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:

• Dr. Chantra Nhien, University of California Los Angeles – an NCWIT Higher Ed Alliance member institution
• Dr. HyeJin Tina Yeo, University of California Los Angeles
• Dr. Sarayu Sundar, University of Colorado – Boulder

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

Find #NCWITontheroad in the Big Easy!

Teach Engineering staff will deliver several presentations at the annual fall conference on science education hosted by the National Science Teacher’s Association (NSTA). This year’s event will take place in New Orleans, Louisiana, and all times on this page reflect the local time zone: CT.

Follow @NCWIT on Linkedin | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter for daily #NCWITontheroad updates, and learn more about how to connect with NCWIT staff on-site below.

Workshop: Engaging All Students in STEM

Thursday, November 7th | 2:20 – 3:20 pm | New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – 293

Learn how engineering design and design thinking can enhance K-12 student engagement and integrate engineering concepts with hands-on science activities. Experience the seamless integration of the seven steps of the engineering design process with science learning and teach students to ask about, research, imagine, plan, create, test, and improve their own wind-powered sail cars!

Speed Sharing: Empowering Middle School Teachers

Friday, November 8th | 1:20 – 2:20 pm | New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – 278

Find out how the free, online STEM resources offered by the Teach Engineering Digital Library can empower and equip formal and informal educators with inclusive STEM teaching materials. The digital collection of 1,850+ STEM resources uses lessons, activities, and media to integrate science, technology, engineering, and math in K-12 classrooms.

Poster: Standards-Aligned STEM Resources

Saturday, November 9th | 12 – 1 pm | Convention Center Exhibit Hall – Poster Session Aisle

Teach Engineering provides free STEM resources that are educator-created, classroom-tested, peer-reviewed and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)-aligned. The goal of our digital library is to make applied science, technology, and math come alive by integrating engineering design and design thinking into STEM classrooms. Stop by for K-12 curricula, hands-on activities, and to learn about how to create your own prototype!

Find #NCWITontheroad in Anaheim, California!

NCWIT Counselors for Computing (C4C) will present two Future-Ready Pathways sessions at the Pathways to College & Career Symposium at the TGR Learning Lab on October 16th, 2024. Connect with NCWIT staff on site at one of the following times and locations. All times listed below reflect the local time zone, Pacific Time.

9:30 – 10:45 am | Future-Ready Pathways

12:15 – 1:10 pm | Exhibiting Hall

1:15 – 2:30 pm | Future-Ready Pathways

About NCWIT Counselors for Computing

The NCWIT Counselors for Computing (C4C) program provides information and resources that help K-12 administrators, educators, career advisors, and counselors join the computing conversation. We bring people and programs together with professional development, knowledge, and resources to give all students access to transformative computing careers. To learn more, sign up for the NCWITC4C Newsletter, follow #NCWITC4C on Linkedin | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter, and watch the NCWIT Media Hub for new event announcements to share with colleagues: ncwit.org/media

Connect with #NCWITontheroad at GHC 2024!

Several members of the NCWIT Aspirations in Computing (AiC) team will be on site at the Grace Hopper Celebration in Philadelphia! During the conference, they will co-host networking events with members of the NCWIT Aspirations in Computing Community and member companies in the NCWIT Workforce Alliance. Learn more and find information about how to connect below:

Get involved

Current members of the #AiCcommunity can access event registration information from the Community dashboard. Just log in with your account at aspirations.org.

If you’d like get connected as a volunteer, please fill out this form. If you’d like to stay in touch or get more information about joining the NCWITAiC Community, visit aspirations.org or send an email to [email protected].

Attend the #AiCmeetup

Are you attending GHC or local to the Philadelphia area? Join us at SPIN Philadelphia on Friday, October 11th. We’ll close out the conference with food and games in a fun and relaxing environment.

Connect with NCWIT Counselors for Computing (C4C) in Idaho!

The Waypoint Conference strives to be Idaho’s comprehensive professional development opportunity for educators who work in the college and career readiness sphere, and is designed to provide a one-stop destination for updates and information on college and career related programming in Idaho.

Where to find #NCWITC4C

Visit #NCWITontheroad and collect free resources to take home in the Exhibit Hall. We’ll have free posters, lesson plans, career exploration tools designed to help K-12 educators and counselors engage students.

C4C will also present two hands-on workshops on October 1st. Learn more about each session below.

Enhancing Learning with Tech Activities

9:45 – 10:45 am MT | 120 AB | Session #3

Explore the integration of computer science (CS) into school counseling by combining computing activities with student wellbeing lessons. Attendees will discover how to incorporate both plugged and un-plugged activities, such as Micro:Bits, Makey Makey, and Code.org’s dance party, into classroom lessons and group counseling sessions. This session places an emphasis on practical, engaging ways to foster computational thinking while supporting students’ wellbeing development. 

Computing – Future-Ready Pathways

11 am – 12 pm MT | 120 AB | Session #4

This session introduces resources that were specifically designed to effectively integrate computer science education into counseling practices. By focusing on strategies that align with college and career readiness, counselors can foster a generation of tech-savvy, innovative thinkers who are prepared for the unique challenges and opportunities of the future workplace. 

More opportunities for Idaho educators

More regional events are in the works! To sign up for future events, fill out this short form. Then, follow #NCWITC4C on Linkedin | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter and watch the NCWIT Media Hub for new event announcements to share with colleagues: ncwit.org/media

Join NCWIT staff and alliance members in San Diego for the 2024 CMD-IT/ACM Richard Tapia Celebration of Diversity in Computing Conference!

This annual event, also known as “the Tapia Conference,” is the premier venue to acknowledge, promote, and celebrate diversity in computing. The goal is to bring together undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, researchers, and professionals in computing from all backgrounds and ethnicities to:

• celebrate the diversity that exists in computing
• connect with others to create communities that extend beyond the conference;
• make contact with leaders in industry and academia; and
• be inspired by great presentations and conversations!

This year, several members of NCWIT’s staff will be attending, including:

Christopher Lynnly Hovey, Research Scientist with the NCWIT Higher Ed team

Wendy DuBow, Senior Research Scientist and NCWIT Director of Strategies for Education Research & Evaluation

Edie Cheng, Director of Programs at NCWIT and NCWIT Aspirations in Computing

Register online and follow NCWIT on Linkedin | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter for updates, highlights, and reminders throughout the event. Bookmark this event page for detailed information on how to connect with #NCWITontheroad on site. All times listed reflect the local time zone, Pacific Time.

Find #NCWITontheroad

Effective Programs for Increasing Diversity in Computing: Learning and Engaging

Workshop | Thursday, September 19th | 11 am – 12:15 pm PT | Pacific A

Join in as representatives from the National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded Broadening Participation in Computing (BPC) Alliances and other organizations share effective programs for increasing diversity in computing. To start, presenters will spotlight one effective program, and then, attendees will have an opportunity to break up into nine groups. Each group will have an opportunity to learn more details and bring the information back to their home institutions to begin implementation or establish partnerships. Participants will have an opportunity to learn about three programs from the following presenters:

• Valerie Taylor, CEO and President of the Center for Minorities and People with Disabilities in IT (CMD-IT) – an NCWIT Affinity Alliance member organization
• Jamika Burge, co-founder of blackcomputeHER.org
• Jamie Peyton, professor at Temple University – an NCWIT Higher Ed Alliance member institution
• Susan Rodgers, at Duke University – an NCWIT Higher Ed Alliance member institution
• Brianna Blaser, Director and co-PI of AccessComputing at the University of Washington – an NCWIT Higher Ed Alliance member
• Anne Quiroz Gates, CAHSI backbone, professor of Computer Science, and Senior Advisor to the Provost on Strategic STEM Initiatives at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) – an NCWIT Higher Ed Alliance member institution
• Carol Fletcher, at the Texas Association of Community Colleges (TACC)
• Kinnis Gosha, professor at Morehouse College
• Wendy DuBow, NCWIT Director of Strategies for Education Research & Evaluation and Senior Research Scientist

NCWIT is proud to be a longtime member of the NSF BPC Alliances, and is grateful for the continued support of the NSF as an NCWIT Lifetime Partner.

STARS Celebration | BPC 101 Panel: Resources for Academic & Career Success

Affinity Groups | Saturday, September 21th | 1 – 2 pm | Pacific A – D

The 2024 STARS Celebration is a co-located, all-day event which requires separate registration at starscelebration.org. The event is designed to recognize faculty and student leaders who help promote computing and AI service learning and research, especially for historically excluded groups. At 1 pm, join a panel to learn more from NCWIT Director of Programs Edie Cheng!

The STARS Celebration will run from 8:30 am to 5 pm, and features:

• sessions on best practices and resources for broadening participation in computing and AI
• hands-on training workshops for justice-centered K12 computing and AI outreach programs
• tech talks on emerging topics in research and industry, and
• career advancement sessions for both faculty and students.

Another highlight is the STARS Celebration poster session, which features student research as well as student & faculty efforts that advance inclusive computer science learning. The STARS Celebration conference also serves to build and sustain the STARS Computing Corps (STARS) community.

Find NCWIT alliance members

In addition to participating in the Learning and Engaging workshop, several members of NCWIT alliances at the conference are also presenting sessions.

