WASHINGTON – A new Action Collaborative on Transforming Trajectories for Women of Color in Tech has been launched by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and 35 other institutions representing higher education, national laboratories, and government.  

Through the action collaborative, organizations will work together to improve pathways in tech education and participation in the tech workforce for women who identify as African American, Black, Hispanic, Latina, Native American, Asian American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander. The effort will be guided by the National Academies’ report Transforming Trajectories for Women of Color in Tech, which provides evidence-based findings and recommendations for increasing recruitment, retention, and advancement of women of color in tech fields.  

While women of color currently make up 39 percent of the female population in the United States, they earn less than 10 percent of the bachelor’s degrees and less than 5 percent of doctorates awarded in computing. Women of color also remain underrepresented in the tech workforce, and the numbers of women from some racial and ethnic groups have even declined. Black women hold 3 percent of tech jobs, Latinas hold 1 percent, and Native American/Alaskan Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander women hold 0.3 percent.  

The action collaborative will offer a platform for the exchange of ideas and promising practices, taking an intersectional approach that recognizes the multifaceted nature of barriers shaped by race, gender, and other factors.  

“Women of color face amplified barriers and biases that can impede their progress and limit their opportunities in STEM and in tech,” said Gilda Barabino, chair of the National Academies’ Committee on Women in Science, Engineering, and Medicine and president of the Olin College of Engineering. “Through this effort, we will work together to dismantle these barriers and foster an environment where every woman, regardless of her background, has the chance to thrive and contribute to cutting-edge developments in science and technology.” 

Institutions that are interested in joining or learning more about the action collaborative can contact Jeena Thomas, director of the action collaborative, at JMThomas@nas.edu. “Changing the culture, climate, norms, and values across the tech ecosystem requires cross-sector engagement and participation,” said Thomas. “It is with this in mind that we hope more higher education, industry, national laboratories, government, and other organizations join us on this journey.” 

“This initiative will require dedication and collaboration from all of us,” said National Academy of Sciences President Marcia McNutt. “We are committed to facilitating research, collaboration, and action that reflect the representation and lived experiences of women of color, in hopes of driving substantial change in the tech and engineering ecosystem.”  

More information can be found on the action collaborative’s website.  

The National Academies are private, nonprofit institutions that provide independent, objective analysis and advice to the nation to solve complex problems and inform public policy decisions related to science, engineering, and medicine. They operate under an 1863 congressional charter to the National Academy of Sciences, signed by President Lincoln. For more information, visit nationalacademies.org.  

Media Contact:

Sara Frueh, Senior Media Officer
Office of News and Public Information
202-334-2138; e-mail news@nas.edu 

action collaborative’s website