How can we encourage girls to study computer science?
By Allison Master Sep 23 2015 Imagine a computer programmer. What does this person look like? What is this person doing? Is the person with anyone? What kinds of hobbies might he or she have? Chances are that you imagined someone who is: male, white or Asian American, kind of geeky-looking and sitting alone at a computer. This typifies the stereotypical image of computer science in American culture. And this image has only solidified over the past 30 years: so much so that high school girls say things like : when I heard “computer science,” I pictured nerdy boys, who turned into nerdy bearded men, slouched over huge computers and click-clacking out codes that meant nothing to me. The real problem is that this geeky representation may prevent girls from seriously considering a career in computer science. As it is, women are highly underrepresented in computer science. In recent years, only 18% of college degrees have gone to women. I am p...
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