NCWIT and Capital One Join Forces to Introduce the Powertilt Tool, Revolutionizing Tech Diversity Initiatives

September 8, 2023

Boulder, CO

The National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) and Capital One are excited to announce the launch of the Powertilt tool. This tool aims to empower and accelerate the progress of inclusive cultures within the technology industry.

The Powertilt tool is an innovative approach to assess how power is distributed among teams, particularly in terms of gender, race, class, and age. Even when companies diversify their workforces, members of historically marginalized groups may still face disproportionate difficulty accessing core, creative, technical roles and influencing work team decisions – the place where innovation happens. 

With Powertilt, teams can assess their approach to decision-making and gain insights about their culture — how inclusive they are, and how they think about innovation. It also tells companies how individuals can successfully influence innovation. Culture and influence create each other: What counts as effective influence indicates the kind of culture you have. Conversely, the culture you have determines what kinds of influence are effective.

“The Powertilt tool represents a transformative step toward deepening our understanding of how power and influence show up on teams,” said Lucy Sanders, CEO and Co-founder of NCWIT. “With funding from Capital One, we have been able to create a tool that aims to catalyze meaningful change and drive inclusion at the core of organizations. Powertilt will be instrumental in creating more inclusive tech workplaces.”

As a champion of diversity and inclusion, Capital One is committed to advancing diversity not only within its own organization but across the tech industry as a whole. By funding the creation of the Powertilt tool, Capital One aims to extend its efforts, amplifying the impact and driving progress on a broader scale.

Learn more about Powertilt, and access the tool here: https://ncwit.org/resource/powertilt/

For media inquiries or interview requests, please contact: [email protected]

About NCWIT:

The National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) is the farthest-reaching network of change leaders working to correct underrepresentation and foster innovation in tech. With more than 1,600 universities, companies, and organizations nationwide, NCWIT offers programs and resources that empower members to make change in their home organizations. Learn more at www.ncwit.org.

About Capital One:

Capital One Financial Corporation is a diversified bank that offers a broad array of financial products and services to consumers, small businesses, and commercial clients. A Fortune 500 company, Capital One has one of the most widely recognized brands in America and is recognized as a leader in the technology and financial sectors. Learn more at www.capitalone.com.


2023 Pioneer in Tech Award Recipient Dr. Erna Schneider Hoover

NCWIT is excited to announce Dr. Erna Schneider Hoover as the 2023 Pioneer Award recipient for her role in revolutionizing the modern telephone system. Dr. Hoover was born in Irvington, New Jersey and graduated from Columbia High School in Maplewood, New Jersey and from Wellesley College with a double major in Classical and Medieval History and Philosophy. She received a Ph.D. at Yale University in Philosophy, including symbolic logic and foundations of mathematics. She spent three years teaching various branches of philosophy at Swarthmore College. While there she married Charles Hoover, Jr., a physicist whom she had met at Yale. In 1954 when he joined Bell Telephone Laboratories, she moved with him to Summit, New Jersey. After a futile search in the New York area for a tenure track position in philosophy, she also joined Bell Laboratories. She found herself pioneering along with everyone else at the dawn of the computer enterprise, and pioneering as a woman in engineering, a field almost entirely dominated by men. She broke through three glass ceilings, beginning with a promotion to the professional level Member of Technical Staff. She was originally assigned to help an engineer write a book on “Systems Engineering”, the term that Bell Labs used for the initial overall assessment of a project. She was home on leave with her first daughter when her boss asked whether she was coming back to work. She told him she would if she were promoted to the level of professional engineer. He agreed. At that time, in 1954, Bell Labs was overwhelmed with the volume of calls coming through their system, and wanted to replace their hard-wired mechanical switching system with something more complex and efficient. Dr. Hoover developed a solution that used a computer to monitor incoming calls at different times and adjusted the call acceptance rate accordingly. This intervention reduced the risk of overload in call processing. The principles of this system are still widely used.  Since few people knew anything about computers, the Labs needed to set up an in-house teaching program. When she learned about this effort, she persuaded her boss to let her participate. After finishing the program she joined the team working on the Number 1 ESS [“Electronic Switching System] computer. She wrote the specifications for the instruction set for the computer. Following that she wrote the specifications for the operating system. As a result she broke through the second glass ceiling: she was promoted to technical supervisor, the first woman to do so at Bell Labs. She then invented an algorithm enabling the computer to cope with telephone traffic overload, an algorithm which the Labs patented — one of the first patents issued for software. Because of this patent, Dr. Hoover was inducted in the National Inventors’ Hall of Fame. She broke through the third glass ceiling when she was promoted to Technical Department Head, the first woman to reach this rank at Bell Labs. She managed several groups of programmers who were working on the U.S. Anti-Ballistic Missile system called Safeguard. Thanks to a supportive husband and a wonderful nanny/housekeeper she was able to combine her engineering career and home-making for her husband and three daughters. Once the daughters grew older she was able to volunteer on several non-profit boards. She served on the New Jersey Board of Higher Education and the board of Trenton State College, now called the College of New Jersey. During her time there the college became known for its academic excellence. It offers an affordable option for all New Jersey citizens. In 2020, the College awarded her an honorary degree, “Doctor of Humane Letters” for services to higher education in New Jersey. 


