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UW focuses on engaging women in computer sciences

A grant from the Center for Inclusive Computing supports initiatives to attract undergraduate women to a high-demand major and support them along the way.

by Suzanne Swift
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The University of Wisconsin-Madison received a “Best Practice” grant of $279, 211 from the Center for Inclusive Computing to increase the number of women graduating with bachelor’s degrees in computer sciences. Strategies supported by the grant include initiatives to attract and retain women in computer sciences, develop programs that address disparities, and create a community of support for women. Ten other universities, including Barnard College, Columbia University, Rutgers and the University of Minnesota, also received the “Best Practice” grant.

In an era when career opportunities in computer sciences are plentiful, women continue to be underrepresented in computer sciences programs across the country, including at UW-Madison. While the percentage of women graduating with computer sciences degrees at UW-Madison has increased over the past few years, it was still only 16% of computer sciences degrees earned this year. That’s lower than the national average of 19%, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics, and much lower than the 37%, nationally, who represented women's share of computer sciences degrees earned in 1984.

UW-Madison computer sciences students at the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing. Photo provided by the Department of Computer Sciences.

 “Opportunities in computer science are abundant, yet unfortunately women are not fully represented in our major,” says Michael Swift, professor of computer sciences. “We have made some progress, but we can do better. We’re committed to finding ways to engage and inspire women to explore what we have to offer. The support from the Center for Inclusive Computing will allow us to build on existing efforts and make a substantial difference.” 

Funding from the grant will allow the computer sciences department to expand pathways for students including strategies to encourage students to enroll in entry level classes, augmenting curricula to create smoother transitions from entry level to more advanced coursework, and providing staff support and funding to develop community and cohorts.

“UW-Madison’s Department of Computer Sciences is a top department in the country, and diversity is a priority for the department and the university,” says Kristin Eschenfelder, associate director of the School of Computer, Data & Information Sciences. “This gift will allow us to extend and deepen our work and dedicate significant resources to developing a new generation of diverse leaders. Women must be at the table in shaping the future of technology, but that can only happen if we inspire, educate, and create opportunities.” 

Housed at Northeastern’s Khoury College of Computer Sciences, the Center for Inclusive Computing (CIC) serves a catalyst for universities to take the lead in educating more women in computing, both to meet a significant economic need and to address social inequity and exclusion. Its “Best Practice” grants support the implementation of evidence-based approaches that quickly and significantly increase the representation of women in computing. Funded schools are expected to address the barriers to broadening participation in their programs, and substantially increase the number of women graduating in five years.

"We are very excited to work with UW-Madison," said Carla Brodley, dean of the Khoury College of Computer Sciences at Northeastern and the executive director of the Center for Inclusive Computing. “In the last several years, UW-Madison has done great work developing a student-centered curriculum and understanding many of the challenges in increasing the number of women graduating with CS degrees. Our hope is that with the Center’s funding and partnership, we can dramatically increase the number of women graduating in computer science."

The Department of Computer Sciences at UW-Madison is one of the oldest and most respected computer science departments in the US, with educational offerings that include undergraduate degrees, an MS/PhD program, and professional graduate programs. The department offers a dynamic environment for study, research, and professional growth along with world-class research groups in computer architecture, database systems, distributed and grid computing, and nonlinear optimization. In the department, academic and private sector collaboration is the norm, and innovative discoveries have seeded many start-ups, including those that have been supported or purchased by companies such as Apple and Google. UW-Madison's Department of Computer Sciences is in the College of Letters & Science and one of three departments in the School of Computer, Data & Information Sciences (CDIS).

The mission of the Center for Inclusive Computing at Northeastern University is to increase the representation of women and underrepresented minorities in computing through evidence-based practices.