Birds of a Feather | Diversity Includes Disability

Presentation | Thursday, September 19th | 3 – 4 pm | Pacific A

This session will bring together people who have a disability or who are interested in supporting individuals with disabilities in computing education or careers. The goal is to build community and to learn from each other about strategies for achieving success and ensuring that computing fields are welcoming and accessible to individuals with disabilities. Presenters include:

• Brianna Blaser, with the DO-IT Center at the University of Washington
• Richard Ladner, Professor Emeritus at the University of Washington
• Raja Kushalnagar, Director of the Information Technology at Gallaudet University – an NCWIT Higher Ed Alliance member institution

AccessComputing | Accessibility in Computing

Workshop | Saturday, September 21st | 9 am – 3 pm | Palm 1 – 3

Companies will need engineers who can build accessible technology, because creating an accessible digital world requires people to design and build that world to be accessible. In the AccessComputing community, there’s exciting accessibility research being done by computer scientists. Yet, many computing students are not being taught about accessibility in their courses. This presentation offers a crash course on accessibility, research projects related to accessibility, and ways to build your skills after the workshop ends.

Find #NCWITontheroad at the CSTA Conference!

The National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) is looking forward to presenting and networking with partners at the annual Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, from July 16 – 19! Find a list of locations and opportunities to connect with NCWIT staff on site below, and follow NCWIT on Linkedin | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter for daily #NCWITontheroad updates and more! All times listed below reflect the local time zone, Pacific Time. Registration will remain open through July 12th.

Booth #136

Meet with NCWIT staff, pick up resources, and learn about opportunities to get involved with programs designed to support counselors, educators, and the students who are the future of tech. The booth will be staffed daily, and more information about hours can be found below:

• Tuesday: 1 pm – 4:30 pm, and 6 pm – 7:30 pm
• Wednesday: 8 am – 3 pm
• Thursday: 8 am – 3 pm
• Friday: 8 am – 11:30 am

A Toolkit for Navigating Equity Without Getting Canceled

Wednesday, July 17: 10:30 am – 11:30 am | Forum Ballroom 122-123

With the current national dialogue around the suppression and silencing of equity initiatives, it is especially important to share, discuss, and enhance methods of resistance. Join NCWIT to learn about practices to subvert censorship of racial and gender equity work in CS and Technology classrooms. In this session, learn more about the evolution of NCWIT from serving women in 2004 to serving women, non-binary, and genderqueer technologists in 2018. This change was not initially an organizational one, but was instead born from the 20,000+ individuals the community served. This session will explore these aspects of the organization’s growth through the lens of language. While gender and racial equity is a constant social challenge, the language surrounding it has been anything but consistent. Presenters will also share strategies for how to continue advancing equity efforts in increasingly hostile environments that could put jobs at risk.

NCWIT is the premiere research organization for issues of gender equity in technology, and this presentation will center on the experiences and stories of the 25,000 members of NCWIT’s Aspirations in Computing (AiC) Community. Join NCWIT Aspirations in Computing (AiC) Community Manager Lauren Tomkinson and NCWIT Aspirations in Computing Community Engagement Manager Terina–Jasmine Alladin to learn more and access actionable, research-based resources.

From Aspiration to Reality: Access, Equity, and Inclusion in CS

Friday, July 19: 10:30 am – 11:30 am | Forum Ballroom 112-113

Hear from a panel of recipients of the national NCWIT Aspirations in Computing Educator Award as they discuss their experiences serving diverse communities across the US. Presenters will share a range of differentiated approaches to growing access, inclusion, and gender equity in secondary CS classes. This session presents authentic, real-world responses to the challenge posed by NCWIT’s tagline: “The idea you don’t have is the voice you haven’t heard.” Panelists and audience members will have a safe space to share real-world perspectives, strategies, practical interventions, hard-won progress, and actionable takeaways to grow proportional representation and gender equity in computing.

The NCWIT Aspirations in Computing (AiC) program offers opportunities for recognition and support in CS education for K-12 educators and women, genderqueer, and non-binary students and workforce members. Join NCWIT Aspirations in Computing Regional Affiliate Manager Eva Bradshaw to learn more about supporting students’ aspirations in computing, the national and regional awards, and other opportunities to get involved.

How CSTA + NCWIT work together

CSTA is a member organization in the NCWIT K-12 Alliance, a nationwide network of change-makers who are working to increase inclusion and participation in computer science and STEM education. Districts, schools, and non-profits with aligned missions are encouraged to join and access free NCWIT resources and recognition opportunities. Together, we amplify and support engaging events, inclusive initiatives, research-based resources, and opportunities for professional development.

Join NCWIT Counselors for Computing (NCWITC4C) consultants at CYBER.ORG EdCon 24 in Orlando, Florida, on June 15th – 17th to discover how to effectively prepare students for cyber careers and expand access to cybersecurity education! This counselor-focused content track will share information about Cybersecurity CTE Courses, character education, and online safety in a series of sessions! Follow #NCWITontheroad and NCWITC4C on Linkedin and X, as well as NCWIT on Instagram and Facebook, for updates and reminders!

More information can be found online at cyber.org/EdCon, including the complete conference agenda. Find details about the upcoming sessions with NCWITC4C below! All times listed reflect the local time zone, Eastern Time.

June 15th | DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel

This year’s event is located at the entrance to Universal Orlando, on Major Boulevard. [View map]

Digital Citizenship & Student Safety

11 am – 11:50 am | Seminole D & E

For K-12 school counselors who are interested in empowering safe, responsible digital navigators

This session focuses on the critical themes of digital citizenship and student safety in an era where the digital landscape is constantly evolving — and so are the security risks. During this hour, NCWITC4C consultants will provide counselors with essential tools, strategies, and knowledge to guide students in navigating the digital world safely and responsibly.

Learning outcomes:

• Gain a comprehensive understanding of digital citizenship and its importance in student safety.
• Align with American School Counselor Association (ASCA) standards.
• Acquire practical strategies to teach + support students in being responsible digital citizens.
• Learn how to address and navigate challenging situations related to online safety and ethics.
• Get a resource kit to aid in implementing digital citizenship and safety initiatives in schools.

Future-Ready Foundations: Nurturing Early Curiosity & Safety

3:30 pm – 4:20 pm | Seminole C

For K-5th grade educators, school counselors, media specialists and those in student-advising roles

This workshop is designed specifically for elementary educators and focuses on integrating computer science and cybersecurity (CS) education into advising practices. In an era where technology is integral to every aspect of life, this workshop aims to provide the tools and strategies needed to guide young students in navigating the ever-evolving digital landscape. By focusing on age-appropriate resources and methods, counselors can play a pivotal role in laying the groundwork for a strong understanding and interest in computer science and digital literacy from an early age.

Learning outcomes:

• Understand the crucial role of CS & cybersecurity education in early childhood development.
• Utilize specific tools and resources to incorporate CS concepts into counseling.
• Advocate for and promote inclusive and diverse participation in CS from a young age.
• Apply real-world examples to enhance their counseling approach.

June 16th

Future-Ready Pathways: Lifting Up Computer Science Ed

9 am – 9:50 am | Seminole D & E

For 6-12th grade educators, school counselors, media specialists, and those in student-advising roles

This workshop highlights how educators can be pivotal guides in the digital era by helping students navigate the rapidly-evolving landscape of technology and computing. NCWITC4C representatives will introduce resources designed to help counselors and those who advise students to effectively integrate computer science education into their practices. These tools not only aid in building an understanding of the field, but also enable counselors to identify and nurture diverse talents, ensuring equitable access to computing education. By focusing on strategies that align with college and career readiness, educators can foster a generation of tech-savvy, innovative thinkers who are prepared for the challenges and opportunities of the future workplace. Join us to amplify your impact as a school counselor and equip your students with the skills and confidence to thrive in a world where computing is at the heart of every industry and aspect of modern life. 

Learning outcomes:

• Understand the crucial role of school counselors in computer science education
• Access to available advising resources
• Enhance skills in promoting inclusion and diversity in computing education
• Integrate real-world examples and case studies in counseling practices
• Engage in problem-solving and innovative thinking

June 17th

Boosting CS: Partnering with School Counselors

9 am – 9:50 am | Seminole D & E

This workshop provides actionable plans and encourages CS teachers to embrace counselor collaborations for a diverse, thriving CS Program and for administrators to look to school counselors as allies in incorporating CS into the school community. Explore the transformative role of school counselors in shaping CS education. Dive into collaborative strategies, understand the impact counselors have, and share unique educator challenges. 

Learning objectives: 

• Understand the significance of involving school counselors in computer science and cybersecurity education efforts.
• Develop an actionable plan to collaborate with your school counselors to broaden and diversify your CS and cybersecurity class participation.
• Identify and address common barriers that prevent effective educator-counselor collaboration and diverse CS and cybersecurity course enrollment.
• Share and discuss successful strategies and practices for building and strengthening CS teacher-counselor partnerships. 

Learn how to get involved with the NCWIT Counselors Computing Program and access free, research-backed resources online. You can also sign up for the C4C Newsletter, and direct questions to [email protected].