NCWIT Announces 2023 Recipients of the Harrold and Notkin Research and Graduate Mentoring Award and Joanne McGrath Cohoon Service Award

The National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) has named Dr. Mary Lou Maher, Professor in the Department of Software and Information Systems, College of Computing and Informatics at the University of North Carolina Charlotte, the recipient of the 2023 Harrold and Notkin Research and Graduate Mentoring Award

NCWIT has also named Dr. Patricia Morreale, a Professor and Chair of the Department of Computer Science and Technology at Kean University, the recipient of the 2023 NCWIT Joanne McGrath Cohoon Service Award.

The Harrold and Notkin Research and Graduate Mentoring Award is sponsored by the NCWIT Board of Directors and recognizes faculty members from non-profit institutions who distinguish themselves through outstanding research and excellent graduate mentoring, as well as those who recruit, encourage, and promote women and minorities in computing. It is given in memory of Mary Jean Harrold and David Notkin, to honor their outstanding research, graduate mentoring, and diversity contributions.

Dr. Mary Lou Maher earned her Ph.D. in Civil Engineering. at Carnegie Mellon University in 1984, where she also began her career as a professor. She later moved to University of Sydney and started the Bachelor of Design Computing in the Faculty of Architecture. After 4 years as Program Director at NSF in the Human Centered Design Program, she moved to UNC Charlotte to Chair the Department of Software and Information Systems and lead the Center for Education Innovation and the Human Centered Computing Lab. As Department Chair, she mentored faculty to increase research participation, external funding, and innovation in teaching. Dr. Maher has a long history of mentoring diverse students. About half of the 23 Ph.D. students she’s graduated have been women. She’s also encouraged the department to integrate DEI modules into first and second-year courses.

The Joanne McGrath Cohoon Service Award is sponsored by AT&T and honors distinguished educators and staff who have effectively challenged and changed the systems that shape the experiences of women undergraduates in postsecondary computing programs. Award recipients demonstrate exceptional commitment to, and success in, creating long-lasting systemic change that improves the environment for all students who identify as women. The award is given in memory of Dr. Cohoon’s outstanding research and advocacy work to broaden and enrich women’s participation in computing.

Dr. Patricia Morreale earned her Ph.D. in Computer Science from Illinois Institute of Technology. During her time at Kean University, she has worked tirelessly to create systemic change to broaden participation in computer science, focusing on both faculty development and undergraduate research engagement. Her efforts have had a significant impact on increasing the inclusion of students from historically excluded groups. Dr. Morreale’s leadership positions include membership on NCWIT’s Academic Alliance Advisory Board and the Executive Board of the Computing Alliance for Hispanic Serving Institutions (CAHSI), where she leads the north region. She also serves as a New Jersey State Department of Education Computer Science Advisory Committee member, focusing on NJ K-12 education.

