Women do not Compute

Source: TeensOnline 

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1. INTRODUCTION

It is a very popular belief that Women are always underestimated by many. However it is also in trend of getting them underrepresented in undergraduate engineering programs. These programs are mostly those related to computers. As focussed by G. Blanch and I. Rhodes (pp. 1-6, 1974), women mostly are found dropping out of engineering programs when they become frustrated and very heavily demoralised by low exam scores that she scores. Though this should not be the scene, yet it is prevailing all over and more and more women are passive of choosing a line in the engineering stream, especially one with the computers.

This paper is all about the contributions made by women in the field of Computer Science and about their performance in the IT field. I am trying to look at the notion in a very different way. I am also attempting to show that women are not lagging behind in the Computer Engineering section. My paper is a kind of discussion to all these notions that prevails in the society. I personally feel that there should not be such declarations regarding the intelligence of women in the field of Computer intelligence.

2. THOUGHTS OF DWECK

As we follow Dweck we find two categories for individuals’ beliefs about intelligence. These two are stated to be the incremental theory, that determines added intelligence, and the entity theory that deals with the derivational intelligence. As declared by Dweck, women are more likely to be entity theorists than men. Many people believe that there is a great difference between exam averages between women and men. Speculations make it clear that the difference is actually between entity and incremental theorists. We find Alison Kelly, (p.p1092-1108, 1976), considering that these assumptions are never being proved to be statistically significant yet there are many who still follows these types of notion.

As for the same thing comes up when the impression of women come into concern computer science. As stated by Betty M Vetter (p.p 2-9,1987), there is no doubt to the fact that many people, with whom she made some enquiries; would say it is a male dominated subject, and suits man most.

3. CONTRIBUTIONS BY WOMEN

These types of thoughts in Men, about Women not being well acquainted with Computer Engineering sound very interesting. The truth will be surprising to those who think so. Actually, this is because of the unawareness in these Men regarding the roles as have been played by women, in the development of computer science from a very initial period. As it is a universally accepted thought that ‘great female thinkers are still in the thick of things as they have been throughout’. In this context we find lots of female students as computer scientists. In some places they may be fewer in numbers, but what matter is scale in which they are outperforming the men.

3.1 Ada Lovelace

Source: James Dyson Foundation (2018)

The first programmer on this new science was a woman, called Ada Lovelace. She is very renown for managing the first programme ever in computers. Not only her, but there are many women, like Pamela E. Kramer and Sheila Lehman; who were of great importance in the development of this particular science.

3.2 Grace Hopper

Source: Imbd

There is again one famous name called Grace Hopper. Her works were tremendously acknowledged and accepted in the field of Computer Science. Her work has been considered as the central in the move from low level programming languages to high-level ones with all specifications. She is the one who brought a kind of revolution to these developmental strategies of levels in Computer Science.

3.3 Frances E. Allen

Source:  I.E.S. Mar de Alborán (2018)

As we talk of various awards and the prestigious prizes in Computer Science one name stands predominant, is the Turing Prize. Frances E. Allen, a gorgeous lady was awarded the 2006 Turing Prize for her contributions towards the stages of development in Computer Science. She is recognised as the Pioneer to Optimizing Compilers. According to H.D. Huskey, ‘this is regarded as the most prestigious prize a Computer Scientist can win, and in 2006 it was won by Fran Frances E. Allen’ (1980, pp. 111-121). She awarded especially for her work laying the foundation for modern optimizing compilers in the field of Computer Science.

3.4 Londa L. Schiebinger

Source: Elsevier

According to Londa L. Schiebinger (1985, pp. 305-332), as Computer Science is not about muscle, but is all about brains, there is no gender discrimination in its understanding. It requires more of comprehensive thoughts and great thinkers. It was well established by Ida Rhodes interview that was conducted by Henry Tropp in 1973. Here it has been stated that Computer is a Science that again suits female personality more than that of male. We give a closer look we will find that females are more into the craft of innovative thinking and there can be none better than a female with added creativity. Ida Rhodes also stated that the attributes like creativity, social team players, are the basic needs to be a computer savvy and for all these attributes both men and women can have them equally.

4. WOMEN AND IT PROFESSIONALS

There are many fiction related to women and robots. These are considered as fiction as they are not imagined in the real life. W. Aspray and M. Gunderloy (pp. 3-12, 1989), any people ignore the role as has been played by real Women IT Professionals.

4.1 Margaret Fox: Chief, Office of Computer Information, National Bureau of Standards

Source: Write Opinions 

According to Margaret Fox interview conducted by James Ross, Apr.13, 1983; in case of the real Professionals the best things about what they do are all authentic, and irrespective of any acknowledgement.

4.2 Nana Louise Nielsen: Senior Game Designer, Sumo Digital

Source: Author Profile, Amazon.in

As stated by Nana Louise Nielsen, Senior Game Designer, Sumo Digital; “Creating the initial ideas, forming the game, making the story... Being part of the creative process and having hands on approach”. Women make lots of contributions but most of the times are not acknowledged.