The National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) is hosting its national conference on science education in Denver, Colorado, from March 20th through March 23rd, and attendees will have multiple opportunities to connect with TeachEngineering at that event! Below, find a comprehensive list of where to connect with NCWIT. All times listed reflect the local time zone, Mountain Time. Learn more about registration online, and follow NCWIT on social media — Linkedin | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter — for daily reminders. Search #NCWITontheroad for updates, highlights, and more!

Find NCWIT @ NSTA Denver 24

Friday, March 22nd

Speed Sharing Session: “Engaging Middle School Minds in Science Exploration”
10:40 AM – 11:40 AM | Colorado Convention Center | Mile High Ballroom 3A

Hear from speaker Reindert Reitsma, PhD – a researcher with TeachEngineering and Professor of Business Information Systems at Oregon State University, an NCWIT Higher Ed Alliance member institution. He will present an alternative way of exploring, searching and navigating the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Instead of presenting the NGSS as a set of linked tables, the NGSS Explorer uses the connectivity between the standards to display them as interactive network graphs.

Speed Sharing Session: “Building an Equitable Science Classroom for Grades 6-8”
10:40 AM – 11:40 AM | Colorado Convention Center | Mile High Ballroom 3B

Join members of the TeachEngineering team – Ellen Parrish and Jennifer Kracha – to learn about and access free, teacher-tested K-12 STEM resources! The TeachEngineering Digital Library is a free, online collection of 1,850+ K-12 curricular STEM resources. This session highlights the key features and benefits of TeachEngineering, shedding light on how this digital collection empowers educators to explore the “E” in STEM: Engineering!

Hands-on Workshop: “Creative Engineering Design”
10:40 AM – 11:40 AM | Hyatt Regency Denver | Mineral Hall C

Creative Engineering Design is a classroom-tested, ready-to-teach, hands-on introductory engineering curriculum that highlights concepts of the NSF-funded ASPIRE Engineering Research Center, which aims to make equitable and sustainable widespread electric vehicle-based transportation a reality. Learn more about with ASPIRE Pre-college Director Jennifer Taylor, from NCWIT’s home campus – The University of Colorado – Boulder – and Jennifer Ramos-Chavez, from The University of Texas at El Paso, an NCWIT Higher Ed Alliance member institution.

Poster: “TeachEngineering Digital Library: Free, Standards-Aligned STEM Resources”
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM | Colorado Convention Center | Exhibit Hall, Poster Session

The TeachEngineering Digital Library is a free, online collection of K-12 curricular STEM resources. The goal is to help educators put the ‘E’ in STEM— by making applied science, technology, and math come alive through engineering design and design thinking. Stop by the exhibition to learn more about an array of hands-on, standards-aligned activities for K-12 students.

About TeachEngineering

TeachEngineering was founded in 2001 by the National Science Foundation (NSF), and is now part of NCWIT – an NSF-founded and funded national non-profit which aims to increase the meaningful participation of underrepresented people in STEM education and in the workforce. TeachEngineering continues to expand with published curricula from over 60 different institutions. Individual authors who make specific contributions receive recognition at the end of every curricular resource. Visit teachengineering.org to learn more.

The SIGCSE TS 2024 conference will be held in Portland, Oregon, between March 20th – 23rd, and several NCWIT researchers and leaders with the NCWIT Higher Ed Alliance will be attending! Below, find a comprehensive list of where to connect with NCWIT at the Oregon Convention Center. All times listed reflect the local time zone, Pacific Time. Learn more about registration and lodging options online. Follow NCWIT on social media — Linkedin | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter — for daily reminders, and search #NCWITontheroad for updates, highlights, and more.

Find NCWIT @ SIGCSE

Booth #308

Want to learn more about NCWIT alliances, programs, and get resources to take home? Interested in learning more about how to create systemic culture change via NCWIT’s Tech Inclusion Journey for Undergraduate Programs and Learning Circles? Make sure to stop by the Broadening Participation in Computing (BPC) triple booth to say hello to NCWIT and our BPC Accelerator Alliance partners. Representatives from NCWIT’s staff and collaborative partners can be found during exhibit hours. Organizations represented include:

• AccessComputing
• AccessCSforAll
• Alliance for Identity-Inclusive Computing Education (AiiCE)
• Computing Research Association – Widening Participation Committee (CRA-WP)
• CSforALL
• Institute for African-American Mentoring in Computing Sciences (iAAMCS)
• STARS Computing Corps

Presentations

A Town Meeting: SIGCSE Committee on Expanding the Women-in-Computing Community
Thursday, March 21st – 6:30 pm – 7:20 pm | Oregon Ballroom 203 | Birds of a Feather

Join the flock of SIGCSE attendees who are interested in addressing the gender disparity in computing. This forum provides an important annual meeting for a large group of people who work to increase the representation of women in computing in their separate organizations and who do not customarily have an opportunity to share ideas face-to-face. Discussion leaders connect to three of the most important organizations that relate to underrepresentation:

• ACM-W – Ruth Lennon
• CRA-WP – Tracy Camp
• NCWIT – Lecia Barker

Broadening Participation in Computing Education: Advancing LGBTQIA+ Voices
Friday, March 22nd: 10:45 am – 12 pm |  Oregon Ballroom 203 | Advancing LGBTQIA+ Voices

A panel with Dr. Wendy DuBow, NCWIT Director of Strategies for Education Research & Evaluation and Senior Research Scientist: Broadening Participation in Computing (BPC) has been a key focus of the National Science Foundation (NSF) for over two decades. Its aim is to support students and faculty from historically underrepresented groups, including women, people with disabilities, and racial and ethnic groups. Within these communities, the diverse range of gender and sexual identities remains overlooked in computing education research (CER). To address this invisibility, this panel will discuss the benefits of integrating LGBTQIA+ perspectives. The moderator will provide context, define relevant terms, and set ground rules for discussion. The panelists will offer insights from a variety of perspectives, including: a discussion of the policy landscape impacting LGBTQIA+ students and the importance of incorporating their perspectives as researchers and participants; the erasure of queer history in computer science and advocate for LGBTQIA+ inclusion, considering the humanitarian calling for the field and CS educators in our tech-driven world; the current resistance to supporting LGBTQIA+ scholarship in computing, advocating for an inclusive approach; and finally, the experiences of marginalized individuals in CS education and ways to support them, emphasizing inclusivity through storytelling and personal narratives. The panel aims to increase visibility, understanding, and collaboration between the computing education research community and LGBTQIA+ individuals. By acknowledging and integrating diverse perspectives, we can begin to create a more inclusive, equitable computing landscape. Panelists include:

• Stephanie T. Jones, Northwestern University
• Stacey Sexton, Sagefox Consulting Group
• Sri Yash Tadimalla, University of North Carolina – Charlotte

Papers and Posters

Poster: Hiring, Training, and Managing Undergraduate Teaching Assistants for Large CS1 Classes
Thursday, March 21st: 10 am – 12 pm |  Exhibit Hall E | Posters 1

Presented by Dr. Lecia Barker, NCWIT Senior Research Scientist: As undergraduate computer science enrollments continue to grow, individualized instructor attention becomes increasingly scarce. The impact of social distance between students and their teachers is particularly apparent in large introductory classes, and exacerbated by students’ lack of common prior experience in computer science. Some institutions remedy class size and experience gaps by hiring advanced undergraduate students as teaching assistants for their introductory courses. However, without the resources to carefully hire, train, and manage undergraduate teaching assistants (uTAs) during the semester, their potential as trustworthy peer mentors and helpful tutors often goes unrealized. This poster presents details of the uTA hiring process, training course, and management strategies used during the 2022-2023 academic year for introductory computer science courses. This system was designed for introductory CS classes, with the goals of low instructor overhead, long-term scalability, and development of a staff of empathetic teaching assistants who could motivate students toward successful learning. Highlights of the system include a hiring process that considers candidates’ personality and enthusiasm alongside their technical skills, asynchronous training provided through the university’s learning management system, and the use of a head uTA to manage other staff members. Following the implementation of these policies, instructors and uTAs alike reported positive experiences compared to previous semesters with a statistically significant increase in average student grades (p=.01).

Paper: Putting the Service into Service Learning: A Report on a Survey of CS Faculty
Thursday, March 21st: 1:45 – 2:10 pm | Meeting Rooms B117-119 | Active Learning

Presented by Dr. Lecia Barker, NCWIT Senior Research Scientist: Service learning is an experiential pedagogy in which students learn through providing services or products for community partners. Computer and information science students can develop valuable products for community organizations. However, while service learning is shown to serve students and has potential to serve the field’s diversity goals, community partners’ needs are often not served. We explored this asymmetry using an exploratory survey. Faculty from across the U.S. described intended outcomes for students, including how outcomes were assessed. In contrast, fewer than half of respondents described a product that served the partner’s needs and partner outcomes were often not assessed. Two-thirds of respondents judged reaching student goals as more important than partner goals, with only 9% privileging partners. A quarter of respondents considered partner benefits to be only a bonus. Faculty justified their choices by appealing to their mission as educators: to provide learning experiences for students. Yet for a nontrivial partnership commitment under condition of scarce resources, the community partner may be seen as being taken advantage of, which may explain why some respondents have difficulty finding or keeping partners. Further, faculty may not accomplish civic duty goals, since students may tacitly learn that community organizations’ needs are secondary. To aid faculty in making decisions and better integrating community partners’ needs, we offer advice from survey respondents.

