BHFF Fellow Scholars Hava Dedić and Berina Juković Present Research at womENcourage 2026 in France
BHFF Senior Fellow Scholar Hava Dedić and Junior Scholar Berina Juković presented their research at the 13th ACM Celebration of Women in Computing (womENcourage 2026), held from 30 September to 2 October 2026 in Sophia Antipolis, France.
Both Hava and Berina received womENcourage scholarships, which enabled them to attend the international conference and present their research alongside researchers, students, and computing professionals from around the world.
Research at the Intersection of Technology and Society
Hava presented her academic paper, “Sustainability Agenda in Student Life and Curriculum,” which examines sustainability awareness and behavior among university students, as well as their support for integrating sustainability into higher education.
Her research contributes to broader conversations about how universities can encourage sustainable practices and embed sustainability into the educational experience of future professionals.
Berina presented “Wellbeing in Computing: A Bibliometric Analysis,” a study that maps research trends, emerging themes, and gaps in the growing body of research focused on well-being in computing.
Together, the two research projects addressed questions that extend beyond technology itself — exploring how education, sustainability, and human well-being intersect with the development of modern computing and technology communities.
More Than a Research Conference
Across three days, womENcourage 2026 brought together a diverse program of keynote speeches, workshops, tutorials, poster sessions, mentoring activities, a career fair, panel discussions, and a hackathon.
The conference placed particular emphasis on well-being, inclusion, responsible technology, and human-centered computing, creating space for participants to explore both the technical and human dimensions of the field.
For Hava and Berina, this provided an opportunity to go beyond presenting their own work. They were able to learn from experienced researchers and professionals, discover new perspectives, and engage with other young women pursuing careers in computing.
Building Connections Across Borders
International conferences such as womENcourage offer young researchers an opportunity to place their work in a broader academic and professional context.
For Hava and Berina, participation meant expanding their professional networks, exchanging ideas with researchers from different backgrounds, and gaining insights that can inform their future academic and career paths.
Receiving the womENcourage scholarships was particularly significant, as it made their participation in this international research environment possible and gave them a platform to represent their work beyond Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Representing Bosnia and Herzegovina Internationally
As BHFF Fellow Scholars, Hava Dedić and Berina Juković represented not only their individual research interests, but also the growing community of young people from Bosnia and Herzegovina pursuing opportunities in science, technology, and research.
Their participation demonstrates the value of creating access to international academic environments, where young researchers can build confidence, develop professional relationships, and bring new knowledge and perspectives back to their communities.
For both Fellow Scholars, womENcourage 2026 was an opportunity to learn, present, connect, and grow — while taking another step toward building their futures in computing and research.