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Best Time Ever for Women in Computing

Best Time Ever for Women in Computing. Maria M. Klawe President Harvey Mudd College. outline. Why it’s the best time ever The paradox Decrease of women majors in CS What we can do about it. Why it’s the best time ever. Industry and academia recognize that women have talent

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Best Time Ever for Women in Computing

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  1. Best Time Ever for Women in Computing Maria M. Klawe President Harvey Mudd College

  2. outline • Why it’s the best time ever • The paradox • Decrease of women majors in CS • What we can do about it

  3. Why it’s the best time ever • Industry and academia recognize that women have talent • Almost everyone wants more women • Industry – intense demand for CS grads • Academia – need for CS students

  4. Best time ever… • Recognition that attracting and retaining more women requires change • Better work-life balance • Improved CS intro courses • More supportive environments for everyone • Valuing broader range of interests and styles

  5. Best time ever… • Can combine computing with almost every other interest (travel, art, politics, languages, theatre, etc.) • Computing is a key tool in addressing the problems facing the world • Healthcare • Education • Environment

  6. Example: Digital Study Hall • Randy Wang’s idea for education in the developing world – networks with long latency but huge bandwidth • Hub and spoke schools in India, Bangladesh • Digital green, healthcare

  7. The paradox • Increasing percentages of women in CS • Faculty • Grad students • Leadership positions • Decreasing numbers of women in CS • Undergrad majors

  8. Why numbers are increasing in grad students, faculty, leadership … • Industry, academia, professional organizations providing programs to keep women in the pipeline • In recent years • Female % grad students > % undergrads • Female % assist. profs hired > % Ph.D.s • Techleaders

  9. Why numbers are decreasing in undergrad majors… • Myth about IT jobs disappearing • Dot-com crash, media emphasis on outsourcing • Image of computing jobs • No life, no people interactions, boring • Image of CS courses being all about computers • CS classes being cut in high schools

  10. What can WE do to attract girls before college… • Outreach to schools, parents, teachers • Focus on the unconverted • Take whatever opportunities are offered • Insert truth about CS as an aside • Go where the girls are • Craft messages for math, bio, chem, art, English, psychology teachers • Awesome CS summer camps • Adjust selective college admissions criteria • Have CS engagement count as a creative or volunteer activity

  11. What can WE do to attract females to CS while in college • Fabulous CS intro (and later) courses • Get some CS required, or have a Dean advise all students to take a CS course • Bring frosh to Hopper • Post-frosh summer research experiences • Make it easy to switch into (offer intro CS in summer) • Provide double majors and flexibility • Digital pre-med program

  12. What can WE do to change the image… • Have IT companies use their advertising $$$ to “brand CS careers” • Get a CS version of “Numbers” • Get a female idol as the CS spokesperson • Get a hot book written about people in CS careers and publicized on talk shows. • A “CS is cool” month • Use social networking sites somehow…

  13. Resources • www.anitaborg.org • www.NCWIT.org • CRA-W • ACM-W

  14. Questions and Comments

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