“We’re excited to recognize Dr. Maher and Dr. Morreale for their dedication to making higher ed computing programs more equitable,” said NCWIT Executive Director Terry Hogan. “Their hard work and change leadership efforts are an invaluable asset to the NCWIT community.”

About the NCWIT Academic Alliance:

The NCWIT Academic Alliance comprises more than 650 member organizations, with more than 2,600 individuals representing them. Members receive an exclusive invitation to the annual NCWIT Summit, guidance in applying research-based strategies for creating inclusion, and opportunities to work with faculty, staff, administrators, department heads, and other mentors nationwide to create lasting impact. 

About NCWIT:

NCWIT is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit chartered in 2004 by the National Science Foundation (NSF) that convenes, equips, and unites more than 1,500 change leader organizations nationwide to increase the influential and meaningful participation of girls and women — at the intersections of race/ethnicity, class, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability status, and other historically marginalized identities — in the field of computing, particularly in terms of innovation and development. (https://www.ncwit.org/)


2022 Patent Report Update: Who Invents IT?

In 2007 and 2012, the National Center for Women & Information Technology, in partnership with 1790 Analytics, published prior reports on gendered patterns in IT patenting, analyzing records from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The original report examined women’s patenting rates in IT and how these rates evolved over the prior 25 years. It also identified how these rates differ across IT industry sub-categories and across specific organizations. This new edition updates those findings, examining U.S. patent data from 1980-2020.

Women’s Patents Hit New High

New research shows women’s IT patenting is at a new high. The National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) tracks changes in patenting trends along gender lines using U.S. Patent and Trademark Office records in partnership with 1790 Analytics. After compiling data dating back to 1980, the 2022 NCWIT Patent Report shows continued increases in patents filed by teams with at least one woman inventor. Highlights include: 

  • In the last 5 years, approximately 10% of U.S.-invented IT patents were invented by women: Between 2011 and 2015, the patenting rate for women was 7.8%%, up from the original report’s findings of 4.7% between 1980 and 2010.
  • Overall IT patenting is rapidly increasing: IT patenting has grown substantially in the last four decades. In the U.S. alone, it increased almost 17-fold from 27,153 patents between 1980-84 to 452,315 total patents from 2016-2020.
  • Meanwhile, women’s patenting rates are up 56-fold despite no increase in women’s participation in the computing workforce: For women inventors to increase their patenting share during this period, they had to increase patenting by higher-than-average growth rates. Women’s patenting increased 56-fold from 1980-84 and 2017-2020, even as the percentage of women employed in IT either remained flat or decreased slightly.
  • Trends point to continuing progress: Although the overall level of women’s participation in IT patents remains relatively low, the trend shows an increase from 2% in 1980 to approximately 10% after 41 years of study. For evidence of growing inclusion in patenting, AI Learning and computer software are leading.
  • Women’s patenting rates differ widely from one company to another. In some companies, women account for 20% to 30% of patents while in others they account for only 5% of patents. This suggests that individual organizational environments do matter and can influence women’s patenting patterns  

The original patent report was released in 2007, and looked at how rates had evolved in the 25 years between 1980 and 2005. A 5-year update was released in 2012. This 10-year update compiles more than 40 years of data, and includes detailed breakdowns of how trends differ across specific companies, organizations, and sectors – which can help change leaders hone in on and identify what is working well in areas with higher rates of patenting for women.

Link to Source /resource/ncwit-patenting-report-2022-update/

Date of Publication 20/07/2022


NCWIT Announces 2022 Recipients of the Harrold and Notkin Research and Graduate Mentoring Award and Joanne McGrath Cohoon Service Award

The National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) has named Dr. Tiffany Barnes, Distinguished Professor of Computer Science at North Carolina State University, the recipient of the 2022 Harrold and Notkin Research and Graduate Mentoring Award

NCWIT has also named Dr. Christine Alvarado, Associate Dean for Students of the Jacobs School of Engineering and Teaching Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of California, San Diego, the recipient of the 2022 NCWIT Joanne McGrath Cohoon Service Award.

