EAGER: Demystifying the Engineering and Computer Science Underrepresentation Problem: Understanding the Pathways to and through these Disciplines for Black and Hispanic Women

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Many communities are underrepresented in the computing industry. With market demands and equity at the helm, the computer engineering and computer science community has increasingly become interested in broadening participation matters. A more comprehensive understanding of the influences that shape individuals' decisions to pursue computing is essential, especially among Black and Hispanic women. To date, the exploration of Black and Hispanic women in computing is limited, and, in the theoretical and scientific literature, there are very few studies devoted to women of color in computing. The project investigator outlined an exploratory qualitative study that is potentially transformative, examining salient factors that contribute to the underrepresentation of Black and Latino women in computer engineering and computer science. This project is positioned to explore the pathways to and through engineering and computer science for Black and Hispanic women, and the findings have immense potential to render important strategies, solutions, and practices that increase their representation in computing field.The investigator will conduct in-depth interviews with Black and Hispanic women, using social identity theory and intersectionality as guiding theoretical frameworks Used frequently in science education, engineering education, and other social and behavioral science research, social identity theory and intersectionality will help to pinpoint, interpret, and understand the social complexities associated with being Black and/or Hispanic and a woman in the world of computing.