Paper: Bite-Sized Experiential Education for Computer and Information Science
Friday, March 22nd: 2:30 pm – 3 pm | Meeting Rooms B117-119 | Active Learning

Presented by Dr. Lecia Barker, NCWIT Senior Research Scientist: Many computer and information science educators wish to incorporate experiential education pedagogies such as study abroad, service learning and internships into their courses because of the profound benefits they can provide for students. However, some experiential approaches come with costs, whether temporal or financial. In this paper, we present the results of a literature review of different experiential pedagogies in computer and information science – including service learning, study abroad, educational work experiences, and hackathons –and provide an overview of the benefits and costs of each pedagogy. We then turn to better understand what strategies have been used to minimize the costs to both students and faculty. Our analysis uncovers a variety of ways that faculty have experimented with “bite-sized” experiential pedagogies to make them more accessible for both students and faculty. Finally, we provide examples of these strategies as inspiration for faculty to sample these high-impact pedagogies, but highlight the gap in empirical evaluation that is needed to fully understand the cost-benefit tradeoffs.

Reception with NCWIT

NCWIT Reception
Friday, March 22nd: 6 – 7 pm | Oregon Ballroom 201 | SIGCSE TS 2024 Affiliated Events

Join NCWIT representatives for a social wrap up as SIGSCE TS 2024 comes to a close. Learn more about our Higher Ed Alliance activities and how to join a 2024 – 25 Higher Ed Learning Circle. Win a $150 Amazon gift card while hanging out with old friends and meeting new friends! 

About the conference

The Technical Symposium organized by the Association for Computing Machinery‘s (ACM) Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education (SIGCSE) is the organization’s flagship annual conference. Each year, the SIGCSE Technical Symposium addresses problems which are common among educators working to develop, implement and/or evaluate computing programs, curricula, and courses. The hybrid symposium provides a forum for sharing new ideas for syllabi, laboratories, and other elements of teaching and pedagogy, at all levels of instruction. The symposium also provides a diverse selection of technical sessions and opportunities for learning and interaction.

Held annually in a different city, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) National Convention brings together over 9,000 Hispanic scientists, mathematicians, and engineers to celebrate the SHPE STAR Awards, compete for top prize money showcasing their skills, and enhance skills and networking through many workshop sessions and engagement events. For corporate sponsors, it is a beacon of top STEM talent. For SHPE members, it is a life-changing opportunity to build a dream career. This year’s SHPE conference will take place in Salt Lake City, Utah.

For updates, highlights, and more, follow #NCWITontheroad and TECHNOLOchicas on social media: Twitter | Linkedin | Instagram | Facebook.

Where can you find NCWIT + TECHNOLOchicas?

Booth

Get more information about the TECHNOLOchicas program at Booth No. 2541 at the expo inside the Salt Palace Convention Center.

Career Fair

Career Fair & Graduate School Expo
November 3-4; with more than 335 exhibitors expected

Come meet with TECHNOLOchicas, as well as many recruiters from organizations and universities! This is open to all students and professionals.

Career Fair Day One: 9 am – 12 pm on November 3, 2023
Location: Hall ABCD/1-2 Convention Center Lvl 1  |  CFair1

Career Fair Day Two: 10 am – 4 pm on November 4, 2023
Location: Hall ABCD/1-2 Convention Center Lvl 1 | CFair2 (Line-up begins in Hall E)

Networking

Meet TECHNOLOchicas on-site this year
November 2-5; TECHNOLOchicas Program Manager Yvonne De La Peña and Carissa Lintao will attend

While you are attending the SHPE 2023 National Convention, watch to see if you meet up with TECHNOLOchicas Program Manager Yvonne De La Peña or TECHNOLOchica Carissa Lintao. Both can help attendees get connected as a TECHNOLOchicas Ambassador and/or sign up for TECHNOLOchicas newsletters to learn more about the program and upcoming events.

For more information about SHPE 2023, visit the conference webpsite.

Great Minds in STEM (GMiS) has a mission to inspire and motivate underserved students to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM); to enlighten and engage families, educators, communities and employers to assist underserved students pursuing STEM careers; to inspire our nation through recognition of the achievements of Hispanics and other role models in STEM; to enable and leverage Hispanic STEM talent to play a leadership role; and to collaborate and cooperate nationally within the STEM community. The annual GMiS Conference is an event that does all of the above. In 2023, the 35th conference will return to Pasadena, Calif.

For updates, highlights, and more, visit the conference website, and follow #NCWITontheroad and TECHNOLOchicas on Twitter | Linkedin | Instagram | Facebook.

Where can you find NCWIT + TECHNOLOchicas?

Events

CAHSI Luncheon with TECHNOLOchicas 5.0 Rep Nery Lara Mancia
This is a private event, and registration is required.

This event is only available to members of Computing Alliance of Hispanic-Serving Institutions (CAHSI) who are attending GMiS and have registered. Registration is required to ensure the correct number of meals can be prepared and all dietary needs can be met.

Networking

Meet the TECHNOLOchicas Ambassador on-site this year
October 11-14; TECHNOLOchicas 5.0 representative Nery Lara Mancia will be on-site

While you are attending GMiS, watch to see if you end up in a session with Nery Lara Mancia, who is a TECHNOLOchicas Ambassador and a Software Engineer with Qualcomm Government Technologies. She can share resources to help attendees get connected as a TECHNOLOchicas Ambassador and/or sign up for TECHNOLOchicas newsletters to learn more about the program and upcoming events.

For more information about GMiS 2023, visit the conference webpage.

Created in 1994 and inspired by the legacy of Admiral Grace Murray Hopper, the AnitaB.org flagship event Grace Hopper Celebration brings research and career interests of women in computing to the forefront. The Celebration results in collaborative proposals, networking, and mentoring for attendees. GHC presenters are leaders in their respective fields who recognize the importance of diversity in tech. The Celebration also offers professional development through a variety of activities. Today, GHC is the world’s largest virtual and in-person gathering of women technologists, where women from around the world convene to learn, network, and celebrate their achievements. GHC 2023, The Way Forward, will be held virtually and in-person at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando.

For updates, highlights, and more, visit AnitaB.org and follow #NCWITontheroad and NCWIT on Twitter | Linkedin | Instagram | Facebook.

Where can you find NCWIT?

Events

Bloomberg x Aspirations in Computing (AiC) Community
Wednesday, September 27 – Exclusive for Bloomberg GHC Travel Grant recipients

This event is only available to the 20 AiC Community members who received a Bloomberg GHC Travel Grant. Bloomberg is an investment partner with NCWIT.

Bank of America x NCWIT Latina Event in Orlando
Wednesday, September 27 // Mia’s Italian Kitchen // 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.

This event is open to Latinas in the AiC Community and TECHNOLOchicas, regardless of whether or not they are not attending GHC; however, registration is required to attend. Bank of America is a strategic partner with NCWIT, and longtime sponsor of the Aspirations in Computing Awards.

Networking

Bank of America x NCWITAiC Community Networking Breakfast
Thursday, September 28 – Exclusive to AiC Community Members attending GHC 2023 // 7:30 – 9:30 a.m.

This event is only available to members of the AiC Community, and registration is required to attend.

HPE x NCWITAiC VIP Meet + Greet
Thursday, September 28 – Exclusive to AiC Community Members attending GHC 2023 // 9 – 10 am.

This event is only available to members of the AiC Community, and registration is required to attend. Participants will meet with representatives from the Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) team. HPE is an investment partner with NCWIT.

Social

AiC x NCWIT Meet-Up
Friday, September 29 // Tapa Toro // 4:30 – 6:30 p.m.

Join NCWIT and the Aspirations in Computing (AiC) Community for a social event that’s open to:

• AiC Community Members
• NCWIT Higher Ed Alliance Members
• NCWIT Partners and Sponsors
• NCWIT Workforce Alliance Members

Due to limited space and food, registration is highly encouraged. Check out the event registration page for additional information on what food and drinks will be available, and to get answers to frequently asked questions. To get to Tapa Toro, you can take GHC Shuttle and get off at Castle Hotel. Tapa Toro is 0.2 miles from the Castle Hotel. Shuttles on Friday run until midnight, so you can easily get to the social and then back to the convention center for the GHC closing night party.

For more information about GHC 2023, visit the conference webpage.

The CMD-IT/ACM Richard Tapia Celebration of Diversity in Computing (also known as “the TAPIA conference”) is the premier venue to acknowledge, promote, and celebrate diversity in computing. The goal of TAPIA Conferences is to bring together undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, researchers, and professionals in computing from all backgrounds and ethnicities to celebrate the diversity that exists in computing; connect with others to create communities that extend beyond the conference; make contact with leaders in industry and academia; and be inspired by great presentations and conversations. The 2023 TAPIA Conference will be held in Dallas, Texas, at the Gaylord Texan Resort.

Follow @cmdit, #TAPIAConference, and @NCWIT on Twitter / Linkedin / Instagram / Facebook for updates, highlights, and more.

Where can you find NCWIT?

