As women shatter stereotypes in male-dominated fields, young women show their potential. In early computing, women faced a choice: prove their abilities or step aside. Prof. Dr. Anicia Peters, who never saw computing as male-dominated, defied odds, building a career in AI and Human-Computer Interaction, proving women’s leadership in tech.
Captivated by computing’s possibilities, her journey began in 1991 in Germany. She earned a National Diploma and B.Tech in Business Computing from the University of Namibia, “A few years later between the births of my two daughters, I pursued a National Diploma in Business Computing and B.Tech in Business Computing which I completed both with cum laude from the then Polytechnic of Namibia,” she recalled.
With Fulbright, Google, and Schlumberger scholarships, she pursued a Master’s and PhD at Iowa State University, followed by a postdoctoral stint at Oregon State University. Her Silicon Valley experience solidified her expertise. She returned to Namibia, taking leadership roles as Dean of Computing at NUST, Pro-Vice Chancellor at UNAM, and CEO of NCRST.
Prof. Peters is co-chair of the Africa Fourth Industrial Revolution Working Group under the AU-ASRIC and chaired Namibia’s Task Force on the Fourth Industrial Revolution. She served on the African Scientific journal’s inaugural editorial board (2019-2023) and was Technical Programme Co-chair of ACM CHI 2023, and a member of the CHI Steering Committee (2022-2024). She has held board appointments at NQA, NCHE, Inceptus, Internet Society, Gary Marsden HCI Scholarship fund, and the Africa Millimeter PhD Fund.
“I founded a number of organisations such as the Africa Human Computer Interaction Conference (AfriCHI), various student organisations in the USA and established 4 chapters under the Association of Computing Machinery in the USA and Namibia,” she expressed. She co-established the Namibia Green Hydrogen Research Institute at UNAM and the Center of Excellence in IT at NUST. Her field is Computer Science, specifically Human Computer Interaction and Artificial Intelligence, and she is supervising a PhD in AI and HCI at the University of West-London.
Despite respect from peers, Peters often had to prove her leadership. “In Namibia, I was often mistaken as the Secretary as Namibians still seem to think only men can sit in the chair of a professor or a Doctor,” she stressed. “There’s still an ingrained belief that leadership in science and technology is a man’s domain,” she noted. “I’ve had to work twice as hard to be taken seriously, but I let my achievements speak for themselves.”
As the only woman in high-level discussions, she shattered misconceptions. Her role in the African Union and Namibia’s Task Force placed her at the forefront of technological discourse. Despite skepticism, she earned respect through her knowledge and strategic thinking.
“Wherever I’ve worked internationally, I’ve been addressed by my earned titles; Doctor, Professor. Yet in Namibia, I am often called ‘Ms.’ while my male colleagues are given their rightful professional titles,” she shared. This reflects societal biases.
“I focus on my work. I complete projects, I build institutions, and I mentor the next generation of tech leaders,” she said. Her impact is evident in founding AfriCHI and co-establishing research institutes.
Her contributions earned her the ACM SIGCHI Special Recognition Award. “I am often told that I inspire young women to pursue careers in tech, even when I don’t realize it,” she said. “My daughter took over the reins as vice-president,” she shared, of the Women of Colour Network, adding that she is proud for advocating for balanced teams in developing African AI talent.
She mentors young women, encouraging them to take leadership roles. “AI is shaping the future, and women need to be at the table where decisions are made,” she emphasized.
She highlighted women’s contributions to software engineering. “Computer Science, especially software engineering including programming/coding, was a women’s job. The world’s  earliest coders was Lady Ada-Lovelace, Katherine Johnson and the human computers at NASA as well as the African American women engineers at NASA, Grace Hopper, Anita Borg, the Eniac six for the space shuttles,” she said.
She believes in offering opportunities to talented women. “The talent is there, we just need to acknowledge it and nurture it,” she stated.
“Be yourself. Pursue what you love. Put in the hours, upskill yourself, and don’t let societal expectations define you. Work hard, lead with confidence, and never underestimate your potential, Remember that nice girls do not get the corner office, so work hard and do not simply rely on your beauty or niceness” she advised.
Prof. Dr. Anicia Peters continues to pave the way for future generations.