🇧🇫Burkina FasoWest Africa
Burkina Faso: Computer engineer and doctoral student Salimata Sawadogo advocates for Africa as a designer, not just a consumer, of technology
via Lefaso.net8 min read
On the eve of the International Girls in ICT Day, Salimata Sawadogo, a computer engineer and doctoral student in artificial intelligence, emphasizes Africa's active involvement in designing digital solutions, particularly focusing on security from the outset. Specializing in cybersecurity, she integrates security into the design phase of systems, defining robust architectures and identifying vulnerabilities. Her doctoral research investigates why AI models, especially language models generating code, sometimes produce vulnerable code, aiming to make these technologies reliable and responsible. Sawadogo's journey into cybersecurity was sparked by realizing how a single error could compromise an entire system, leading her to a field traditionally underrepresented by women. She highlights curiosity, determination, and commitment as key to her success, including the acceptance of her first scientific article at an international conference in Canada in March 2025. Despite challenges in a male-dominated field, she advocates for perseverance. Currently with the Ministry of Digital Transition, Sawadogo aims to develop technology solutions tailored to African realities and plans to become a research-teacher, inspiring the next generation. She encourages young people to embrace digital careers, stressing that "nothing is impossible for someone who believes in themselves."
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