Yi Gu at Google’s headquarters

Gu, a native of China, was a finalist for the prestigious 2010 Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship, which is awarded by Google. The finalist prize carries with it $1,000 that Gu, a computer science doctoral student in the College of Arts and Sciences, will use toward her research and studies.

Gu is an up-and-coming scientist who studies high performance computing, which makes for a more efficient flow of information between networks and modules that might differ from laboratory to laboratory. The young researcher has used her U of M connections to also conduct research at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Her faculty adviser said Gu’s consideration for the scholarship speaks volumes for the U of M.

 “The list of finalists and recipients for this prestigious scholarship is largely dominated by schools like MIT, Stanford, Princeton and Carnegie Mellon University,” said Dr. Qishi Wu, assistant professor of computer science. “Ms. Yi Gu’s selection as a finalist indicates that the quality of the U of M’s best students is comparable to that of those at top-tier universities in the U.S., which is really encouraging.”

The scholarship recipient is chosen based on the strength of academic background and demonstrated leadership. Gu’s research interests also include wireless sensor networks and cyber-security.

Established by Google in 2004, the scholarship honors Dr. Anita Borg, a computer science pioneer who dedicated her life to changing the way we think about diversity and technology. The award supports undergraduate and post-graduate women who are completing degrees in computer science and related areas.

This year Google presented the awards to 62 scholars and finalists in the United States, 17 in Canada, and 91 in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. All of the winners were invited to participate in an all-expenses-paid scholars’ retreat featuring workshops and speakers at Google’s headquarters in California in June.

— by Greg Russell