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Exploring Computer Science Identity at the Intersections of Race And Gender and Its Impact on Black Women in the Field (A Case-Study)

Undergraduate #100
Discipline: Computer Sciences and Information Management
Subcategory: Social Sciences/Psychology/Economics
Session: 2
Room: Exhibit Hall

Theodore Wimberly, Jr - Morgan State University
Co-Author(s): Edward Dillon, Jr., Ph.D.Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD



As technology becomes more accessible, those who are typically given opportunities to contribute to its development do not accurately represent the majority of its end-users. This is especially the case for black women, who consume and interact with technology at higher rates than any other demographic. Black women account for less than 3% of the tech workforce. As computer scientists, black women face regular affronts to their character and capabilities because of their race and gender, which is also prevalent in other professional settings including higher education. While the combination of racial and gender discrimination has spanned over decades for black women in computer science (CS), the tech industry, and related spaces, efforts regarding their representation in these areas need to be addressed more. The objective of this research is to examine identity and its impact on the representation of black women in CS. To look at this factor in greater detail, a focus group study was conducted on 24 black women, who were either majors or new professionals in CS. The results from this study revealed that the majority of these women exhibited an identity with CS. However, many of them also noted a lack of confidence and having imposter syndrome as part of their experiences in this field. Overall, this research contributes to the attention needed to address the inclusion and representation of black women in CS by highlighting issues faced when trying to establish themselves in the field.

Funder Acknowledgement(s): NSF-HRD 1912098 & 2011793; NIH R25 GM058904 NIGMS RISE

Faculty Advisor: Edward Dillon, edward.dillon@morgan.edu

Role: I aided in the surveying of the research subjects, the synthesis of the data from these surveys, and the creation of the research poster

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This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under Grant No. DUE-1930047. Any opinions, findings, interpretations, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of its authors and do not represent the views of the AAAS Board of Directors, the Council of AAAS, AAAS’ membership or the National Science Foundation.

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