4.3 Hannah Parker: IT Consultant, IBM

Not only this Hannah Parker, IT Consultant, IBM; is very strong about the relationship of women and computers. She states, "Working with customers to solve their problems. The best feeling in the world is when you leave ... knowing you’ve just made a huge difference." This shows how well skilled she is in her works with the computers.

4.4 Kerstin Kleese van Dam: Director, Brookhaven Lab's Computational Science Initiative

Source: Brookhaven National Laboratory

Kerstin Kleese van Dam, Head of Data Management, CCLRC is of the view that there is no demarcation between performing well in case of Computers. She is of the stand that "I love to see our plans come together with another service going live and the first positive user feedback coming in". As per R.J. Slutz (pp. 471-477, 1980), there are many such integral parts and contributions as has been made by women in IT fields worldwide, yet the recognition seems very far away. This is in a way a kind of humiliation and needs immediate rectification.

5. NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS

The contribution of women in the field of computers is very well established by the U.S. National Bureau of Standards (NBS). As recommended by J.H. Curtiss in the year 1989(pp. 69-97), it is such an organisation that stands for the instrumental and absolute development of numerical analysis. Its contributions are tremendous and had a worldwide influence in defining the role of electronic computers in the scientific community. The question here is; who are the people behind this huge contribution? There are many people indeed, but none can deny to the fact that the major contributions are made by women. For Denise W. Gurer (pp. 29-35, 1996), it is a well accepted fact that women played key roles in all aspects of early computing in the NBS. The contributions and the major inventions as has been mentioned above are all well recognised by the authoritative ventures, but how far it is accepted by the regularised structure of educational system. In favour of the contributions made by women in the Computer Science field; M. Rees added that all the fields of mathematics, programming, engineering, and management were all handled by women, making it world’s best (pp. 102-120, 1982). There are many such unrecognised attributions that need to be added to the credit of women as a community. The contributions are marked from the initial days of Computer Science.

6. CONCLUSION

This is thus a wrong notion to think that women do not compute. In the paper we have discovered some of the contributions made by women in the development of Computer Science. The whole education system and the people involved in it are still to take some more time in making women more competitive in case of Computer Science.

There are many acknowledgements and awards given to them. This needs to be accepted and popularised more, in order to inspire women in this particular section of Engineering.

It is true that there are fewer women in the field of Computer Science than in any humanitarian or creative arts. The participation needs to be more in the IT education and training market. The results need to be well analysed. The preferences must be shifted well. There should be the understanding of the fact that Computer too is no less than any Creative art and thus should also be preferred by more women. As it is well said that Computer Science is all about brain, it never can be discriminated on the basis of genders. The efficiencies are all on the basis of the task as can be handled by men and women equally.

REFERENCES

Denise W. Gurer, Fall, 1996, "Women's Contributions to Early Computing at the National Bureau of Standards," IEEE Annals of the History of Computing, vol. 18, no. 3,  

G. Blanch and I. Rhodes, 1974, "Table-Making at the National Bureau of Standards," B.K.P. Scaife, ed., Studies in Numerical Analysis: Papers in Honor of Cornelius Lanczos.London: Academic Press.

H.D. Huskey, 1980, "The National Bureau of Standards Western Automatic Computer (SWAC)," Annals of the History of Computing, vol. 2, no. 2.

Ida Rhodes interview, Mar.21, 1973, Computer Oral History Collection, Archives Centre, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, conducted by Henry Tropp.

J.H. Curtiss, 1989, "The National Applied Mathematics Laboratories of the National Bureau of Standards: A Progress Report Covering the First Five Years of Its Existence," Annals of the History of Computing, vol. 11, no. 2.

Kelly, Alison. 1976, Women in science: a bibliographic review. Durham research review, v. 7, spring: 1092-1108

M. Rees, 1982, "The Computing Program of the Office of Naval Research, 1946-1953," Annals of the History of Computing, vol. 4, no. 2.

Margaret Fox interview, 1983, Oral History Collection, Charles Babbage Institute, The Center for the History of Information Processing, conducted by James Ross, Apr.13.

Schiebinger, Londa L, 1985, The history and philosophy of women in science: a review essay. Signs, v. 12, winter. The Real Pro, n.d., http://www.cs4fn.org/women/realpro.php [retrieved on 09 July, 2008]

Vetter, Betty M. 1987, Women's progress. Mosaic, v. 18, spring.

Slutz, R.J. 1980, "Memories of the Bureau of Standards' SEAC," N. Metropolis, J. Howlett, and G.C. Rota, eds., A History of Computing in the Twentieth Century: A Collection of Essays.New York: Academic Press.

W. Aspray and M. Gunderloy, 1989, "Early Computing and Numerical Analysis at the National Bureau of Standards," Annals of the History of Computing, vol. 11, no. 1.