Images from "Internet Quilt" courtesy of Diane Close 

 

History | Gender | Computing Public Conference and Workshop 30-31 May 2008 Charles Babbage Institute Andersen Library University of Minnesota Minneapolis MN 55455 Photos of Saturday's workshop Photos included in Saturday workshop Photos of "Gendered Bits" exhibit "Lack of Women in Computing Has Educators Worried" Inside Science News Service (16 June 2008) Anne Brataas, "This doesn't compute: As more women enter scientific fields, their numbers in computer science are declining" Minnpost.com (18 June 2008)

Women were active participants in building and programming the first electronic digital computers, and notably prominent in the first generation of computer programmers in the 1950s, but they have faced serious barriers to full participation in the computing professions.  Today, computing persists as one of the most gender-segregated domains of modern life.  How and when did a male-coded world of computing emerge?  How and why has it has continued?  What are the exceptions -- and promising strategies for change?

The Charles Babbage Institute at the University of Minnesota presents a day-long public conference devoted to a much-needed examination of these questions.  While the National Science Foundation and other policy actors have devoted immense resources to increasing women's participation in computing, over the past two decades there has been a striking drop in women's participation in computing education and a corresponding tail-off in the U.S. workforce.  Clearly, an important "missing piece" is yet to be discovered.  This international conference, with participants from six countries, examines gender and the diverse uses of computing in offices, libraries, schools, mass media, and the computing profession.  The eight papers will spark lively audience discussion on these themes:

Poster size (4 MB)

• Automation, skill, and power;
• Gender discourse and imagery;
• Boundaries and identity;
• Gendered cultures of work and play.

Pre-register by Friday 23 May for lunch and/or dinner.  For registration form, conference program, travel and lodging details, a bibliography with key literature, and useful links see <www.umn.edu/~tmisa/gender/>. Please direct questions to <cbi@umn.edu>.

Many thanks to our generous sponsors
	The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft is the central agency promoting research at universities and other publicly financed research institutions in Germany.
	The U of M's Institute of Technology (IT)—created in 1935 and today one of the premier colleges of its kind in the nation—comprises 12 departments and 24 research centers that encompass engineering, the physical sciences, and mathematics.
	The U of M's Graduate Program in the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine studies these areas in their broad cultural context, drawing on an interdisciplinary faculty embedded in four colleges.
	The U of M’s Department of Computer Science and Engineering is one of the nation’s top research departments, with award winning faculty members, and successful, accomplished alumni.
	The U of M’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering is consistently ranked among the top 20 of all EE programs in the United States.
	The U of M's Office of International Programs promotes the internationalization of the teaching, research, and outreach missions of the University.

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