Workshops

Effective Programs for Increasing Diversity in Computing: Learning and Engaging
Thursday, September 14 at 11 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. CDT // Texas 4

This workshop provides an opportunity for representatives from the NSF-funded Broadening Participation in Computing Alliances and other organizations to share their effective programs about increasing diversity in computing. The workshop will begin with representatives sharing one effective program from each of the following NSF BPC Alliances and other organizations: AccessComputing, CAHSI, CMD-IT, CRA-W, ECEP, iAAMCS, NCWIT, and STARS. The attendees will have an opportunity to break up into eight groups, with each group having an opportunity to learned the details about the effective program such that information can be taken back to the institution for implementation or partnerships can be established. Participants will have an opportunity to learn about two effective programs.


ADVANC(E)ing an Inclusive Academic Computing Workforce with Evidence-Based Tools
Thursday, September 14 at 4:30 – 5:45 p.m. CDT // Texas 4

This workshop is designed for computer science administrators and faculty. NCWIT works with academic computing programs to facilitate their implementation of strategic, systemic diversity-based change efforts based on their own institutional contexts, and is currently partnering with the NSF INCLUDES Aspire Alliance and WEPAN on addressing this need for faculty and staff as part of the NSF ADVANCE program. In this workshop, the facilitators–NCWIT, Aspire, and WEPAN staff–will present the NCWIT Academic Workplace Systemic Change Model, which comprehensively illustrates the systemic components of a computing department where change efforts can be focused. Furthermore, facilitators will utilize evidence-based resources to lead attendees through hands-on activities to determine which areas of the systemic change model should be areas of focus, as well as how to go about strategic, systemic planning of change efforts. Throughout the workshop, facilitators will: share evidence-based models and tools to aid departments in their DEI change efforts; personally assist attendees as they utilize some of the tools during the workshop; and create opportunities for sharing among the attendees. By implementing DEI change efforts in a strategic, systemic manner, administrators and faculty will be able to recruit, hire, and retain intersectionally diverse women in their programs more effectively.

Meetup

NCWITAiC x Reboot Representation Social
Thursday, September 14 from 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. CDT // Gaylord Texan Convention Center

NCWIT, the Aspirations in Computing (AiC) Community, and Reboot Representation will co-host a two-hour meetup event at Tapia this year with special guests from Girls Who Code and Jane Street! This event is also open to NCWIT Higher Ed Alliance members, NCWIT Workforce Alliance Members, and NCWIT sponsors. Bring yourself, a colleague, and even a student! Register online to attend and kick back with friends, both new and old.

For more information about TAPIA 2023, visit the conference webpage.

The 54th Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education was organized by the Association for Computing Machinery‘s (ACM) Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education (SIGCSE) and is the organization’s flagship annual conference. The SIGCSE Technical Symposium addresses problems which are common among educators working to develop, implement and/or evaluate computing programs, curricula, and courses. The hybrid symposium provided a forum for sharing new ideas for syllabi, laboratories, and other elements of teaching and pedagogy, at all levels of instruction. The symposium provided a diverse selection of technical sessions and opportunities for learning and interaction.

This year’s hybrid conference will be held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, between March 15-18. All times listed below will reflect the local time zone, Eastern Time. More venue and event information can be found here, and SIGCSE registration information can be found online here.

Follow @NCWIT and #NCWITontheroad for updates, highlights, and more.

Where is NCWIT?

Booth #503

Want to learn more about the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) and get resources to take home? Representatives from NCWIT and our collaborative partners can be found during exhibit hours at the times and dates listed below:

• Thursday, March 16: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Friday, March 17: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Saturday, March 18: 9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Groups represented: AccessComputing, AccessCSforAll, Break Through Tech, Computing Research Association – Committee on Widening Participation, CSforALL, Centering Women of Color in STEM, The Early Research Scholars Program, Institute for African American Mentoring in Computing Sciences, NCWIT, STARS Computing Corps.

Hybrid Presentations

Advice for Building Recruiting Pipelines from High School to College: BridgeUp STEM Program

Thursday, March 16th – 10:45 a.m. – 12 p.m / Metro Toronto Convention Centre | 716

Join a panel discussion with NCWIT and Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) about the challenges, necessary logistics, and practical advice around creating high school-to-college computing recruitment pipelines for women and gender non-conforming students. The conversation will be framed by the joint experience of NCWIT and the College of Computing at Georgia Tech in developing BridgeUP STEM – an on-going, two-year program consisting of coursework, tiered mentorship, research internships, and community events. Panelists will share insights and important take-aways, including what did and did not work well for project planning, recruiting participants, structuring activities, and negotiating flexible formats to accommodate students’ needs as well as unexpected challenges. Attendees will also get guidance on how to replicate similar programs at their own institutions and attract a greater diversity of students to computing.

NCWIT panelists include:

• Dr. Sherri Sanders, Director of Higher Education Initiatives and BridgeUP STEM;
• Dr. Chris Hovey, BridgeUP STEM Evaluator and Higher Education Research Associate; and
• Matt Muchna, BridgeUP STEM Project Manager

Georgia Tech will be represented by:

• Ashmitha Julius Aravind, BridgeUP STEM undergraduate Helen Fellow
• Dr. Betsy DiSalvo, BridgeUP STEM Faculty Mentor, Associate Professor, and Interim Chair School of Interactive Computing
• Cedric Stallworth, Associate Dean for Inclusive Excellence
• Michael Johnson, BridgeUP STEM coding instructor and PhD candidate, College of Computing

To register for this presentation, click here.

Engaging with Identity, Inclusion, and Intersectionality: Videos that Spark Conversations

Thursday, March 16: 1:45 p.m. – 3 p.m. | Metro Toronto Convention Centre | 718B

This SIGCSE TS 2023 Special Session is designed to help attendees gain understanding and confidence in using inclusive language to refer to and support a broader diversity of people in computer science. Inclusive terminology is fluid because it reflects evolving understandings of people and identities. This session provides tools to not only learn current best practices, but also to navigate the changing landscape of respectful, human-centered language that aligns with the goals of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Framed by an NCWIT resource — Videos that Spark Conversations — and led by a panel of expert practitioners in the CS Ed community, attendees will watch and discuss three short videos on topics including norms for discussing identities, disability, and ethnicity. In this session, participants will:

1. Learn inclusive terminology and the reasons why specific terms are used for three types of identities through expert-guided small group discussions; and
2. Learn how to use the Videos that Spark Conversations resource to enable participants to share what they have learned.

Panelists include:

• Christopher Lynnly Hovey, National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) and University of Colorado – Boulder
• Brianna Blaser, University of Washington
• Vidushi Ojha, University of Illinois – Urbana-Champaign
• Manuel A. Pérez-Quiñones, University of North Carolina – Charlotte

To get more event information and register for this session, click here.

Challenges and Successes in Writing BPC Plans for NSF Proposals: Peers Discuss Approaches
Thursday, March 16: 3:45 – 5 p.m. | Metro Toronto Convention Centre | 718A

In 2021, National Science Foundation (NSF) Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) directorate implemented a Broadening Participation in Computing (BPC) plan requirement for all medium and larger research proposals in Core, CPS, and SaTC. This panel is comprised of faculty and administrators from US computing departments who participated in writing Departmental or Project BPC plans and represents a range of institutions — as well as a range of departmental awareness of BPC prior to writing their plans. Regardless of where they or their departments are in the spectrum of knowing about and implementing BPC activities, and regardless of the current demographic makeup of the students in their major, they all encountered challenges as they wrote their plans. They all also experienced successes, not the least of which is that they succeeded in getting a plan written in accordance with the current guidelines. With the support of a moderator, three panelists will share their experiences developing BPC plans with the audience, offering lessons learned and tips for overcoming common challenges. Audience members will also receive helpful links and handouts to facilitate the writing of their own departmental or project plans.

Presenters include:

• Wendy Dubow, National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT)
• Dorian Arnold, Emory University
• Brittany Fasy, Montana State University
• Mariantonieta Gutierrez Soto, Penn State University

To get more event information and register for this session, click here.

In-Person Presentations

Birds of a Feather – A Town Meeting: SIGCSE Committee on Expanding the Women-in-Computing Community

Thursday, March 16: 6:30 p.m. – 7:20 p.m. | Metro Toronto Convention Centre | 718A

This gathering is part of the proceedings for SIGCSE 2023. The forum provides an important annual meeting for a large group of people who work to increase the representation of women in computing in their separate organizations and who do not customarily have an opportunity to share ideas face-to-face. Abstract: In January 2004, the second SIGCSE Committee — “Expanding the Women-in-Computing Community” — was created. The SIGCSE Board approved the charter because the underrepresentation of women in computing is an international problem and an embarrassment for our profession. A BOF provides SIGCSE program advertising that will create a large audience for a discussion of both underrepresentation issues that attendees’ institutions have and also solutions that successful gender issues projects provide. The discussion leaders connect to three of the most important organizations that relate to underrepresentation:

• Tracy Camp, the Computing Research Association’s Committee on Widening Participation in Computing Research (CRA-WP)
• Ruth Lennon, the Association for Computing Machinery’s Council on Women in Computing (ACM-W)
• Lecia Barker, the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT)

Paper: How do Teaching Practices and Use of Software Features Relate to Computer Science Student Belonging in Synchronous Remote Learning Environments?

