Dispatch article by Bettina Bair on women in CS

Women in computer science at OSU have unique opportunities
Monday, February 21, 2005
Bettina Bair
FOR THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

A few weeks ago, Harvard President Lawrence Summers provoked a
firestorm of criticism by speculating about the causes for women's
underrepresentation in math and science. He suggested, based on
high-school test results, that women are genetically predisposed to
perform poorly in these areas.

Now, although most academics and scientists have rebutted that women
actually are biologically capable of success in math and science, the
basic fact of low representation in these fields is indisputable.

In computer science in particular, there has been a dramatic drop in
women earning bachelor's degrees in computing. A recent report
indicated that the number had fallen below 20 percent, from nearly 40
percent 15 years ago (www.cra.org/statistics). Yet, women are
critically needed in computer science today.

Modern communities cannot function without computing, as the Y2K
crisis illustrated.

In the future, more and more of our daily lives will depend on
decisions made by machines, made, in turn, by the developers of
machines. From cars to robotic surgeons to animated movies to Mars
probes, from grocery-store checkouts to the human genome project,
computing is reshaping and expanding our world. It is vitally
important that women be a part of creating this future.

Research has shown that many misperceptions about computing persist
and may discourage women. Few realize that today's computer scientists
work in multidisciplinary teams, and frequently interact with users
and clients. There are several new avenues of research and development.

According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, 70 percent of new jobs
in science and engineering fields from 2002 to 2012 will be in
information technology, even after considering trends in outsourcing.

In nearly every aspect of modern life, computer scientists are helping
make the world a better, safer and more enjoyable place.

It's a great time to be a woman in computing. At the Ohio State
University Department of Computer Science and Engineering, several
programs have been developed with women in mind:

-- TWICE is The Women In Computer Engineering project. TWICE provides
undergraduates opportunities to do research on educational
applications in new technology, to work for local industry, or to
provide technical help to local non-profits and charities.

For more information, go to twice.cse.ohio-state.edu.

-- OCWIC is the upcoming Ohio Celebration of Women In Computing
conference April 22 and 23. One hundred young women in computing
programs from around Ohio are expected to attend technical and
professional sessions, present research posters and establish networks
with others in their field.

For program details and registration, go to www.cse.ohio-state.edu/ocwic.

-- ACM-W is the Association for Computing Machinery Committee on Women
whose mission is to celebrate, inform and support women in
computing. The ACM-W student chapter at OSU is made up of young women
(and men) who bring in speakers, take apart computers, go bowling and
watch classic computer movies together. For more information, go to
acmw.org.ohiostate.edu.

Summers seemed to suggest that women's biology and disposition were
incompatible with the intellectual rigor of science and math. At Ohio
State University, the young women in TWICE, in ACM-W and attending
OCWIC are proving him wrong.

Bettina Bair is a lecturer and diversity co-chairwoman in the Computer
Science and Engineering Department at Ohio State University.

Copyright © 2005, The Columbus Dispatch