Grace Hopper Celebration Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing of Women in Computing

in Conjunction with:in Conjunction with: Anita Borg Institute for Anita Borg Institute for Women in TechnologyWomen in Technology

© Linda Chastain, CSCI Instructor, 2009

Butte-Glenn Community College

GHCGHCThe celebration is a four day conference The celebration is a four day conference bringing together technical women in bringing together technical women in academia, research, computing, industry academia, research, computing, industry and government.and government.

It is both a celebration of achievement, It is both a celebration of achievement, and a call to action to mentor and increase and a call to action to mentor and increase the ratio of women in technical and the ratio of women in technical and

non-traditional fields.non-traditional fields.

Day OneDay One

Day one was dedicated to recognition of Day one was dedicated to recognition of PhD research dissertations by women in PhD research dissertations by women in the Computer Science / Technology fields.the Computer Science / Technology fields.

The presenters ranged from those in the The presenters ranged from those in the medical, psychology, and research fields. medical, psychology, and research fields. They all had a basis in Computer Science, They all had a basis in Computer Science, whether is was creating an algorithm or a whether is was creating an algorithm or a new technology.new technology.

Day OneDay OneNora Ahmed – “ a Path Based System for Nora Ahmed – “ a Path Based System for Guidance in Pervasive Environment” Guidance in Pervasive Environment” Implementation of RFID in nursing home Implementation of RFID in nursing home environment.environment.

Unaizah Obaidellah –”Retrieving Cognitive Unaizah Obaidellah –”Retrieving Cognitive Chunks from Graphical Tablet Drawing” Chunks from Graphical Tablet Drawing” Retrieving / storing and compiling cognitive Retrieving / storing and compiling cognitive research from graphical tablet drawings.research from graphical tablet drawings.

Andrea Schweer – “Augmenting Andrea Schweer – “Augmenting Autobiographical Memory” development of Autobiographical Memory” development of computer aided memory systems. computer aided memory systems.

Day OneDay One

Natalia Villanueva-Rosales – “Towards the semi-Natalia Villanueva-Rosales – “Towards the semi-automated Building of Knowledge Bases for automated Building of Knowledge Bases for Biological Research” Creation of semantic web Biological Research” Creation of semantic web search engine for tracking and dissemination of search engine for tracking and dissemination of Pharmacological and genetic research.Pharmacological and genetic research.

Esin Saka – “Dynamic Clustering and Esin Saka – “Dynamic Clustering and Visualization using Swarm Intelligence” Utilizing Visualization using Swarm Intelligence” Utilizing swarm intelligence clustering to create dynamic swarm intelligence clustering to create dynamic real time data updates for research purposes.real time data updates for research purposes.

Day TwoDay TwoKeynote Speaker: Megan Smith – VP New Keynote Speaker: Megan Smith – VP New Business Development & General Manager, Business Development & General Manager, Google.org.Google.org.

Broad based changes that emerging technologies can make Broad based changes that emerging technologies can make and the social impact on global society.and the social impact on global society.Emerging Markets: Stressed importance of emerging African Emerging Markets: Stressed importance of emerging African Markets and SMS implementation in E. AfricaMarkets and SMS implementation in E. AfricaImportance of Global tracking of flu epidemics through Importance of Global tracking of flu epidemics through Google symptom queriesGoogle symptom queriesRelevance of Data mining in trend trackingRelevance of Data mining in trend trackingCivil liberties and the role of social networking technology in Civil liberties and the role of social networking technology in aiding underrepresented populationsaiding underrepresented populationsEnvironmental tracking and awareness i.e. carbon war room, Environmental tracking and awareness i.e. carbon war room, etc.etc.

Day TwoDay Two Breakout session: “Best practices for Breakout session: “Best practices for introductory Computer Science”introductory Computer Science”

Panel discussion featuring solution for recruiting Panel discussion featuring solution for recruiting and retention of women in intro CS classes.and retention of women in intro CS classes.

