Giving back goes a long way in the field of Computer Science

 

POSTED ON Aug 11, 2021

 

The American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) and Technical Education Research Centers (TERC) have announced their findings from the “Native Women and Two-Spirit individuals in the Computing Higher Education (NAWC2)” project. According to AISES, participants had two recommendations: stick with it and remember you are not alone.

The study looks at how giving back helps undergraduates stick with a challenging major.

Most participants recommended building a strong peer support network in computer science and including people like mentors, faculty, and members of student groups who can provide resources, funding opportunities, and content knowledge.

Several participants also advised remembering that you are pursuing computer science to give back to your community when you finish your education. Participants also recommended that departments reach out to Native students as early as middle school for on- and off-campus activities.

The NAWC2 project utilized photo-elicitation, a methodology where participants are asked to take photos in response to prompts like “Who or what has helped you persist or succeed in computing education as a Native woman or two-spirit individual?”

In analyzing the interviews, researchers found a significant relationship between Native students’ persistence in their computing majors and the idea of giving back to their communities (Native and non-Native).

A team from AISES and TERC conducted research. The project included interviews with eight Native computer science students, seven women, and one two-spirit man.

Researchers from TERC were Dr. Nuria Jaumot-Pascual, Dr. Maria Ong, and Christina B. Silva; Dr. Kathy DeerInWater was the team member from AISES.

The project was funded by the Women of Color in Computing Collaborative, formed by the Kapor Center and the Center for Gender Equity in Science and Technology at Arizona State University.

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