Connect with #NCWITontheroad in Minneapolis!
Members of the NCWIT Higher Ed Alliance team will be on-site at the 49th Annual Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE) Conference to deliver a series of presentations. Find more information about where to connect below, and follow NCWIT on Linkedin | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter for daily reminders and more! All times listed reflect the local time zone, Central Time.
Thursday | November 21
Stories of Resistance: Interrogating Learning in Racialized STEM Learning Environments
1:00 – 2:15 pm | Marquette VII
NCWIT Higher Education Faculty Research Associate Dr. Sarayu Sundar will serve as discussant.
“We Belong Together:” Disciplinary and Space Contexts
4:00 – 5:15 pm | Marquette IX
“Overrepresented,” but Not Well Understood: Investigating Asian Students’ Computing Career Values and Aspirations; presented by:
This quantitative study examined Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (ANHPI) undergraduate students’ computing career goals and values. The paper’s key contributions included disaggregating groups that are typically overaggregated and understudied in higher education literature. The paper revealed that ANHPI students value social-minded and family-oriented careers, which may preclude them from pursuing paths or being viewed as strong candidates for leadership roles in their careers. The study’s implications underscore the importance of broadening participation in computing and considering how diverse identities can be represented across all levels of computing, from new professional to seasoned senior leader.
Drs. Nhien and Yeo are members of the Momentum research team housed within UCLA’s School of Education & Information Studies, which uses mixed-methods approaches to research efforts to diversify computing and technology fields. Their work is also funded by the National Science Foundation, an NCWIT Lifetime Partner; as well as NCWIT Strategic Partners: Google, Microsoft, and Qualcomm; and NCWIT Affinity Alliance members: AnitaB.org, the Computing Research Association (CRA) and Kapor Center.
Friday | November 22
Cartographic Contours of Par/Desi Ontoepistemologies
2:00 – 3:15 pm | Conrad A
Expanding the Underpinnings of South Asian Scholarship in Higher Education, co-presented by Dr. Sarayu Sundar.
Saturday | November 23
Organizational Change and Culture in STEM Fields
12:30 – 1:45 pm | Marquette VIII
Organizational Change Agents in Computer Science Departments is a presentation by:
- Dr. Kiersten Ferguson, Faculty Research Associate at the University of Colorado – Boulder and NCWIT
- Dr. Sarayu Sundar, Faculty Research Associate at the University of Colorado – Boulder and NCWIT
- Dr. Sherri Sanders, NCWIT Director of Higher Education Initiatives and Senior Faculty Research Associate
This qualitative study examined how participants with NCWIT Higher Ed Alliance Learning Circles conceptualized and made meaning of their experience and the process of effecting organizational change within their undergraduate computing programs. The paper’s findings ultimately underscored the importance of having a structured, external program like NCWIT’s Learning Circles to motivate institutional stakeholders to invest time and resources to supporting this work and making change possible. Testimonials from past participants include:
- (Learning Circles were) a good way to turn feelings and hopes into something concrete.
- I thought that was very rewarding for different players in the college to get a better understanding of what everybody was doing.
- Participating in Learning Circles opened our eyes to all the things that were going on that we did not know. We learned a lot more about the way our college and university works.
- The firm structure (of NCWIT’s Learning Circles) gave me permission to step into a leadership role on [BPC work] … gave me a little authority to engage colleagues in change efforts.
For more testimonials and to share information about the 2025-26 Learning Circles cohort with colleagues, follow NCWIT on Linkedin | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter.
About the NCWIT Higher Ed Alliance
The NCWIT Higher Ed Alliance is a nationwide coalition of post-secondary institutions that are dedicated to broadening participation in computing and transforming STEM cultures to welcome and support members of underrepresented and marginalized groups. To join the NCWIT Higher Ed Alliance, simply complete this Higher Ed Alliance Membership Form to be sent further details regarding membership. To learn more and meet members of the team, register for upcoming events that are open to the public in the NCWIT Media Hub: ncwit.org/media
