Zonta Prize for Siegen computer science student

Master's student Nuraiym Zhusupbekova from the Computer Science program at the University of Siegen has been awarded the Women in STEM Award 2025 by the Zonta Club Siegen Area. The award ceremony took place at the Unteres Schloss campus. With this award, the Zonta Club recognizes women who combine an outstanding education, professional commitment and clear objectives in the STEM subjects (mathematics, engineering, natural sciences, technology). The award is part of the international Zonta initiative to strengthen women in science and technology.

Prof. Dr. Stefanie Reese, Rector of the University of Siegen, congratulated her personally and praised the award winner's achievements: "Nuraiym Zhusupbekova's outstanding achievements speak for her personally and her talent and determination, but also for the quality of education at our university."

Nuraiym Zhusupbekova impressed the jury not only with her excellent academic achievements, but also with her work in a large regional company and her targeted professional and personal development. "Partly because of my origins in Kyrgyzstan, I want to be a role model for other young women to seize educational opportunities, not to be restricted by social expectations and to follow their personal inclinations, for example to work in the STEM field," emphasized Nuraiym Zhusupbekova during the award ceremony.

Her achievements were also recognized at international level: Zhusupbekova beat off strong competition in the Zonta District 29 competition, which includes applicants from all over North Rhine-Westphalia, the Netherlands, northern France, the UK and Spain. She will be honored as the district award winner on October 4 at the international Zonta conference in Essen in front of a large audience - as the first international award winner of the Zonta Club Siegen Area.

The President of the Zonta Club Siegen Area 2025/26, Gudrun Kröniger, presented the student with a certificate, a cash prize and a bouquet of flowers. In her speech, she emphasized: "We at the Zonta Club Siegen Area are delighted to welcome such an excellent prizewinner to our network. Together with you, we will continue to work towards the goal of Zonta International: 'Build a better world for women and girls'."

Dr. Christoph Bauerdick from the company EJOT SE & Co. KG from Bad Berleburg, who gave the laudatory speech for the award winner, said: "With her work, she enables people, machines and computers to speak the same language. At the same time, she thinks and acts in a team-oriented manner and is prepared to take on responsibility."

By winning the Women in STEM Award, Nuraiym Zhusupbekova shows how academic ability, commitment and intercultural perspectives can work together - an outstanding example of the international, research-strong and future-oriented student body at the University of Siegen.