Friday, March 17: 1:45 – 2:10 p.m. | Metro Toronto Convention Centre | 714

This paper is presented as one of the SIGCSE TS 2023 Papers focused on Online and Remote Learning. Abstract: When faculty behaviors foster students’ sense of belonging in class, students report better learning experiences and are more likely to remain in the major. Sense of belonging is the feeling of being a valued and legitimate member of a community. Student belonging is relevant to the classroom, the program of study, and the institution at large. Understanding teacher immediacy behaviors that cultivate belonging in postsecondary synchronous remote classrooms is important for retaining students in computing, where remote coursework is increasingly used to address increases in enrollment. This paper reports on an exploratory, survey-based study on the relationship between instructor immediacy behaviors and use of conferencing software features (e.g., chat, breakout rooms) with student sense of belonging in synchronous remote learning environments. Responses from 125 computing students from approximately 53 courses across the US show that students feel a moderate sense of belonging in their courses, with no differences found across demographic groups. Belonging was found to have a strong relationship with students’ overall opinions of their courses and their likelihood of completing the major. Students’ camera preferences and instructor camera requirements had no effect on belonging. A regression analysis showed that no tool use variables predicted student sense of belonging. However, two teacher immediacy behaviors, increase in frequency of setting aside class time to talk about upcoming course content and use of humor, were significantly associated with an increase in sense of belonging. Learn more here.

Presenters include:

• Lecia Barker, National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) and University of Colorado – Boulder (CU – Boulder)
• Noah Q. Cowit, NCWIT and CU – Boulder

Paper: How Do I Get People to Use My Ideas? Lessons from Successful Innovators in CS Education

Friday, March 17: 1:45 p.m. – 2:35 p.m. | Metro Toronto Convention Centre | 801B

This paper is presented as one of the SIGCSE TS 2023 Papers focused on Sharing Ideas and Resources in CS Education. Abstract: Improving Computer Science (CS) education requires increasing the meaningful usage of research-supported pedagogy and curriculum. Studies on propagation have largely looked at dissemination and adoption from the perspective of adopters: what motivates them to discover, experiment with, and continue using innovative teaching. This study adds to a growing body of research on approaches to encourage adoption by examining the perspectives and advice of successful propagators—education researchers who have had their innovations widely adopted. Drawing on interviews with fourteen CS education researchers, this paper identifies both points of convergence and unique insights across several broad areas: barriers to adoption, the structure of academia, relevant principles of design and techniques for deployment, and strategies for propagation. Notable findings include: the structure of academia has aspects that both impede and facilitate successful propagation; traditional academic funding sources do not adequately support ongoing propagation; and some successful strategies for getting the word out involve oblique approaches for reaching potential users. This exploration of common successful approaches can serve as a guide for developers and educational advocates when working to attract new users and broaden impact. Learn more here.

Presenters include:

• Christopher Lynnly Hovey, National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) and University of Colorado – Boulder
• David Bunde, Knox College
• Zack Butler, Rochester Institute of Technology
• Cynthia Taylor, Oberlin College

Poster: How do Computing Students Perceive Social Presence in Synchronous Remote v. In-Person Courses

Saturday, March 18: 8:30 – 10:30 a.m. | Metro Toronto Convention Centre | Exhibit Hall G

As computing departments increasingly use synchronous remote learning (SRL) to offer courses, this poster reports on initial survey results to better understand undergraduate computing students’ experiences with SRL as compared to in-person educational environments, particularly the extent to which SRL fulfilled their needs for developing social bonds with faculty and other students. Regardless of demographic categories, students feel that social presence factors in classes are important and find in-person environments better at accommodating them. Learn more here.

Presenters include:

• Lecia Barker, National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) and University of Colorado – Boulder (CU – Boulder)
• Christopher Lynnly Hovey, NCWIT and CU – Boulder
• Noah Q. Cowit, NCWIT and CU – Boulder

Reception with NCWIT

Bingo, Networking, and Wine

Friday, March 17: 6 – 7 p.m. | Metro Toronto Convention Centre | 700 Level Foyer

Join NCWIT representatives for a social wrap up as SIGSCE 2023 comes to a close.

CoNECD is the only annual conference dedicated to all the diverse groups that comprise our engineering and computing workforce. The vision of the CoNECD (pronounced, “connected”) Conference is to provide a forum for exploring current research and practices to enhance diversity and inclusion of all underrepresented populations in the engineering and computing professions including gender identity and expression, race and ethnicity, disability, veterans, LGBTQ+, 1st generation and socio-economic status.

This year’s conference was held in New Orleans, Louisiana, between February 26-28.

Follow @NCWIT and #NCWITontheroad for updates, highlights, and more.

Where is NCWIT?

Presentation

Community Colleges & Gender Equity in Computing | Challenges, Needs, and Tools

Monday, February 27th, 3:30 PM CT // Julia Room of the New Orleans Marriott Warehouse Arts District Hotel

Attendees of the Collaborative Network for Engineering and Computing Diversity (CoNECD — pronounced “connected”) 2023 Conference in New Orleans joined NCWIT at a session focused on the issues community college programs encounter, as well as their needs, while working to improve gender equity in computing. Student background, administrative processes, funding resource levels, as well as faculty and administrator buy-in all have implications for how community colleges accomplish gender equity work. Presenter Jamie Huber Ward, Associate Director of Extension Services and a social scientist with NCWIT at the University of Colorado Boulder, shared how the NCWIT Extension Services Learning Circles are supporting community colleges through self-assessment tools and student surveys. She was joined by co-presenters Nancy Binowski, Professor and Chair of the Department of Information Technologies at the County College of Morris, and Erin Carll, Associate Director of the Center for Evaluation and Research for STEM Equity at the University of Washington, for an in-depth look at a paper authored by a collaborative team of researchers from NCWIT, University of Washington Center for Evaluation and Research for STEM Equity (UW CERSE), University of Virginia, County College of Morris, Research Triangle Educational Consultants, and Laurel Ridge Community College.

In the paper, NCWIT resource materials — including the self-assessment tool and student entry survey — were described as helpful to the campus change leader teams because they provided information that informed their actions. The Learning Circles community was also helpful because it provided participants with the opportunity to learn directly from their peers.

Presenters:

• Nancy Binowski
• Erin Carll
• Jamie Huber Ward

Authors:

• Gretchen Achenbach, National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) and University of Virginia
• Nancy Binowski, County College of Morris
• Catherine E. Brawner, Research Triangle Educational Consultants
• Erin Carll, University of Washington Center for Evaluation and Research for STEM Equity (UW CERSE)
• Jamie Huber Ward, NCWIT and University of Colorado Boulder (UC Boulder)
• Elizabeth Litzler, NCWIT and UW CERSE
• Sherri Sanders, NCWIT and UC Boulder
• Melissa Stange, Laurel Ridge Community College
• Zhen Wu, NCWIT and UC Boulder

Created in 1994 and inspired by the legacy of Admiral Grace Murray Hopper, the AnitaB.org flagship event Grace Hopper Celebration brings the research and career interests of women in computing to the forefront. The Celebration results in collaborative proposals, networking, and mentoring for attendees. GHC presenters are leaders in their respective fields who recognize the importance of diversity in tech. The Celebration also offers professional development through a variety of activities. Today, GHC is the world’s largest virtual and in-person gathering of women technologists, where women from around the world convene to learn, network, and celebrate their achievements. GHC 2022, Next is Now, will be held virtually and in-person at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla.

Follow @NCWIT, @AnitaB_org, #NCWITontheroad and #NCWITatGHC on Twitter for updates, highlights, and more.

Where can you find NCWIT?

PNC x NCWIT Social Event with Aspirations in Computing
Wednesday, September 21 at 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. EDT // Dave & Busters

Skip the line in the Exhibit Hall and meet us at Dave & Buster’s for some informal networking over games and food! PNC Financial Services and NCWIT invite you to a night of networking and engagement opportunities during the Grace Hopper Celebration! Attendees will have the ability to ask questions, share a resume, and discuss experiences — all while enjoying delicious food and cocktails (included with your registration).Your registration will also provide you with exclusive access to connect with top PNC representatives in technology and learn more about roles and opportunities available at the bank — including current opportunities accepting applications:

• Technology Development Program
• Technology Summer Internship
• Product Innovation Development Program
• Product Innovation Summer Internship
• Quantitative Analytics Development Program
• Quantitative Analytics Summer Internship
• Digital Summer Internship

Attendees are encouraged to consider applying to help set them apart. At PNC, our people are our greatest differentiator and competitive advantage in the markets we serve. We are looking for talented, hard-working, and passionate individuals who want to advance their career in the IT industry. By joining one of PNC’s Internships or Development Programs, you can explore your potential through hands-on experience in a professional environment. This is an excellent opportunity to begin exploring your career goals, in addition to growing your skills in key areas.

