nsane.forums Posted December 18, 2009 Share Posted December 18, 2009 New researchsuggests that a stereotypical programmer's workspace—Star Trekposters, empty Mountain Dew/beer cans and all, according to thearticle—may be a significant reason whymore women are not entering into computer science disciplines andfields.While my formal training is as a chemical engineer, I have been programmingsince my parents enrolled me in computer camp when I was eight anddidn't have many friends at home. In the intervening 23 years, I canprobably count on one hand the number of times my computer workspace hasbeen clean as opposed to looking like a bomb went off, but it has neverlooked like a sophomore male's dorm room... except my second year ofcollege when I took all those computer science classes. Where other STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, andMathematics) are seeing the percentage of women enrolled increase,computer science is going through a decline. The study, published inJournal of Personality andSocial Psychology, finds that the feeling ofambient belonging—a senseof how well one feels they fit into a field—is not there for women incomputer science. "When people think of computer science theimage that immediately popsinto many of their minds is of the computer geek surrounded by suchthings as computer games, science fiction memorabilia and junk food,"said Sapna Cheryan, a University of Washington assistant professor ofpsychology. View: Original Article Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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