What Happened to Women in Computer Science? A Literature Review

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 40
  In Roundtable Session: Research on Women and Education Roundtable

Abstract

Women’s underrepresentation in computer science is a serious issue that has negative effects on the field, women in it, and the larger economy. It is well pronounced in western countries, where twenty-five years of efforts and interventions have not resolved the problem. While the problem is attributed to several interconnected causes, such as computer experience and familiarity; they do not tell the entire story nor do they point to a global trend: studies indicate that these factors did not stop the field in some non-western countries from achieving a balanced male-female ratio. This paper presents historical, empirical, and theoretical studies in CS education that shed light on the issue’s roots. A total of (263) articles were screened and (94) coded.

Author

• Ali Nazil Alshammari, Purdue University