This is the text of ADSEI Board Member Dr Nicky Ringland’s Occasional Address for the May 2026 Computer Science Graduation Ceremony. Nicky’s words struck such a chord with us that we asked if we could share them! For the more visually/aurally inclined, you can watch the video here.
Presiding Officer, Faculty Dean, staff, distinguished guests, exhausted family, slightly bored friends, and most importantly – graduates!
Thank you for inviting me to talk at you all for 5-7 minutes. It is an honour and a privilege to be here to offer advice, anecdotes and the like for you – fantastic graduates and your communities – in these interesting times.
Interesting times, eh? There is a curse – often incorrectly attributed to Chinese culture but in fact originating in British politics: ‘May you live in interesting times.’ And what an interesting time to graduate with a computer science degree! As you look at the current state of AI, the job market… I know when I look at the implications of large language models on open source security it’s clear that we are about to enter some intensely interesting times… So – congratulations!
And yet… “interesting times”… These are periods of high opportunity for growth, innovation, and change. And graduates – growth, innovation and change? That’s got you written all over it!
Indeed, there are many, many opportunities. And if you can’t find one, or don’t like what’s on offer, it is easier than ever to create your own.
This is what I did a dozen or so years ago. I sat down with 3 friends at the kitchen table, and Grok Learning was born: fueled by caffeine and the mild delusion that we could teach the world to solve problems with code. We went from that kitchen table to a startup that has taught over a million students.
In almost any other field, if you want to build something world-changing, you need a factory and a supply chain. In computing, you just need a laptop and the audacity to keep typing until the vision becomes a reality. It is intensely exhausting, frequently exhilarating, and occasionally involves wondering if you can afford the good tea bags this week. You can build the future from your kitchen — just maybe clear the cereal bowls off the table first.
Computer Science is often sold as a solo sport—one person, one glowing screen, and a very dark room. But look around. As you step out into an AI-driven world that feels increasingly automated, your greatest competitive advantage won’t be your skill with syntax. It will be your humanity and the community you build to support it.
Eighteen years ago, I started the Girls’ Programming Network. On the surface, GPN is a series of free workshops—a “gateway drug” for computer science. But the “Network” part of the name is the real magic. While teaching students is the goal on paper, the more impactful part is tutors mentoring tutors. It’s recent graduates sitting on the floor eating pizza and Freddo Frogs alongside senior engineers and CEOs.
It’s where a conversation pivots from “how do I center a div?” to “Wait, you’re looking for a job? I’m hiring!” in a single snack break.
I see this at conferences I both run and present at, too. The talks aren’t the point— you can watch them on YouTube at 2x from the comfort of your pyjamas. You go for the “hallway track.” You go to find the people who are as obsessed with a niche security flaw as you are.
Because this network – your network – is the only hardware that doesn’t become obsolete every eighteen months.
This network, – the person sitting next to you today? In a few years, they might be helping you land a new job, you might be hiring them! I’ve been in both places. (Quick! Introduce yourselves! It’s not too late!) But more importantly, having a robust, welcoming, and supportive community to help you through the highs and lows of work and life and everything in between is the most valuable thing you will ever build.
And that community matters for so much more beyond just our own careers. You are graduating into a position of intense privilege. As computer scientists, we are the architects of the invisible. We are designing the future, and with that comes a responsibility that is, frankly, a little terrifying.
Think about a surgeon. If a surgeon makes a mistake, the consequence is immediate, visceral, and felt in the room. But technical systems are abstracted. We sit in air-conditioned offices, push code to a cloud, and the effects are felt half a world away by people we will never meet.
It is entirely possible that someone will live or die because of the logic we write. It might be a bias in a healthcare algorithm, a failure in an autonomous transit system, or a social platform that accidentally erodes the mental health of a generation. Because the consequences are abstracted, they are harder to feel. But they are no less real.
That is why I have one mission for every single person in this room: Know your user.
Don’t just ‘interface’ with them. Have a deep, abiding respect for them. I want you to take on a bonus job title today, one you can never quit: User Advocate.
In every meeting, when someone suggests a feature that is ‘efficient’ but exploitative, or ‘innovative’ but invasive, or just doesn’t quite pass your vibe check, I want you to be the one who speaks up. Be the champion for the person on the other side of the screen. We have the power to create things that genuinely improve the world – not just optimise it, but improve it.
So yes. You are graduating at a challenging – an interesting – time. AI is getting faster, the startups are getting leaner. Things are changing, but your community is constant.
Go out there and build great things. But more importantly, build a great world for the people who will use them. Look after each other, advocate for the user, and never forget that the most important connection you’ll ever make isn’t to the Wi-Fi — it’s the connections you make to one another – strengthening your community.
Rather than an apocryphal saying, I’ll leave you with one that I believe with my whole heart:
Shared sorrow is halved sorrow, shared joy is doubled joy.
Graduates, congratulations again, and thank you for letting me share your joy today.