Equality and equity - navigating the gender imbalance in informatics
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The document discusses the importance of addressing gender imbalances in informatics through equity and equality practices. It emphasizes the need for guidelines to recruit and retain women in informatics, highlighting challenges such as microaggressions and structural injustices in academia. Key recommendations include fostering a supportive environment, enhancing mentorship, and promoting diversity and inclusion initiatives.
![What are “micro”aggressions?
● Term by psychiatry prof Chester M. Pierce
(Harvard) in ‘70s on observed everyday slights
to Afro Americans
● Often depend on context
○ Inappropriate setting: At a conference
“I’m not as attractive as the previous speaker…”
○ Inadequate in specific conversation: In class
“Wow, you speak English very well!”
○ Defensiveness: “I treat all people equal.”
[Vandana Singh, 2023]](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/2023-10-equalityandequity-navigatingthegenderimbalanceininformatics-231018154419-45886aae/85/Equality-and-equity-navigating-the-gender-imbalance-in-informatics-14-320.jpg)
![Consequences
● Intrusive cognitions
● Internal dilemmas
[Vandana Singh, 2023]](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/2023-10-equalityandequity-navigatingthegenderimbalanceininformatics-231018154419-45886aae/85/Equality-and-equity-navigating-the-gender-imbalance-in-informatics-21-320.jpg)
Equality and equity - navigating the gender imbalance in informatics
- 1. Equality and equity - navigating the (gender) imbalance in informatics MDU, October 12th 2023 @twinkleflip Birgit Penzenstadler GU|Chalmers Univ. of Tech. Lappeenranta Univ. of Tech. birgitp@chalmers.se
- 2. Birgit Penzenstadler Associate Prof, Software Engineering for Sustainability, GU/Chalmers, Sweden Adjunct Prof, Lappeenranta Lahti University of Technology, Finland Phd@TUM → UCI → LB State (& LUT) → Chalmers Research: Sustainability Design (www.sustainabilitydesign.org) since 2010 10 years RE4SuSy workshop series 2012-2021 Wellbeing & resilience studies (www.twinkleflip.com) since 2020 Education Projects: SE4GD (https://se4gd.lutsoftware.com) EUGAIN (https://eugain.eu)
- 3. Why I’m here today To share my experiences on equality and equity in informatics To pass on best DEIA* practices and tools of how to support it To discuss all the uncomfortable questions that come up *DEIA: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility
- 4. Tool. Positionality statement. Me: Born 1981, white woman of European descent. German upbringing and ancestry. Privileged in education, associate professor. Software engineering, sustainability, wellbeing. Lived on four continents, visited many countries. Yoga teacher and embodied mindfulness coach. Reviewer 2: This has no place in a research article. Research is objective and measurable. Me: Well… other disciplines (e.g. HCI) consider it important. Let’s make it a standard in SE as well.
- 5. Equity versus equality ● Equity refers to fairness or justice in the way people are treated, and especially freedom from bias or favoritism, as in “governed according to the principle of equity.” ● Equality refers to the quality or state of having the same rights and opportunities, as in “women’s struggle for equality.” Source: “Addressing Imbalance,” by Tony Ruth for the 2019 Design in Tech Report.
- 6. ● I’m a woman (underrepresented minority) ● I see disadvantages for the discipline because of that (design for whom?) ● I see disadvantage in academia (see "Picture a Scientist".) ● I see structural injustices that get propagated by habit and obliviousness ● I want everyone to be and feel supported ● Let’s develop Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Proficiency Why I care… now more
- 7. Provide guidelines to address challenges EUGAIN provides the academic community, policymakers, industry and other stakeholders with recommendations and guidelines to address the following key challenges: (i) How to have more girls choosing Informatics as their higher education studies and profession; (ii) How to retain female students and assure they finish their studies and start successful careers in the field; (iii) How to encourage more female Ph.D. and postdoctoral researchers to remain in the academic career and apply for professorships in Informatics departments; (iv) How to support and inspire young women in their careers and help them to overcome the main hurdles that prevent women to reach senior positions.
