she started having to employ men because of the sex discrimination act.
What are the biggest challenges in digital we need another hero to solve?
How to ensure that our algorithms and AI are not biased.
They need to be unbiased to be fit for purpose, which means we need diverse teams creating them.
What is your most heroic personal achievement so far in digital?
Helping people to see how many opportunities there are in the digital world, and to just get out there and take them.
