Karen A. Frenkel
Women and computing
Association for Computing Machinery
mounting evidence many women opting careers computing either drop academic pipeline choose get advanced degrees enter industry instead consequently disproportionately low numbers women academic computer science computer industry situation may perpetuated several generations since studies show girls grade school high school losing interest computing statistics descriptions offered women academic industrial computing research findings reported later article indicate much amiss point follows place blamerather foster serious reflection possibly instigate action behooves computer community consider whether experiences women training unique computer science must ask computer science laboratory classroom chilly women girls demonstrated problems particular field crucial understand origins field young flexible enough modify women course open charge describe problems professional women everywhere even juggling acts female computer scientists academia industry particular computing american society cannot afford ignore dismiss experiences indisputable brain drain leadingedge discipline look statistics reveals disquieting situation according betty vetter executive director commission professionals science technology washington dc number bachelors masters degrees computer science dropping steadily men women degrees awarded women dropping faster becoming smaller proportion total bachelors degrees peaked 357 1986 masters also peaked year 299 expected continue decline expected numbers drop due demographics fewer college students says vetter degrees awarded women declining long reaching parity see table vetter also would expected computer science great field women undergraduate mathematics female math majors earned 45 bachelors degrees 1980s hand math phds awarded women gone 155 181 decade line computer science phds earned women 1987 144 computer science phds went women number declined 109 following year although number almost doubled 1988 1989 women receiving 175 phds vetter points number remains small 107 since figures include foreign students principally male women constitute smaller percentage total phds awarded americans american women received 214 phds awarded americans encouraging either says vetter number american women awarded computer science phds miniscule 72 taking longer view awarding significantly fewer bachelors masters degrees women late 1980s felt seven eight years would expected receive phds figures compare sciences engineering 1989 report national science foundation women computer science nancy leveson associate professor information computer science university california irvine reports 1986 women earned 12 computer science doctorates compared 30 doctorates awarded women sciences leveson notes however includes social sciences psychology percentages high 32 50 breakout fields follows physical sciences 164 math 166 electrical engineering 49 engineering ranges 08 aeronautical 139 industrial women get computer science degrees pursuing careers academic computer science leveson says women either offered accepting faculty positions dropping faculty ranks looking data taken 198889 taulbee survey appeared communications september leveson points 158 computer science computer engineering departments survey 65 percent faculty female one third departments female faculty see tables iii iv regarding women computing labor force vetter comments statistics soft bureau labor statistics asks companies information workforce nsf asks individuals professional identification therefore estimates vary table ii shows year women comprise 35 computer scientists industry according 1988 nsf report women minorities although women represent 49 professionals make 30 employed computer scientists reason women make half labor force computing betty vetter says computing involves lifting 125 pound weights sense isolation need community keen among women computing 1987 several specialists operating systems created private forum electronic mailing list called systers founded operated anita borg member research staff decs western research lab systers consists 350 women representing many fields within computing represent 43 companies 55 universities primarily united states canada united kingdom france industry members senior level come every major research lab university members range computer science undergraduates department chairs says borg systers purpose forum discussion problems joys women field provide medium networking mentoring network prevents women dispersed feeling alone experience certain problems says borg spit want group get womens perspectives back get sense community sexist allwomens forum absolutely says borg absolutely necessary didnt want include men different way women talk theyre talking women whether person net knowing women important professional women computer science interested systers mailing list may send email systersrequestdecwrldeccom burden women computing seems heavy indeed investigators genderrelated research women say females experience cumulative disadvantages grade school graduate school beyond statistical studies frequently come fire always explain entire picture important listen women tell story sidebar entitled graduate school early 80s women describe experiences invisibility patronizing behavior doubted qualifications given experiences surprising many women find academic climate inclement women may choose contribute research industry computer business really women alternative sidebar entitled workplace late 80s women industry also tell story describe dilemmas dialogue academia versus industry discussion erupted freely last spring systers addition findings scholars conducting genderrelated research presented report workshop women computing finally communications presents becoming computer scientist report acm committee status women computer science draft presented workshop report appears entirety issue