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Women, computing and women@CL

Women, computing and women@CL. Mateja Jamnik Computer Laboratory University of Cambridge Co-director of the women@CL project Thanks to EPSRC, Univ. of Cambridge Computer Laboratory, Microsoft Research, Intel Cambridge Research, CMI, OII, Newnham College Cambridge. What are the facts?.

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Women, computing and women@CL

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  1. Women, computing and women@CL Mateja Jamnik Computer Laboratory University of Cambridge Co-director of the women@CLproject Thanks to EPSRC, Univ. of Cambridge Computer Laboratory, Microsoft Research, Intel Cambridge Research, CMI, OII, Newnham College Cambridge

  2. What are the facts? • 5% of young women are considering an IT career • 22% of the UK’s 1 million IT workforce are women • Half of UK and Oxbridge undergraduates are women • 1 in 3 academic women but 1 in 5 academic men aspire to leadership positions

  3. Facts – Computer Science • Source: HESA data 2001-2002 • Cambridge last 3 years: 14%, up from 10% 10 years ago (10% for home u/gs, 50% for overseas)

  4. Facts – Maths • Source: HESA data 2003-2004 • National: 38.71% female

  5. Poor image of computing: Schools: accessible and gender neutral, but often boring and equated with office skills Work: negative images such as nerdy, aggressive, dull Failure to communicate: What computer science is and why it is important Computing can be exciting, rewarding, challenging; can lead to social careers; accommodates career breaks, flexible working The variety of clearly differentiated computing careers Why so bad in UK? • Failure to retain: • students and staff due to unconscious bias, lack of positive and supportive culture

  6. Does it matter? • To individuals • Loss of opportunity • To employers • Loss of talent • Despite tech slump/outsourcing, increase in demand for staff • To Universities • Major US corporation 2005: If we recruit to CS posts only from CS graduates we can’t meet our diversity targets • Access, Equal Opportunities, RAE.... • UK legal position • Positive discrimination is illegal • Positive action is legal and encouraged • Increasing provision for flexible working, parental leave etc • Codes of practice, union agreements ...

  7. What can be done? Good practice! • Carnegie Mellon Project: women up from 10% to 47% over 5 years • Long-term outreach to schools and teachers on APT • New entry criteria seek “Technology leaders of the future” • Remove inadvertent barriers – eg overvaluing systems skills • Parallel tracks through 1st year to aid confidence building • UC Berkeley project • Change climate through supportive atmosphere for women • Fostering community, alumni relations and PhD retention • Women students best ambassadors in recruitment • LinuxChix and Debian Women • For women in open source community - combat aggressive stance All people will be comfortable and feel able to ask questions or comment at any time. People will feel that the channel is a sociable and friendly place.

  8. What else can be done? • DTI study: women leave IT at 2 stages, after children and mid-career, hence • advocate flexible working, change in culture • what’s good for women is good for everybody • SIGIS EU project: recommends for UK • mentoring, support, opportunities for networking • women be supported and valued, but no special treatment • positive action programmes can cause hostility • women often like applications and interdisciplinary work • changing image to attract different kind of people • one size does not fit all

  9. women@CL • 2003 women@CL launched at Cambridge Uni. Computer Laboratory with support from Microsoft Research and Intel • 2004 national women@CL network, funded by EPSRC: co-directors Prof. Ursula Martin and Dr Mateja Jamnik • www.cl.cam.ac.uk/women • Cambridge ideal place with long history: 1949 Beatrice Worsley first woman PhD for computational work

  10. women@CL – Beatrice Worsley

  11. women@CL • women@CL provides local, national and international activities for women engaged in computing research and academic leadership • Goal: support women and increase recruitment and retention, sustainable across a complex institution • Funding bodies, sponsors and supporters: with thanks to EPSRC, Microsoft Research Cambridge, Intel Cambridge Research, University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory, Newnham College Cambridge, Cambridge-MIT Institute, Oxford Internet Institute, British Computer Society • Prominent support of Univ. of Cambridge’s world leading department vital to send signal of importance

