Climate for Graduate Students in Science and Engineering Departments: How CS Compares

1. Climate for Graduate Students in Science and Engineering Departments: How CS Compares Elizabeth Litzler October 8, 2006 Gender Diversity in Computing Workshop

2. Research Questions • Are there gender differences in graduate student perceptions of climate in STEM departments? • Does department climate influence commitment to STEM professional careers? • How are perceptions of climate related to degree progress? October 8, 2006 Gender Diversity in Computing Workshop

3. 2004 Methodology • 62 Questions • 19 Science and Engineering Departments • 574 Participants, 47% response rate • 37 CS students with gender info. October 8, 2006 Gender Diversity in Computing Workshop

4. CS Demographics • 30 doctoral, 7 professional masters • 34 -- US citizen or permanent resident • 3 temporary visa October 8, 2006 Gender Diversity in Computing Workshop

5. October 8, 2006 Gender Diversity in Computing Workshop

6. Gender Differences • T-tests • Gender Discrimination and Pace/Workload/Isolation • For STEM sample and CS sample October 8, 2006 Gender Diversity in Computing Workshop

7. Retention Variables • Career Commitment • To what extent has your academic experience in your department reaffirmed your career choice? • 5 point scale from “not at all” to “very much”, divided into 3 categories: low, medium, and high commitment • Degree Progress • Completed each of 5 stages in degree, 1=yes, 0=no • Classes and Coursework, Comprehensive or Qualifying Exam, Master’s Degree Earned, Advancement to Candidacy, Approval of Dissertation October 8, 2006 Gender Diversity in Computing Workshop

8. October 8, 2006 Gender Diversity in Computing Workshop

9. Multinomial Logit Regression of Career Commitment • Having a positive relationship with advisor, and having professors who are mentors or who care decreases the likelihood of low and medium career commitment relative to high career commitment • Fast Pace/Workload/Isolation increases likelihood of low commitment relative to high commitment October 8, 2006 Gender Diversity in Computing Workshop

10. CS parallels • Using 3 significant factors from STEM multinomial regression, only having professors who are mentors or who care resulted in decreases in likelihood of being in low and medium categories relative to high commitment category. • Bivariate correlation of low commitment (0/1) with professors who care is -.441 (p=.006) and with pace/workload/isolation at .342 (p=.041) October 8, 2006 Gender Diversity in Computing Workshop

11. Logistic Regression of Degree Progress October 8, 2006 Gender Diversity in Computing Workshop

12. Discussion • Continued chilly climate for women • Career commitment related to climate • “Push” factors affect degree progress early in degree • Pace/Workload/Isolation in graduate school is related to career commitment and degree progress • Having Professors who mentor or who care about student success affects career commitment (similar to other findings) • Emphasize collaboration earlier in graduate programs October 8, 2006 Gender Diversity in Computing Workshop