Breathe, Stretch, and Connect with Bank of America
Thursday, September 22 at 8 a.m. – 9 a.m. EDT // Room W232C

You’re invited to join Bank of America to “Breathe, Stretch and Connect” onsite at the Grace Hopper Celebration. As we prepare for a busy day at the expo, meet us in room W232C to participate in a guided session focused on breathing, stretching and connecting. Immediately following the session, join your fellow participants and Bank of America employees for tea, snacks and networking.

Come as you are, no prior experience or special attire necessary.

Wells Fargo x NCWIT Luncheon with Aspirations in Computing
Thursday, September 22 at 1 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. EDT // Bahama Breeze

Wells Fargo is excited to continue our partnership with NCWIT by hosting a luncheon during this year’s Grace Hopper Celebration Next Is Now. As a leader of both NEXT and NOW, we are inviting you to spend an afternoon with senior Wells Fargo leaders to hear about the personal challenges they’ve faced in their technical careers, how they’ve overcome those challenges, and how they are using their leadership and influence to help elevate others. Participants will have small group access, fellowship and conversation with some of Wells Fargo’s best. You have the background, technical skills and aptitude. Now, continue to build your arsenal of tools and tactics to navigate life at the next level.

This luncheon is for AiC Community members who are 1-3 years out of college with no visa sponsorship requirements.

Star Wars Launch Bay with HPE University Recruiting x NCWIT
Thursday, September 22 at 5:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. // Hollywood Studios (at Disney)

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) is delighted to extend an invitation for NCWIT members to join HPE’s University Recruiting team for a recruiting event at Star Wars Launch Bay in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The reception provides a valuable opportunity for NCWIT members to meet with the HPE team and learn about our University Recruiting program. Heavy hors d’oeuvres and soft drinks will be provided during the reception. Please RSVP and see event agenda for additional details.

Students who attend this VIP experience will have the opportunity to:

• Engage with HPE women technologists during panel discussions and networking reception
• Meet with HPE recruiters to learn about University Program areas
• Live out your own Star Wars story by flying the Millennium Falcon

HPE is proud to be an official technology provider for the Disney Parks and Resorts organization.

Meetup

NCWIT Academic Alliance + Aspirations in Computing (AiC) Community Social
Friday, September 23 at 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. // Tapa Toro

Join us for an AiC Community Social with the NCWIT Academic Alliance to celebrate the close of GHC 22! Once you’ve worked hard, networked, pitched your resume, and picked up all the swag, it’s time to kick back and relax with friends — new and old — in the AiC community. Bring yourself, a colleague, or a student!

GHC Shuttle Information: To get to Tapa Toro, you can take the GHC Shuttle and get off at Castle Hotel. Tapa Toro is 0.2 miles from the Castle Hotel. Shuttles on Friday run until midnight, so it’s easy to get to the social and back to the convention center for the GHC closing night party.

For more information about GHC 2022, visit the conference webpage.

The CMD-IT/ACM Richard Tapia Celebration of Diversity in Computing (also known as “the TAPIA conference”) is the premier venue to acknowledge, promote, and celebrate diversity in computing. The goal of TAPIA Conferences is to bring together undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, researchers, and professionals in computing from all backgrounds and ethnicities to celebrate the diversity that exists in computing; connect with others to create communities that extend beyond the conference; make contact with leaders in industry and academia; and be inspired by great presentations and conversations. The 2022 TAPIA Conference will be held in Washington, D.C., at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.

Follow @NCWIT, @cmdit, and #Tapia2022 on Twitter for updates, highlights, and more.

Where can you find NCWIT?

Booth No. #1021

Visit the NCWIT booth, located in the farthest left-hand corner from the exhibit hall A entrance, and meet members of the NCWIT team to learn about resources and opportunities for students, educators, and those in the workforce. Booth hours coincide with the exhibit hall hours of 10:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. (all times listed in Eastern Daylight Time).

Presentations
Effective Programs for Increasing Diversity in Computing
Thursday, September 8 at 11:15 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. EDT // ConvCtr 143 ABC

This workshop provides an opportunity for representatives from the NSF-funded Broadening Participation in Computing (BPC) Alliances and other organizations to share their effective programs about increasing diversity in computing. The workshop will begin with representatives sharing one effective program from each of the following NSF BPC Alliances and other organizations: AccessComputing; CAHSI; CMD-IT; CRA-W; ECEP; iAAMCS; NCWIT; and STARS. Attendees will have an opportunity to break up into eight groups, with each group having an opportunity to learned the details about the effective program such that information can be taken back to the institution for implementation or partnerships can be found. During the workshop, the participants will have an opportunity to learn about two effective programs.

NCWIT Senior Research Scientist Dr. Wendy DuBow will present.

Panels

Who’s In and Who’s Out: The Complexities of the Latinx Community
Thursday, September 8 at 1:45 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. EDT // ConvCtr 146 A

The Latinx community tends to be included in interventions and research under the label “people of color.” Even when they are extracted from the “people of color” category, they are treated as a monolithic category of “Hispanic” or “Latinx.” In the concept of “spectrum-based racial logics,” Latinx are considered not quite Black and not quite White, but “Brown,” suggesting a middle-of-the-spectrum position. Whatever the ever-evolving, and often confusing, terms are, they fail to capture the complexity of language, ethnicity and race that exists in the Latinx community. There are advantages to being rolled up into a single category: Too few from a single group can mean that certain groups won’t get counted in research unless they are included as part of a larger category. This rolling up can lead to collaborations and partnerships between different communities when their priorities align. However, for Latinx communities, like other communities historically marginalized in computing, there are many important differences that get overlooked. Latinx peoples differ by language, nation of origin, culture, religion, race, and skin color, to name just a few major differences. Broadening participation in computing (BPC) efforts will be strengthened ultimately by understanding the differences within the Latinx community and how these differences can impact what structures need to be changed and what interventions should be provided. Even interpersonal relations between Latinx and other faculty or students can be enhanced by heightened appreciation of the very real differences between individuals who are designated as Latinx or Hispanic.

NCWIT Senior Research Scientist Dr. Wendy DuBow will moderate this panel.

Meetup

Aspirations in Computing (AiC), Last Mile Education Fund, and NCWIT
Thursday, September 8 at 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. // Baby Wale

Join our Tapia social event in partnership with the Last Mile Education Fund! Meet us at Baby Wale for food and socializing. Bring a friend, make new friends, and connect with members and representatives of these three amazing organizations!

For more information about TAPIA 2022, visit the conference webpage.

CSTA is a dynamic and vibrant organization of professionals interested in supporting computer science education in grades K-12.The annual CSTA conference brings together a world class professional development and educator community to build skills, meet other teachers, and get inspired. NCWIT presenters will share research and resources from the NCWIT Aspirations in Computing program to help increase girls’ participation in computing classes.

Follow @NCWIT and #CSTA2022 on Twitter for updates, live tweets from panels, and more!

Where can you find NCWIT? 
All times are listed in Central Time.

Session

Engaging Counselors, Teachers, and Administrators to Broaden Participation in Computing // Friday, July 15, 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. // Location: W183a

In this presentation, attendees will learn how to develop effective partnerships with counselors, administrators, and fellow teachers to assist in recruitment for CS classes. While it’s easy to think that the students for whom a CS class is designed will naturally find the class and enroll in it, this isn’t always the case. There are many reasons why potentially interested students, particularly girls and students of color, might not enroll in a CS class. CS instructors can actively recruit students on their own, of course. But developing an effective partnership with a school counselor and administrator can help increase interest and participation well beyond an individual teacher’s reach. Counselors are integral parts of the registration process, while administrators understand certification and scheduling. Both can be a CS teacher’s greatest champions! Simply offering a course will not create equity or promote the goal of CS for All. A plan and focused effort is required, and partnerships between teachers and counselors are an essential part of that plan.

presented by representatives from NCWIT Counselors for Computing (C4C)

Mini-Session

Three Essential Values for Building Inclusive Computer Science Experiences for All Students // Saturday, July 16, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. // Location: W181b

NCWIT will share three core values for designing engaging and inclusive computer science experiences for broadening the participation of girls, women, and other underrepresented populations. Infusing program design with these values (peer mentorship, inclusivity, and hands-on engagement) leads to the greatest impact for participants and their communities. This presentation will walk participants through these three core values, drawing examples from the new AspireIT Toolkit. We will discuss how to utilize the samples, guides, and NCWIT research provided via the Toolkit, as well as drawing on participants’ sharing, to create engaging computing experiences.  

presented by NCWIT AspireIT Program Manager Tanner Bergamo

Birds of a Feather (BOF)

Beyond the Binary: Why Gender Equity in the Classroom Requires Queer Inclusion // Sunday, July 17, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. // Location: W181c

This birds of a feather session will bring together CS educators, counselors, and administrators to discuss the importance of queer inclusion in conversations about gender equity in technology. The National Center for Women and Information Technology (NCWIT)’s Aspirations in Computing (AiC) community is open to women, genderqueer, and nonbinary students interested in technology. Through our network of support, we aim to significantly increase meaningful representation of all historically marginalized genders in computer science. Learn from NCWIT staff and fellow participants about the methods, terminology, and best practices for queer inclusion and how you can meet the needs of women, genderqueer, and nonbinary students in your school or classroom.

presented by NCWIT AiC Regional Affiliate Manager John Kelly and NCWIT AiC Recognitions Program Specialist Lauren Tomkinson

Meet-Up

NCWIT Educator Meet-Up // Friday, July 15, 5:30 p.m. // Location: Pizano’s Pizza & Pasta

To show our gratitude for all of the work you do to support women, genderqueer, and nonbinary students in tech and computing, NCWIT is hosting a meet-up for all educators and teachers who are involved with NCWIT or who want to get involved for the first time. Whether you have endorsed a high school application, won an educator award, been a partner for an AspireIT program, or simply educate students in computing and technology, we want to buy you dinner and celebrate another great year. Please RSVP here, and join us.

hosted by the NCWIT Aspirations in Computing program

Booth

Booth Number 528

Stop by our booth to meet our team, learn more about current NCWIT programs and initiatives, and pick up the latest resources to support your change-leading efforts.

