Women Faculty in Computing: A Key Case of Women in Science

Computing is a strategic field for innovation and influence, but the field has been challenging for women. Computer science shows uneven or limited gains, and in some cases actual losses, in women’s share of degrees attained over the past four decades. Women faculty members are critical – and their academic ranks (not merely their presence) - are important for women’s status. For these reasons, this presentation (1) provides a nuanced profile of the percentage of women faculty by rank in computing fields; (2) illustrates the challenges and opportunity of women’s transitions to higher academic ranks; and (3) depicts how solutions to enhance the condition of women computing faculty vary from the perspectives of pipelines compared to pathways.