Celebration of Diversity Highlights Official Launch of Maryland Center for Women in Computing
Almost 200 people—from Maryland students and faculty, to regional middle school girls, to high-profile researchers and entrepreneurs already immersed in information technology careers—were on hand to celebrate the official launch of the Maryland Center for Women in Computing on Nov. 21.
The center, which opened its doors in summer 2014, is a vibrant community of scholars, researchers, students and education experts who come together to increase the involvement and success of women and other underrepresented minorities interested in earning a computer science degree and pursuing a career in the field.
The “Celebration of Diversity in Computing” launch event, which focused on empowering females and other underrepresented students, while also showcasing what current UMD female computing majors are doing, featured a keynote address from Brendan Iribe, co-founder and CEO of Oculus VR.
Iribe said the new center was an opportunity for everyone to help realize his company’s vision of the future of virtual reality involving more than just gaming, literally connecting the world with face-to-face virtual communication.
“We need diversity of thought [to accomplish this],” Iribe said. “We really need not just diverse developers, but we need a diverse ecosystem and community [and] we need women to be developing as well.”
Iribe recently made a leadership gift of $31 million in support of the Brendan Iribe Center for Computer Science and Innovation at the UMD campus.
The need for expanding the base of knowledge and experience in computer science is growing, experts say. According to the National Center for Women & Information Technology, 1.2 million computing-related job openings are expected in the U.S. by 2022. However, women held only 26 percent of computing jobs in 2013.
“We are all aware of the issues—computing has some of the most creative, rewarding jobs that are really in demand, and yet it suffers with a diversity record that is one of the worst,” said Jan Plane, director of women in computing center.
Other speakers at the women in computing event—participating both live and via videotaped messages—included Maria Klawe, president of Harvey Mudd College; Beverly Harrison, senior director of Mobile Research at Yahoo Labs; and Rane Johnson-Stempson, principal research director at Microsoft Research.
Senior officials and faculty from the College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences (CMNS) also offered remarks.
“We want to be inclusive and welcoming of all types of people, and empower students to be the best they can be,” said Jayanth Banavar, dean of CMNS.
Students from on and off the UMD campus who are affiliated with the center were on hand to share their experiences and showcase some of their work.
“From a student’s perspective, computer science can be an intimidating, but the center encouraged my friend and I to study computer science and stay in it,” says Sara Leroy, a senior computer science major.
The university’s Department of Computer Science, the Institute for Advanced Computer Studies, and CMNS support the Maryland Center for Women in Computing. Tenable Network Security, ManTech International Corp., Yahoo, and the Bethesda chapter of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association provide additional support.
See images from the event here.
- Story by Melissa Brachfeld