The number of women in computer science is related to culture and not nature. At the high-school level, girls are equally talented for mathematics as boys for both simple and complex mathematical problems [5] Internationally, 8th graders were compared in math tests and no relevant differences were found between girls and boys, but significant differences were found across countries [6]
Facts about Women in Computer Science:
- Women pioneered programming: the first programmers of the 1946 ENIAC Computer were women.
- Grace Hopper invented the modern compiler: the US Navy admiral developed the first program that could accept English-like words and transform them to computer instructions
- Vera Molinar combined algorithms with art: with access to computers and a plotter in the 1970’s, she created art by programming.
- One Laptop per Child was co-founded by a woman: Mary Lou Jepson was the lead inventor and architect of the $100 laptop
CS @ UWindsor Initatives for Women in Computer Science:
Incoming female students to any major undergraduate program at the University of Windsor's School of Computer Science are eligible for an automatic additional entrance scholarship. For more information and the online application, click here.
Incoming and current students are also encouraged to research external funding opportunities.
In the Loop: Connecting Girls to a Future in Technology:
At this event, girls will have the opportunity to hear about the diversity of the field of Computer Science and the programs offered at the University of Windsor, interact with current computer science students, and hear from a panel of female professionals working in this field.
This is not a coding event, and girls do not need any programming experience to attend the event, nor to consider a degree in Computer Science. There will also be an opportunity for girls to connect with an upper-year female student mentor to email with any questions throughout the year.
Date: On hold till further notice.
A University of Windsor-led coding workshop aims to equip young women with one of the most in-demand skills across industries.
Each year (usually February or March) the University will host a free computer programming workshop on campus for female students in Grades 7 to 11. Participants will learn the basics of a computer programming language called Python.
The four-hour Go Code Girl workshop will be led by UWindsor faculty, staff, and students. Participants will learn how to design interactive web pages using HTML/CSS and create a personalized website, which can serve as a professional portfolio.
Sponsored by the Ontario Network for Women in Engineering, the province-wide event encourages young women to learn about the world of coding and software development and discover opportunities in computing and engineering fields. Go Code Girl aims to educate, inspire and equip girls with the digital skills, confidence and resources needed to pursue an education in engineering, technology and computing.
The event is hosted by the Faculty of Engineering and the School of Computer Science.
- Inferior. How Science Got Women Wrong – and the New Research That’s Rewriting the Story, by Angela Saini. Beacon Press, 2017.
- Unlocking the Clubhouse, Women in Computing, by Jane Margolis and Allan Fisher. MIT Press, 2002.
- Recruiting and Retaining Female Students in the Computer Science Programs of Windsor, by Angela C. Sodan. Draft, March 2011, unpublished.
- Women pioneered computer programming. Then men took their industry over. Timeline, 2017.
- The Gender Similarities Hypothesis, by Janet Shibley Hyde in American Psychologist, 20(6), September 2005, pp. 581-592
- Women at the Top in Science—and Elsewhere, in Why Aren’t More Women in Science—Top Researchers Debate the Evidence, by Virginia Valian, American Psychological Association, Washington, DC, 2007, pp. 27-37
Additional Women in Computer Science Initiatives:
Founded in 1981, SCWIST has a proud history of empowering women and girls in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and provides education, programs, networking activities and mentorship. Our new SCALE project – SCWIST Connects, Advocates and Leverages Expertise – expands STEM diversity for economic empowerment across Canada. The goal is to increase SCWIST’s national impact by improving organizational effectiveness, financial sustainability, partnership reach and advocacy to advance gender equality across Canada. STEM is the powerhouse of the economy’s future: through the SCALE project, SCWIST will create paths for highly trained STEM women to contribute their knowledge and skills to that future.
To learn more about SCWIST, visit: http://www.scwist.ca/
CS-Can sponsored Celebration of Women in Computing. CAN-CWiC is the premiere Canadian computing conference for young women and non-binary people in technology. This annual event has been offered since 2011 and features networking, learning, sharing and mentoring. CAN-CWiC embodies the mission of encouraging curiosity and awareness for the digital innovations that change the community and world around us. Bringing together leaders in research, education and industry from across Canada. Get inspired by stories from women who have been there and done that and how they succeeded. To learn more about CAN CWIC, click here.
Canada's first Women in Cybersecurity Student Chapter invites you to participate in building a Cyber Tech community in Windsor. Help us empower and engage women in Cybersecurity. Link for further information.
Women in Science (WinS) provides a network of support to build female resilience in science through workshops, mentorship, resources, outreach, and advocacy. We also work together to foster an academic environment that better prepares female students for STEM careers. Link here to the website.