  12. women@CL – Cambridge • Consultation with women staff and students: • isolated, valued support but not to be seen as “different” • Review undergraduate recruitment: • course already stresses interdisciplinarity, applications and entrepreneurship, but is very poorly presented and marketed, with confusion over entry requirements • Formal connection with existing bodies with similar goals: • Equality and Diversity Unit: recruitment officers, Springboard • Raised awareness of legislation and good practice • Set up web pages, FAQs, mailing lists, data collection • women@CL lunches: provide women role models

  13. women@CL Cambridge - Lunches • Provide early-career women role models in academic research, industry or start-ups: • Speakers from Univ. of Cambridge, Intel, MSR, Google, IBM, biotech entrepreneurs, Goldman Sachs, Oman, Canada, USA,… • Women in Gaming event: • explore issues surrounding women in games industry, as both producers and consumers of games and game-related media • play videogames on variety of consoles • Careers workshops: • applying for jobs in academia and industry • Free lunch, chocolate cake, open to all, high attendance, 50-50 women-men

  14. women@CL - UK • Career development workshops at major conferences: • IJCAI 2005, W3C 2006, HCI 2006 • Regional Hoppers meetings for women in computing: • London, Manchester, Scotland • Senior Women’s Leadership Summit in 2005 and 2007: • Newnham College Cambridge • Childcare Initiative • Evaluation, media training, ensuring visibility of women • Visions of the future initiative with BCS, OII

  15. women@CL UK - Career Workshops • Mission Statement:To be of relevance to women in computing research, providing a forum for the interchange of ideas for successful academic careers, to address the particular needs of professional women and to provide an opportunity for peer networking. • Talks by women at various stages in their career about: • their work and how they got there • the opportunities encountered • how to choose an independent research area and build a team • how to apply for a PhD • how to apply for an industrial job • how to apply for grants • how to apply for fellowships • work-life balance • funding opportunities • mentoring and email lists support • Discussion periods • Networking opportunities

  16. women@CL UK – Hoppers Workshops • Regional meetings for women in computing research from Masters level up. • Technical talks • Career planning: • What makes a good research leader? • It can be hard, but worth it to make a difference • Identify some challenges for computing research in 2015? • Sustainability, ageing population, maintaining humanity • What would help you to become a research leader? • Mentoring, support, opportunities like this. • Networking (and lunch).

  17. women@CL UK – Childcare Scheme • Many academics are prevented from attending conferences due to extra costs for childcare. • women@CL supplementary grant of £150 towards extra childcare costs while at CS related conference. • Open to everyone, staff or student, female or male at UK University doing computer science research.

  18. Lessons Learnt • What is making this initiative a success? • Support from the top in Cambridge Univ. and sponsors • Dedicated senior staff time and admin support • Enthusiastic staff and student team • What’s good for women is good for everyone • What do we need next? • Major campaign to change the image of computer science • Improve presentation and understanding in schools • Grand challenges exercise to create visions of future research • Find exciting worthwhile ways to develop leadership skills • BCS to take the lead and coordinate all this

  19. Other Initiatives: Awards • Athena award for IT in support of women in science • BCS awards for companies working for women in IT • Astar awards: best girl in ICT A level and GCSE • BCS Roger Needham award • BCS CPHC Distinguished Dissertation award • BCS Young IT practitioner award

  20. Other Initiatives: CC4G • Around 100 clubs for 10-14 year old girls, rolling out nationally, linked to national curriculum CC4G is all about making technology fun. We leave all the boring stuff to the boys. www.cc4g.net • Link CC4G schools near Cambridge with women@CL • EPSRC PPA Sodarace for schools, pilot with CC4G www.sodarace.net

  21. Other Initiatives: BCS • Establish Forum: • to coordinate women/diversity initiatives • to think about image of the profession • teaching of computing in schools • New future initiative in collaboration with BCS and OII, to ensure the sustainability and continuity of women@CL.

  22. Thank you! www.cl.cam.ac.uk/women

  23. My Experience • UWC Italy; Math and Computer Studies, Canada; Master Cambridge; PhD in Artificial Intelligence Edinburgh • EPSRC Advanced Research Fellowship, Cambridge Uni • Lectureship (Associate Prof), Cambridge Uni • Research: formalizing on machines “informal” human problem solving techniques (eg, using diagrams) • Work/Life: married, 2 children, working part-time 50%

  24. Computer Science

  25. Maths

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