Rochester Institute of Technology- Formal written Rochester Institute of Technology- Formal written invitation for high school girls, Open houses, connection invitation for high school girls, Open houses, connection between CS and different fields.between CS and different fields.

Technical College of NJ – include non-technical Technical College of NJ – include non-technical multimedia track that includes “Scratch” to teach multimedia track that includes “Scratch” to teach programming lite, without “dumbing” down subject.programming lite, without “dumbing” down subject.

Union College – 5 Theme based intro courses: Union College – 5 Theme based intro courses: Engineering, AI, Robotics, Data structures & GamesEngineering, AI, Robotics, Data structures & Games

General Consensus: Need to get girls interested at a much General Consensus: Need to get girls interested at a much earlier age!earlier age!

Day Two Day Two Break out session: Inspiring Girls in Break out session: Inspiring Girls in Technology: Making every Outreach a Technology: Making every Outreach a Success.Success.

5 panel discussion and activities with Google and 5 panel discussion and activities with Google and Techbridge. Google and Chabot have created a program Techbridge. Google and Chabot have created a program that successfully introduces girls to technology and that successfully introduces girls to technology and engineering at the middle school age through the use of engineering at the middle school age through the use of fun hands on labs.fun hands on labs.

Their suggestion is a partnership of College / High Their suggestion is a partnership of College / High school and Middle school teachers and students creating school and Middle school teachers and students creating a mentoring network that creates a continuing technical a mentoring network that creates a continuing technical learning environment. Utilization of “Alice” programming learning environment. Utilization of “Alice” programming language.language.

For tools: For tools: http://www.techbridgegirls.org/http://www.techbridgegirls.org/

Day ThreeDay Three

Keynote Speaker: Fran Berman,Keynote Speaker: Fran Berman, VP for research, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, VP for research, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute,

Director San Diego Supercomputer center, Director San Diego Supercomputer center, International Leader in Cyber-infrastructure, International Leader in Cyber-infrastructure, Fellow of ACM, Senior Member of IEEE.Fellow of ACM, Senior Member of IEEE. In depth discussion of 10 year to 100 year plan for In depth discussion of 10 year to 100 year plan for

data preservation. data preservation. More Info: More Info: http://www.sdsc.edu/profile/fberman.htmlhttp://www.sdsc.edu/profile/fberman.html

Award Winners:Award Winners:Ruzena Bajcsy, Ruzena Bajcsy, Anita Borg Technical Anita Borg Technical

Leadership Award WinnerLeadership Award Winner Professor Electrical Engineering at UC Berkeley , Professor Electrical Engineering at UC Berkeley , Director CITRIS Director CITRIS Research and development of Tele-Research and development of Tele-immersion technologyimmersion technologyFor More Info: For More Info: http://tele-immersion.citris-uc.org/videohttp://tele-immersion.citris-uc.org/video

Award Winners:Award Winners:

Nadya Mason,Nadya Mason, Denice Denton Award winner. Denice Denton Award winner.

Assistant Professor Physics at University of Assistant Professor Physics at University of Illinois, BS Harvard, PhD StanfordIllinois, BS Harvard, PhD Stanford Condensed matter experimentalist focuses on how Condensed matter experimentalist focuses on how

electrons behave. electrons behave. Research in Carbon Nanotube technology for Micro Research in Carbon Nanotube technology for Micro

scale technology computing.scale technology computing. More Info: More Info:

http://physics.illinois.edu/people/profile.asp?nadyahttp://physics.illinois.edu/people/profile.asp?nadya http://www.anitaborg.org/about/who-we-are/nadya-mahttp://www.anitaborg.org/about/who-we-are/nadya-ma

sonson

Conclusion:Conclusion:

Amazing experience and celebration of Amazing experience and celebration of women and how far we have advanced women and how far we have advanced and how we can continue to aid in the and how we can continue to aid in the advancement of young women in advancement of young women in technology and non-traditional fields.technology and non-traditional fields.

Next year it is being held in Atlanta, GA. Next year it is being held in Atlanta, GA. Student scholarships are available.Student scholarships are available.