The Harrold and Notkin Research and Graduate Mentoring Award is sponsored by the NCWIT Board of Directors and recognizes faculty members from non-profit institutions who distinguish themselves through outstanding research and excellent graduate mentoring, as well as those who recruit, encourage, and promote women and minorities in computing. It is given in memory of Mary Jean Harrold and David Notkin, to honor their outstanding research, graduate mentoring, and diversity contributions.

Barnes earned her Ph.D. in Computer Science at North Carolina State University (NCSU) in 2003, after which she taught computer science and served as Director of the Game Design and Development Program at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte before returning to NCSU in 2012. Her efforts to boost the recruiting and retention of girls and women in computing date back to her graduate school days, when she helped to write an NSF grant to run a year-round enrichment program centered on a math summer camp for girls. Barnes has a strong record of mentoring women students throughout her career, as well as students with disabilities, Black and Hispanic women, Black men, LGBTQ students, and many students from underprivileged backgrounds.

Introduced this year, the Joanne McGrath Cohoon Service Award is sponsored by AT&T and honors distinguished educators and staff who have effectively challenged and changed the systems that shape the experiences of women undergraduates in postsecondary computing programs. Award recipients demonstrate exceptional commitment to, and success in, creating long-lasting systemic change that improves the environment for all students who identify as women. The award is given in memory of Dr. Cohoon’s outstanding research and advocacy work to broaden and enrich women’s participation in computing.

Since receiving her Ph.D. in Computer Science from MIT in 2004, Alvarado has worked to create systemic change that significantly improved the environment for women students at both Harvey Mudd College (HMC) and the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). At HMC she helped to establish permanent structures that increased the percentage of women in computer science (CS) at HMC, and at UCSD she created programs and policies that vastly increased the number of women who major in CS, and who do research in CS at UCSD. Alvarado employs data analysis in her efforts to broaden women’s participation in computer science, including helping to produce the annual UCSD Engineering “diversity reports,” which help guide faculty committee work. 

“Both Dr. Barnes and Dr. Alvarado have been active and engaged members of our change-leader network for many years,” said NCWIT President and CTO Terry Hogan. “We are thrilled to honor the impact of their ongoing efforts to make postsecondary computing education more inclusive for students of all genders.

About the NCWIT Academic Alliance:

The NCWIT Academic Alliance comprises more than 650 member organizations, with more than 2,600 individuals representing them. Members receive an exclusive invitation to the annual NCWIT Summit, guidance in applying research-based strategies for creating inclusion, and opportunities to work with faculty, staff, administrators, department heads, and other mentors nationwide to create lasting impact. 

About NCWIT:

NCWIT is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit chartered in 2004 by the National Science Foundation (NSF) that convenes, equips, and unites nearly 1,500 change leader organizations nationwide to increase the influential and meaningful participation of girls and women — at the intersections of race/ethnicity, class, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability status, and other historically marginalized identities — in the field of computing, particularly in terms of innovation and development. (https://ncwit.org/)


2022 Virtual NCWIT Summit, Streaming May 16-19, Offers Resources for Promoting Inclusion in Tech

This online thought leadership series focused on improving diversity and equity in the computing field is free and open to the public.

Zoom registrations for each session are available at https://ncwit.org/summit/2022/, and all sessions will cross-stream at ncwit.org/livestream.

The 2022 Virtual NCWIT Summit on Women and Information Technology, happening May 16-19, offers workshops and keynotes focused on research-based approaches to creating inclusive, equitable, and accessible tech cultures. A slate of nationally recognized thought leaders, representing viewpoints from the tech industry as well as K-12 and higher education, will share insights, tips, strategies, and stories to spark conversations that lead to action for change. 

With women representing only 26 percent of the U.S. computing workforce in 2021, there is a critical need for attention to the issue of inclusion and equity in the tech field. The NCWIT Summit is an annual opportunity for educators, entrepreneurs, executives, and social scientists from across industries and disciplines to immerse themselves in data-driven recommendations for increasing girls’ and women’s meaningful and influential participation in computing. 

