Who Are Female Computer Science Majors? Identifying Their Unique Characteristics and Long-Term Trends

• In Event: 65.067 - Intersectionality and Women in Higher Education: Exploring Issues of Gender, Culture, and Socialization

Abstract

Women are historically underrepresented in computer science (CS), and the gender gap in this field has widened further in recent years. CS is an important area of study and the demand for individuals with CS training has grown sharply in recent years. This paper explores the background characteristics, career aspirations, and self-perceptions of undergraduate women in CS over the past forty years and compares them with men in CS as well as with women in other STEM sub-fields. Understanding the unique characteristics of women in CS will help inform policies and recruitment programs designed to address the gender gap in computing.

Authors

• Linda J. Sax, University of California - Los Angeles

• Kathleen Lehman, University of California - Los Angeles