On Wednesday, 27th, thirteen of us from Year 11 Computer Science attended the Education in Action conference at the Emmanuel Centre. It was such a great day, giving us a taste of university-style lectures and loads of inspiration. Here are the highlights:
Paul Curzon – Good Software Saves Lives
Paul Curzon showed us how good software design can prevent disasters, using healthcare as an example. His key point? Don’t blame people for mistakes—design systems that stop them from happening. It really made us think about the impact programmers can have.
Amber Shand – Breaking into Tech
Amber Shand’s story was super inspiring. She didn’t even study computer science—her degree was in Economics and Accounting—but taught herself to code and is now an award-winning software engineer. She also runs “She Bytes Back,” helping women break into tech. Her journey showed us there’s no single path to success in tech.
Dr. Emma Byrne – The Truth About AI
Dr. Emma Byrne’s talk on AI and large language models like ChatGPT was both fascinating and a little shocking. She explained how they work and told us that every use of AI can require the energy it takes to cool a glass of water in a data center. It was an eye-opener about the environmental cost of technology.
Exam Tips
We also had a short but super helpful session on how to get full marks in our exams. Learning what examiners are looking for and how to nail our answers left us feeling way more confident.
The day was packed with inspiration, advice, and ideas for the future. We left feeling motivated and ready to take on the challenges ahead—both in exams and in tech careers!