The lineup of expert speakers and topics includes:

  • Julie Battilana, Professor at Harvard Business School, “Harnessing Power for Positive Impact”
  • Brad McLain and Catherine Ashcraft, NCWIT Research Scientists, “Powertilt: Examining Power, Influence, and the Myth of Meritocracy Within Technology Teams”
  • Damon A. Williams, Nationally Recognized DEI Expert, “Navigating the New Normal: Renewal, Allyship, and Joy During the Twin Pandemics”
  • Bethy Leonardi and Sara Staley, Co-founders of A Queer Endeavor, “Queering Leadership” and “Inclusive K-12 Education” 
  • NCWIT Pioneer in Tech Award Celebration with 2022 Awardee Frances “Poppy” Northcutt

“The computing discipline has widely been viewed as central to improving our lives. However, when some groups of people are systemically excluded from participating in the development of new technologies, we risk creating products that primarily benefit some segments of the population,” said NCWIT President and CTO Terry Hogan. “It’s never been more important to ensure that the computing products and services we rely on are created by a diverse group of people. The NCWIT Summit allows our change-leader network to come together and be inspired to continue their work in adopting effective, research-based strategies that facilitate reform in computing classes and technical organizations.”

View the full 2022 vNCWIT Summit agenda (ncwit.org/summit/2022) for details. NCWIT is deeply grateful for the support of 2022 Virtual NCWIT Summit Sponsors PNC, Bloomberg, and Royal Bank of Canada Capital Markets.

About NCWIT

NCWIT is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit chartered in 2004 by the National Science Foundation (NSF) that convenes, equips, and unites nearly 1,500 change leader organizations nationwide to increase the influential and meaningful participation of girls and women — at the intersections of race/ethnicity, class, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability status, and other historically marginalized identities — in the field of computing, particularly in terms of innovation and development. Find out more at www.ncwit.org.


NCWIT to Expand Regional Initiatives Program in Pittsburgh, PA with Support from the Henry L. Hillman Foundation

The National Center for Women and Information Technology (NCWIT) will expand its Regional Initiatives to include Pittsburgh, PA starting April 2022. With generous support from the Henry L. Hillman Foundation, NCWIT will work with change leaders in education and industry in Pittsburgh to share opportunities and build infrastructure to increase the meaningful participation of a diverse range of women and girls in computing.

Computing is one of the most powerful and influential fields shaping society today. Yet women—especially at the intersections of race/ethnicity, class, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability status, and other historically marginalized identities—are underrepresented, impeding their participation as innovators and leaders shaping the future.

NCWIT Regional Initiatives bundle research-backed programs and practices to increase the local participation of women and girls in tech fields and careers. NCWIT partners with local community stakeholders to build awareness, inspire participation, and connect women to like-minded peers, role models, and opportunities. 

“When looking to expand our Regional Initiatives, Pittsburgh was a logical choice given the widespread community support and solid base of computing programs NCWIT already provides in the area,” said  NCWIT President and CTO Terry Hogan. “We look forward to working with the Henry L. Hillman Foundation to expand computing pathways and opportunities in Pittsburgh to make a lasting impact on Pittsburgh’s computing ecosystem.”

– Terry Hogan, NCWIT President and CTO 

NCWIT Regional Initiatives are fully customizable, drawing on a range of programming and resources. Some common components include providing inspiration and opportunities for girls and women in high school, college, and the workforce through the Aspirations in Computing program, and equipping educators, counselors, and administrators with knowledge, resources and actionable steps to increase recruitment and retention in the field through Counselors for Computing and Academic Learning Circles. This project also helps build inclusive cultures in the workforce through “Innovation, Culture, and You” workshops.