- 8. ● Recruitment: students, doctoral candidates, postdocs, faculty ● Retention: belonging, mentoring, work environment ● Role models: we are computer science (research) ● Research rocks: showing impact on humanity, or beauty of mathematics Findings so far: 4Rs (oh, 5)
- 9. Recruitment ● Events ○ Summer camps ○ Design jams (f.k.a. hackathons) ● Advertisements (degree or job) ○ Flyers and brochures ○ Textual (https://gendermag.org/) ● Show range of options ○ Creative & versatile ○ Societal impact
- 10. ● Belonging: subjective feeling of inclusion or acceptance into a group ○ Belonging: schedule regular support events, sustainable for the faculty and the students ○ Womenx student group, e.g. fika with doctoral candidates (monthly) ○ Take students to ACM womENcourage and submit posters (Europe, scholarships), yearly ● Co-ownership: Agency & empowerment ● “Design for diversity” integrated in curriculum ○ slide to start with showing diversity in research Retention: Engagement
- 11. ● Mentoring ○ One-on-one ○ Affinity groups ○ Topic-wise affinity groups ○ Reading group ○ Encourage students to start mentoring younger students ● Courses on leadership & communication ○ Develop the skills to help build their CV ○ Could take the form of a book club ○ Have them be applied in volunteer service, research or team projects Retention: Skills development
- 12. ● Work environment - how do you show diversity? ● Value exercise and mission statement ● Growth (“Mindset” by Carol Dweck) in messaging ● Connection: taking the time to check in ● Recognition: give awards, give positive feedback Retention: Support
- 13. ● Let’s get a bit uncomfortable ● And talk about habits & obliviousness ● Events: minority members leave ● Patterns: microaggressions ● Structure: patriarchal heritage ● Mental models: ingrained biases Retention: Work environment
- 14. What are “micro”aggressions? ● Term by psychiatry prof Chester M. Pierce (Harvard) in ‘70s on observed everyday slights to Afro Americans ● Often depend on context ○ Inappropriate setting: At a conference “I’m not as attractive as the previous speaker…” ○ Inadequate in specific conversation: In class “Wow, you speak English very well!” ○ Defensiveness: “I treat all people equal.” [Vandana Singh, 2023]
- 15. Examples: One we can stomach; many… not. ● Gender stereotypes: ● “You think you’re cut out for that?” - boyfriend upon decision to study computer science. ● “Women are good at multitasking” and being asked to take meeting notes time and again - source fairly. ● “Diversity”: “You’re the new hire? Yeah, they really wanted a woman.” - competitor who had applied for the same position ● Inappropriateness & harassment ● “You look different from the picture on your website”. - student walking into office, or new contact on Zoom. ● (Sexual or otherwise inappropriate) jokes: i. Laughing about them despite discomfort → they think it’s ok, ii. Complain and get asked to be “not so sensitive” because “it was a joke”. → That’s not taking responsibility, and getting defensive about “can’t make jokes” is refusing that responsibility. ● Sexual harassment (verbal, physical, both). Again, context - at a conference, at work, absolutely not ok. ● Academia/industry stereotyping (e.g., at conferences or in student evaluations): ● put in the “ivory tower” as not knowing what matters in practice, ● being put “back to industry” where they “came from” when too much
- 16. Examples continued… it happens… ● Student doesn’t raise their hand before talking in discussion ● “Please stop hijacking the conversation.” ● Shut down ● Next day email… very unexpected interpretation.
- 17. Examples continued - any of those familiar? ● Power hierarchy: ● E.g. talking over students ● Taking up too much space ● Sneaky version ● “I don’t want to interrupt, but…” I just did. ● “but”s negate what came before ● Misgendering ● In email ● In class
- 18. “Sensitivity” is a superpower often judged ● Death by 1000 cuts ● Hidden trauma ● Accumulative damage ● Intersectionality ○ Gender ○ LGBTQIA+ ○ Race ○ Age ○ Religion
- 19. Your examples: your turn :) Where have you personally experienced microagressions? When were you on the receiving end? When did you maybe realize later you committed one? https://www.menti.com/aln895e8z8ee
- 20. Why microagressions happen ● Obliviousness in combination with habit ● Intent is not the same as impact ● Desensitization after experiencing too many, or leaving
- 21. Consequences ● Intrusive cognitions ● Internal dilemmas [Vandana Singh, 2023]
- 22. How to respond Check ● If I respond, could my physical safety be in danger? ● If I respond, will the person become defensive, and will this lead to an argument? ● If I respond, how will this affect my relationship with this person (e.g., co-worker, family) ● If I don’t respond, will I regret not saying something? ● If I don’t respond, does that convey that I accept the behavior or statement? Disarm ● Ask for clarification: What do you mean? How have you come you think that? ● Separate intent from impact: “I know you didn’t realize this. Here’s what happened: …” ● Share your own process (we are all learning) ● Other side: let down your defenses, apologize and more forward Highly recommend to read this (re)source: https://mrnittle.files.wordpress.com/2016/04/microagressions-kevin-nadal.pdf
- 23. Reset. Park this for now, digest later. Shake. Like this. https://www.flickr.com/photos/michellenault/3633473694
- 24. ● Diversifying the picture in class input, e.g. research relevant to the topic by person ● Rich examples with diversity in assignments ● Showing diversity in public outreach, popular science, and media, e.g. TED(x) talks ● Inviting diverse industry speakers: engage alumni Role models: we are informatics
- 25. ● Motivate by showing impact on humanity ○ Sustainable Development Goals ○ Local community improvement ○ (Swedish) Industry showcases ● Also attractive to many women: beauty of mathematics ○ Show application areas ○ AI and big data → plus the challenges (“The AI Dilemma” by Humane Center for Technology) Research rocks: showing positive impact
- 27. Let’s discuss - what questions do you have? https://www.menti.com/aln895e8z8ee Special thanks for input: Sonay Caner Yildirim, Vandana Singh, Francisco Gomes, Alexander Serebrenik @twinkleflip Birgit Penzenstadler Chalmers Univ. of Tech. Lappeenranta Univ. of Tech. birgitp@chalmers.se
- 28. Resources https://eugain.eu "Picture a Scientist" A guide to responding to microaggressions https://mrnittle.files.wordpress.com/2016/04/microagressions-kevin-nadal.pdf Excellence in STEM with Dr. Francisco Gomes de Oliveira Neto https://www.computer.org/publications/tech-news/insider-membership-news/excellence-in-stem-francisco-gomes-de-oliveira-neto Further: https://www.computer.org/publications/tech-news/insider-membership-news/diversity-and-inclusion-2023 Brené Brown. Braving the Wilderness https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34565022-braving-the-wilderness Bessel van der Kolk “The body keeps the score” https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18693771-the-body-keeps-the-score Decolonial gender and development. Yvonne Underhill-Sem https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003017653- 60/decolonial-gender-development-yvonne-underhill-sem Carol Dweck. Mindset https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40745.Mindset