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Addressing the Underrepresentation of Women of Color in Tech

Completed

Improving the representation of women of tech is a national imperative. To contribute to addressing this issue, an ad hoc committee under the auspices of CWSEM will conduct a consensus study to identify the factors that contribute to the underrepresentation of women of color tech.

Description

An ad hoc committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will examine strategies to improve representation of women of color in technology and issue a consensus report informed by a series of four regional workshops. The committee will:

1 .Leverage the existing literature, and other resources as appropriate, to identify the factors that contribute to the underrepresentation of women of color in technology (i.e. computer science (CS), computer and information science and support services (CIS), information technology (IT), and engineering);

2. Organize four workshops to bring together the regional community to solicit evidence-based, effective strategies for increasing the success of women of color in tech.

3. Identify, contextualize, and disseminate recommendations that policy makers, academic institutions, employers, and other stakeholders can take to have positive impacts on the recruitment, retention, and advancement of women of color in tech;

4. Catalyze the building of communities of practice devoted to increasing the success of women of color in tech; and

5. Empower policymakers, academic institutions, employers, and other stakeholders with evidence-based practices for improving equity and diversity in technology.

Based on the content of four regional workshops and other information gathered, the committee will issue a consensus report that a) identifies the factors contributing to the success of women of color in tech based upon the existing literature and other sources and b) provides recommendations that policy makers, academic institutions, employers, and other stakeholders can take to have a positive impact on the recruitment, retention, and advancement of women of color in tech. The committee may also produce rapporteur-authored proceedings in brief for one or more of the workshops. The consensus activity may be followed by an outreach and dissemination effort for the report, carried out by the committee and staff, which could include convening activities with key stakeholders and the development of derivative media.


Collaborators

Committee

Co-Chair

Co-Chair

Member

Member

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Sponsors

National Institute of Standards and Technology

National Science Foundation

Staff

Rebekah Hutton

Lead

Priyanka Nalamada

Ashley Bear

Marquita Whiting

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