Daily Bulletin

Too few women in computer science

Sponsored by the UW Women in Math committee to discover why women are avoiding what is one of the hottest fields in math, the focus group invited both male and female students who had "left computer science or decided against it despite interest in the subject" to air their views.

Responses from the 14 participants focused on both the curriculum and the culture of the department, said WIM chair and computer science professor Naomi Nishimura, who is concerned about making the department more user-friendly toward women.

The percentage of women in engineering and science has gone up in recent years, she said, while math has not made gains. "And the real problem in math is computer science."

In a phenomenon she described as the "shrinking pipeline," the percentage of women in computer science drops at each succeeding level, with relatively fewer in master's programs than in undergrad studies, and so on through PhD and faculty levels.

"Our concern is that something is going on that is not natural selection, something that may be driving women out which may not be lack of interest or ability."

Why does it matter if women study computer science? "In any human endeavor," said Nishimura, "a diversity of opinions, strengths from a mixed population, is a positive thing and should be encouraged. We can only gain from that.

"It's very easy for people to look at the small numbers and to say the problem happened in high school, or in grade school, or pre-natally," she added. Rather than abdicating responsibility, WIM is focusing on "patching holes under our control. We want to bring more women into the first year and improve retention.

"Statistics are equally bad across North America," said Nishimura, "There aren't easy solutions. We need to attack the problem in a number of different ways. It's defeatist to say we can't do anything about it. We can be a leader in the way we handle students and faculty."

Women who have entered the computer science program have "already overcome a number of hurdles to be here. It's a terrible waste to lose them at this point.

WIM members are encouraged by the response to the focus group, and are hoping to hold another one this fall when more students are on campus. As well, results from the focus groups may be used to develop a questionnaire to reach a broader audience, and to compare responses from men and women.

As part of its mandate "to identify ways in which the Faculty of Mathematics and the University of Waterloo can encourage women to pursue undergraduate work, graduate studies and academic careers in the mathematical sciences," WIM already sponsors a number of activities including a career panel, speakers, and a "phonathon" in the spring to contact women who have been admitted to the program and answer questions they may have.

Spring term classes end today

For those who have completed degree requirements, Friday is the last day to file "Intent to Graduate" forms for the fall convocation on October 23.

Fee statements and schedules for the fall term are being mailed to undergraduate students this week, the registrar's office reports. The fee payment deadline for the fall term is August 31. "Please make fee arrangements now -- cheques may be postdated up to and including September 7 but must be received by August 31." You can send payment by mail or leave it in any of four "express payment" boxes at Needles Hall, including a new one outside the main entrance facing the ring road.

Classes for the fall term will begin Monday, September 13.

Elsewhere on a sultry summer day

"...A proper perspectivism is neither perniciously subjectivist nor absolutist," Andrew J. Cohen will argue today at 4 p.m. in Hagey Hall room 373. All are welcome. The talk, In Defense of Nietzschean Genealogy, is sponsored by the departments of English, political science and philosophy, with support from the dean of arts. Cohen is a visiting scholar at Bowling Green State University, and was previously a visiting assistant professor at the University of Arizona.

The University of Waterloo Choir performs "Voices of Our Times" tonight at 8 p.m. in the Benton Street Baptist Church in Kitchener. A concert devoted to choral music of the 20th century, it will feature a variety of styles and genres including arrangements of folk songs, African music, and works by Canadian composers Nancy Telford and Conrad Grebel College music professor Leonard Enns. Tickets are $8 for adults, $5 for students, seniors and children.

Barbara Elve
bmelve@uwaterloo.ca

Editor of the Daily Bulletin: Chris Redmond
Information and Public Affairs, University of Waterloo
credmond@uwaterloo.ca | (519) 888-4567 ext. 3004
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