“Pittsburgh’s inclusion in the National Center for Women and Information Technology’s Regional Initiatives is a milestone for a city that has often been at the forefront of computing,” said Lisa Johns, Vice President, Finance for the Henry L. Hillman Foundation. “NCWIT’s resources and programs will help remove barriers for diverse women in computing, empowering them to grow Pittsburgh’s technical infrastructure and maintain the city’s leading edge in the field.”

Lisa Johns, Vice President, Finance for the Henry L. Hillman Foundation

As part of the Regional Initiatives strategy, NCWIT will be working with the Pittsburgh Technology Council on supporting a regional coordinator to help lift up programmatic efforts as well as build relationships with those in the Pittsburgh technical ecosystem.

“We are excited to partner with NCWIT, integrating their Pittsburgh regional coordinator role into our Pittsburgh Technology Council and Fortyx80 staff, to facilitate the expansion of their initiatives to empower women and grow the diversity of Pittsburgh’s technical ecosystem. Together, we will work to guide, influence, and prepare the next generation of Pittsburgh’s innovative workforce with a special emphasis on serving women and girls in the technology sector. We know this partnership will lead a tremendous impact in our community and we are proud to have the opportunity to work alongside such a prestigious organization.”

– Audrey Russo, Pittsburgh Technology Council President and CEO

About NCWIT:

NCWIT is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit chartered in 2004 by the National Science Foundation (NSF) that convenes, equips, and unites nearly 1,500 change leader organizations nationwide to increase the influential and meaningful participation of girls and women — at the intersections of race/ethnicity, class, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability status, and other historically marginalized identities — in the field of computing, particularly in terms of innovation and development. (https://ncwit.org/

About Henry L. Hillman Foundation:

Henry L. Hillman Foundation works to ensure that Pittsburgh’s considerable strengths, assets, and advantages are fully leveraged to make it one of the world’s most innovative and forward-looking cities, with a reputation for solving big problems through civic leadership and collaboration. (henrylhillmanfoundation.org


Coalition of Tech Companies and Academic Experts Launch Unprecedented Report to Transform Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Outcomes within Tech Industry

Source Name Business Wire

Link to Source https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211028005375/en/Coalition-of-Tech-Companies-and-Academic-Experts-Launch-Unprecedented-Report-to-Transform-Diversity-Equity-and-Inclusion-Outcomes-within-Tech-Industry

Date of Publication 28/10/2021

External URL https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211028005375/en/Coalition-of-Tech-Companies-and-Academic-Experts-Launch-Unprecedented-Report-to-Transform-Diversity-Equity-and-Inclusion-Outcomes-within-Tech-Industry


NCWIT and Infosys Foundation USA to Host Free Webinars on the Importance of Increasing Women’s Participation in Computing Education

Educators and Students to Receive Resources and Recommendations for Making Computing Education More Inclusive for All

Boulder, Colorado | September 21, 2021

Inspired by the critical need to advance innovation by correcting underrepresentation in computing, the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) launches a webinar series, with support from the Infosys Foundation USA, to address the absence of women as developers, leaders, and researchers shaping the future.

The monthly, six-part Broadening Participation in Computer Science (CS) Education webinar series will inform K-12 formal and informal educators, and high school and college students about building partnerships with school counselors and librarians, identifying key research findings and recommendations relevant to K-12 educators, getting involved with NCWIT programs, and much more.

Registration is now open to the public for the first episode, “Inspired by Youth: A Discussion with High School and College Students Who Build Local CS Communities,” airing October 11, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. ET. Tune in as a panel of high school and college women, genderqueer, or non-binary individuals discuss how they build and creatively offer hands-on learning opportunities in computing and career exploration, and how they bring together advocates and allies of various backgrounds through computing-related events and community groups. Interested educators and students can register by first creating an account on the Pathfinders Online Institute – the Infosys Foundation USA’s free digital learning platform. Follow the simple registration steps at https://ncwit.org/BPCSEduWebinars.

“With the generous support of the Infosys Foundation USA, NCWIT is able to reach change leaders through these thought-provoking webinars, providing educators and students alike with practical, research-based tips to foster inclusive cultures where women of all backgrounds can thrive,” says NCWIT CEO and Co-founder Lucy Sanders. “Because the idea you don’t have is the voice you haven’t heard.”