For more information about the CSTA 2022 Conference, visit the conference webpage.

The Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education is organized by the ACM Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education (SIGCSE) and is the organization’s flagship conference. It has been held annually in February or March in North America since 1970. The SIGCSE organization provides a forum for educators to discuss issues related to the development, implementation, and/or evaluation of computing programs, curricula, and courses, as well as syllabi, laboratories, and other elements of teaching and pedagogy. 

Follow @NCWIT and @SIGSCE_TS on Twitter for updates, live tweets from panels, and more!

Where can you find NCWIT?

(Session descriptions will be added as they are released.)

Panel

Belonging in Computing: The Contribution of Gender-based Community Building // Thursday, March 3, 1:45 to 3:00 p.m. EST // Location: Room 552 A/B (RICC, Hybrid Room)

presented by NCWIT Aspirations in Computing Director Edie Cheng, NCWIT Director of Evaluation for Aspirations in Computing Lyn Swackhamer, and colleagues

Poster Session

Poster Session #4 (Virtual) // Friday, March 4, 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. // Location: Poster Virtual Room (Online)

Representatives of the NCWIT Counselors for Computing (C4C) program will present a poster on Increasing Computing Participation through School Counselors.

presented by NCWIT C4C Community Manager Maureen Stewart and NCWIT C4C Internal Evaluator Wendy Chi

Paper Session – IDEA: Culture and Structures

Departmental Culture and Pedagogical Choices: Student-Centered Teaching in Introductory Computing Classes // Friday, March 4, 3:45 to 5:00 p.m. EST // Location: Narragansett Ballroom A (Omni)

presented by NCWIT Research Scientist Christopher Hovey and colleagues

Paper Session – Service Learning

Why Should Computer and Information Science Programs Require Service Learning? // Saturday, March 5, 11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. EST // Location: Narragansett Ballroom C (Omni)

presented by NCWIT Research Scientists Christopher Hovey and Lecia Barker and colleagues

Reception

NCWIT Virtual Reception // Friday, March 4, 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. EST // Location: Online

On behalf of the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) Academic Alliance, we invite all those interested in broadening participation in computing to join our virtual reception. Typically held in-person at SIGCSE, this year we are hosting a virtual reception for those attending SIGCSE virtually and in-person, as well as anyone else interested in networking and sharing dialogue around important topics. Please RSVP here.

For more information about the SIGCSE 2022 Technical Symposium, visit the conference webpage.

The Virtual Grace Hopper Celebration (vGHC) is the world’s largest gathering of women technologists. Co-presented by AnitaB.org with the Association of Computing Machinery (ACM), this annual conference brings people together from around the world to highlight the contributions of women in computing. GHC presenters are leaders in their respective fields, representing industry, academia, and government. The celebration also offers professional development through a variety of activities. The theme for 2021 is #DareToTransform. Learn, network, and be inspired as we work together to achieve intersectional gender and pay parity in tech.

Follow @NCWIT, #NCWITatGHC, and @AnitaB_org on Twitter for updates, live tweets from panels, and more!

Where can you find NCWIT?

Booth

Explore the NCWIT booth in the virtual Sponsor Hall to learn more about resources and programs to support you in achieving your tech goals. You’ll also learn how NCWIT is working to make the tech field more inclusive and equitable for people of all backgrounds and genders. In addition, you can participate in live conversations where you can reflect and comment on the sessions you’ve attended. Live conversations are scheduled to take place immediately following selected speaker sessions.

• Tuesday, Sept. 28 from 11:00 to 11:30 a.m. PT, following the Keynote Session with Kara Swisher and Vanessa Pappas 
• Tuesday, Sept. 28 from 12:30 to 1:00 p.m. PT, following the Keynote Session with Margaret Gould Stewart 
• Wednesday, Sept. 29 from 9:30 to 10:00 a.m. PT, following the Keynote Session with Layshia Clarendon 
• Wednesday, Sept. 29 from 12:30 to 1:00 p.m. PT, following the Keynote Session with Timnit Gebru
• Thursday, Sept. 30 from 12:30 to 1:00 p.m. PT, following the Keynote Session with Diane Jurgens 

Opportunities for College and Graduate Students

Collegiate Award

The NCWIT Collegiate Award honors the outstanding computing accomplishments of undergraduate and graduate students who self-identify as women, genderqueer, or non-binary. Conferred annually, the award recognizes technical contributions to projects that demonstrate a high level of innovation and potential impact. The Collegiate Award is open to all AiC Community members who are currently enrolled in a post-secondary institution (community college, college, or university) with a major or minor in a computing or engineering discipline, who have contributed substantially to a technical project involving computing or IT. Learn about eligibility, prizes, the application process, and more here.

Aspirations in Computing Community

The NCWIT Aspirations in Computing (AiC) Community is a national peer network supporting women, genderqueer, and nonbinary technologists from high school through college and career. In addition to a thriving online forum, members gain exclusive access to hackathons, internships, scholarships, jobs, awards, and more. Currently-enrolled undergraduate and graduate students who are majoring or minoring in a computing or engineering discipline are welcome to apply. Find more details here.

For more information about vGHC 2021, visit the conference webpage.

The CMD-IT/ACM Richard Tapia Celebration of Diversity in Computing (also known as “the Tapia conference”) is the premier venue to acknowledge, promote, and celebrate diversity in computing. The goal of the Tapia Conferences is to bring together undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, researchers, and professionals in computing from all backgrounds and ethnicities to celebrate the diversity that exists in computing; connect with others to create communities that extend beyond the conference; make contact with leaders in industry and academia; and be inspired by great presentations and conversations. The 2021 Tapia conference will be held online. 

Follow @NCWIT, @cmdit, and #Tapia2021 on Twitter for updates, highlights, and more.

Where can you find NCWIT?

Panels

Leveraging Relationships for Success in Graduate School: Identifying Barriers and Strategies to Navigate Faculty, Staff, and Peer Relationships in Computing Graduate Programs // Wednesday, September 15, 2021, from 1:30 to 2:15 p.m. CT // Online

This panel brings together doctoral student, faculty, staff, and researcher perspectives from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the University of Washington Seattle, and the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) Extension Services for Graduate Programs (ES-Grad) to address a critical element of success in graduate school: managing relationships. Panelists will discuss common barriers and pitfalls in relationships with faculty, staff, and students in computing departments, as well as actionable strategies for initiating and maintaining a strong network that supports student success and degree completion. The focus will be on doctoral student relationships, though faculty advisors, prospective students, and staff will also benefit from learning about how they can approach relationships with students.

NCWIT Research Scientist Christopher Hovey will speak on this panel.

Increasing Diversity in Computing: Sharing of Good Practices // Friday, September 17, 2021, from 1:30 to 2:15 p.m. CT // Online

This panel provides an opportunity for representatives from the NSF-funded Broadening Participation in Computing Alliances and other organizations to share their good practices about increasing diversity in computing. The panel will begin with an introduction to the following NSF BPC Alliances and other organizations: AccessComputing, CAHSI, CMD-IT, CRA-W, ECEP, iAAMCS, NCWIT, and STARS. The panelists will share information about their organization and how their programs have broadened participation in computing. Significant time for discussion will be provided. 

NCWIT Director of Evaluation and Senior Research Scientist Wendy DuBow will speak on this panel.

Birds of a Feather

Hispanics in Computing Community // Wednesday, September 15, 2021 from 3:45 to 4:30 p.m. CT // Online

The Hispanics in Computing community was founded a few months before the Tapia 2009 Conference. Since then, the group has been meeting at this annual conference. The impact of this gathering in our community has been tremendous. Several members of the community that attended our BoF as young graduate students are now in tenure track positions or employed in research organizations. As the undergraduate population attending Tapia grows, it is important that we serve as mentors for the new students starting their careers in computing. The goal for this year’s gathering is to explore how to do virtual mentoring to help increase ties within the community. 

TECHNOLOchicas Director Yvonne De La Pena will present at this session.

Booth

Visit the NCWIT booth at the Tapia Career Fair to meet members of the NCWIT team and learn about resources and opportunities for students, educators, and those in the workforce. Booth hours are as follows (all times listed in Central Daylight Time):

• Wednesday, September 15 from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m., 3:30 to 6:00 p.m., and 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
• Thursday, September 16 from 12:30 to 6:00 p.m. and 6:30 to 7:00 p.m.
• Friday, September 17 from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m.

For more information about Tapia 2021, visit the conference webpage.