This week, Google turns 25. How many of you remember the Mosaic web browser, Yahoo and Ask Jeeves search engines, or Pine email?
I remember my peers knew about all the cool things happening on Stanford’s campus, and I didn’t. When I asked how they knew, they said email. My response was, I am not doing email. Their response, then you won’t know what is happening. There’s nothing like peer pressure and wanting to be in the know to serve as motivation.
Thirty-one years later, I send emails to you about issues I am passionate about.
Back Down Memory Lane
I have fond memories of being a graduate student at Stanford. I worked in the Dean of Students Office, School of Engineering, where I learned about barriers and initiatives to diversify the STEM profession. It is where I learned how vital membership in professional organizations is for networking and professional development. I belonged to the Society of Black Scientists and Engineers, the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), and the Society of Women Engineers (SWE). I helped organize the NSBE and SWE regional conferences held at Stanford circa 1993. I believe 500 Black engineering students attended the NSBE conference. I do not remember the number of students who attended the SWE conference.
What I remember about the NSBE and SWE conferences was the generosity of corporate sponsors. It remains my only experience with corporations offering support without being solicited.
However, I may be romanticizing my experience with these conferences due to the current climate of affirmative action and diversity.
A Romantic Vision
According to U.S. News Report 1992 rankings, Stanford was the number two school of engineering, and MIT was ranked number one, an order that is still true. When I graduated, Stanford was the number one producer of minority graduate students in engineering.
I am proud to be part of this group, but I am disappointed by the slow progress in increasing the representation of women in engineering. Despite the progress shown in Tables 1 through 3, women continue to earn a smaller share of engineering degrees than their share of the U.S. population.
The percentage of women receiving bachelor’s degrees in engineering has risen by 7 percentage points, from 17% in 1994 to 24% in 2021. Moreover, the proportion of women receiving master’s and doctoral degrees has increased by 13 and 15 percentage points, respectively. The percentage of women receiving bachelor’s degrees in computer science has decreased from 29% in 1994 to 22% in 2021. There has been an increase in the share of master’s and doctorate degrees conferred to women in computer science.
The data in these tables are for permanent residents or citizens; therefore, much of the growth in women’s representation is driven by women who are international students.
Table 1. Engineering and Computer Science Bachelor’s Degrees Conferred to Women
Table 2. Engineering and Computer Science Master’s Degrees Conferred to Women
Table 3. Engineering and Computer Science Doctoral Degrees Conferred to Women
Source: https://ncsesdata.nsf.gov/sere/2018/html/sere18-dt-tab004.html
https://wayback.archive-it.org/5902/20150629122356/http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/nsf04318/pdf/sectb.pdf
https://ncsesdata.nsf.gov/sere/2018/index.html
Unbiased Technology and Research
Suppose the goal is algorithms and artificial intelligence technology that are unbiased. To meet this goal, we will need a STEM workforce that understands the intricate ways system biases interact to create the inequality that pervades the American experience.
WISER’s goal is to generate unbiased research. To achieve our goal, we disaggregate data, strive to be intentional about our language, and support narratives highlighting the diversity of lived experiences.
Although we did not meet our WISER Women Campaign fundraising goal, we are grateful for the seen and unseen way you support our mission.