“We are thrilled to partner with NCWIT to advance the diverse offerings that promote inclusion on our Pathfinders Online Institute, a K-12 digital learning platform that expands access to computer science and maker education,” says Infosys Foundation USA Executive Director Kate Maloney. “Through this webinar series we hope to build upon the value of NCWIT programs with rich conversation and inspirational exchanges from women who see the tech space as welcoming to their talents.”

The webinar series is being funded by the Infosys Foundation USA and is being offered through its Pathfinders Online Institute, a free digital learning platform that offers high-quality computer science and maker education resources for K-12 educators and students across the United States.

About NCWIT

The National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) is a non-profit community of nearly 1,500 universities, companies, non-profits, and government organizations nationwide working to increase the influential and meaningful participation of girls and women—at the intersections of race/ethnicity, class, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability status, and other historically marginalized identities—in the field of computing, particularly in terms of innovation and development. NCWIT equips change leaders with resources for taking action in recruiting, retaining, and advancing women from K-12 and higher education through industry and entrepreneurial careers. Find out more at www.ncwit.org.

About Infosys Foundation USA

Infosys Foundation USA was established in 2015 with the mission of expanding computer science and maker education to K-12 students and teachers across the United States, with a specific focus on increasing access to underrepresented communities. The Foundation achieves impact through delivering professional development programs for teachers, partnering with leading nonprofits, and delivering innovative media campaigns that inspire everyone to be creators, not just consumers, of technology. For more information, visit infosys.org/USA.

About the Pathfinders Online Institute

The Pathfinders Online Institute is the Infosys Foundation USA’s free online learning platform. It provides computer science and maker education content to K-12 teachers, students and families. Users can access professional development content, enrichment resources, live webinars, mini-lessons, and other instructional tools to improve their fluency and confidence with these subjects and develop key 21st century skills. To create a free account, visit infosys.org/pathfindersonline


Now Streaming: 2021 vNCWIT Summit on Women and IT

This week-long series of events focused on creating inclusion and diversity in computing is free and open to the public.

Zoom registrations for each session are available at ncwit.org/summit/agenda, and all sessions will cross-stream at ncwit.org/livestream.

The National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) is holding its annual NCWIT Summit virtually throughout May 24-28, 2021. Educators, entrepreneurs, corporate executives, and social scientists from across industries and disciplines will fully immerse themselves in research-based recommendations and peer-to-peer discussions to further individual and organizational efforts to increase girls’ and women’s meaningful and influential participation in computing.
The speaker lineup of renowned experts and special guests includes:

  • Lisa Cook, Professor of Economics and International Relations, Michigan State University (Plackback the video.)
  • Van Jones, Founder of Dream Corps, CNN Host, social entrepreneur, Emmy Award-winning producer, and a New York Times best-selling author (Plackback the video.)
  • Cathy O’Neil, Author and Mathematician (Plackback the video.)
  • Lucy Sanders, CEO and Co-founder, NCWIT (Plackback the video.)
  • Dr. Gladys West, Mathematician and 2021 NCWIT Pioneer in Tech Award Winner (Plackback the video.)

View the full 2021 vNCWIT Summit agenda (ncwit.org/summit/agenda) for details.
NCWIT is incredibly grateful for 2021 vNCWIT Summit Silver Sponsors PNC and Bloomberg, and is also appreciative of Anchor Point Foundation, Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), Facebook, and Walmart for their additional support.

About NCWIT

The National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) is a non-profit community of nearly 1,500 universities, companies, non-profits, and government organizations nationwide working to increase the influential and meaningful participation of girls and women—at the intersections of race/ethnicity, class, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability status, and other historically marginalized identities—in the field of computing, particularly in terms of innovation and development. NCWIT equips change leaders with resources for taking action in recruiting, retaining, and advancing women from K-12 and higher education through industry and entrepreneurial careers. Find out more at www.ncwit.org.