Program Schedule: Birds of a Feather and SRC Competition
Thursday, October 2nd
5:25 p.m. — 6:25 p.m.
Recruiting High-School Women into Computer Science
Location: Torreys Peak I - II
Presenters: Inna Pivkina (New Mexico State University), Joan Francioni (Winona State University), Ann Quiroz Gates (University of Texas at El Paso), Laura Marie Leventhal (Bowling Green State University), Enrico Pontelli (New Mexico State University)
This BOF session focuses on ways of recruiting of high-school women into Computer Science. We will discuss an outreach program developed at New Mexico State University and another program at the University of Texas at El Paso to promote interest of middle- and high-school girls towards computing disciplines, and explore a role of inter-disciplinary components in such programs. Participants will share challenges and experiences in recruiting high-school women into Computer Science.
The ABC’s for ABD’s: Tips for Working Your Way through Dissertation to PhD
Location: Torreys Peak III
Presenters: Shannon I Steinfadt (Kent State University), Shannon Duvall (Elon University), Anne Weinberger Bracy (Intel), Katarzyna Wac (University of Geneva)
“All-But-Dissertation” (ABD’s) are candidates in the last stage of a Ph.D. This BoF is intended to support Ph.D. students that are just beginning dissertation work to well established ABD’s. Topics open for discussion include working with your advisor, parsing down your research topic into a workable dissertation, time management, balancing life and work, self-contracts, positive attitude, perseverance and motivation. Participants are invited to add their own topics and questions.
Building the Lavender Network: LGBT Issues, Resources and Collaboration
Location: Torreys Peak IV
Presenters: BJ Wishinsky (Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology), Rachel Popkin (Microsoft), Heather Foust-Cummings (Catalyst), Julie Mariga (Purdue University)
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) women in computer science, engineering and information technology represent a minority within a minority. We often study and work with few other women, and may not have colleagues who understand issues and concerns unique to the LGBT community. The goal of this session is to bring together LGBT participants and our allies to network, share issues and resources, and mobilize for ongoing community support.
The Bird has Left the Nest - The Challenges of Crossing the World to Follow Our Passions
Location: Quandary Peak III
Presenters: Supriya Singh (Microsoft Canada Development Centre), Jean Wu (Microsoft Canada Development Centre), Vineet Kulkarni (Microsoft Canada Development Centre)
Women face many challenges when they cross the globe to take up new opportunities, often going against their family’s long-held traditions. However, many women have overcome those obstacles to forge new paths in their lives. This panel considers some challenges women have come across and how they were addressed. We want to explore the ways to share our knowledge and experiences, in hopes that others can take something away from this.
Grad School 101: Choosing the Graduate Program That’s Right For You and Finding Success and Happiness Throughout Your Graduate Experience
Location: Quandary Peak I - II
Presenters: Leanne Hirshfield (Tufts University), Rachel Lomasky (Tufts University)
In this informal session, current graduate students are available to answer questions for prospective and new graduate students. They will discuss choosing where to apply, the application process, and visiting schools, They will also give a review of research areas within the CS field and provide advice on choosing a research area, choosing an advisor, and being successful as a graduate student. Several graduate students from the Tufts CS department will help guide the discussion.
SRC Competition - Finals
Location: Crestone Peak I
The ACM Student Research Competition (SRC), sponsored by Microsoft Research, offers a unique forum for undergraduate and graduate students to present their original research at well-known ACM sponsored and co-sponsored conferences before a panel of judges and attendees.
There are two rounds of competition at each conference hosting an SRC and a grand finals competition:First Round Competitions- The first round is usually referred to as the Poster Session. Judges will review the posters and speak to participants about their research; a group of semi-finalists will be chosen to present at the second round of the competition. Second Round Competitions - Semi-finalists continue by giving a short presentation of their research before a panel of judges, with a supporting power point presentation. Evaluations are based on the presenter’s knowledge of his/her research area, contribution of the research, and the quality of the oral and visual presentation. Three winners will be chosen in each category, undergraduate and graduate, receiving $500, $300, and $200, respectively.
A Change for the Better: Improving the Environment at Computing Departments Nationwide
Location: Crestone Peak II - IV
Presenters: Ann Redelfs (Redelfs LLC), Phoebe Lenear (University of Illinois Global Campus), Sheila Humphreys (University of California, Berkeley), Cynthia Lanius (Lanius Consulting), Amanda Nunez (University of Texas at Austin), Bonnie Zhu (University of California, Berkeley), Lecia Barker (NCWIT)
Women, minority, and disabled scholars in computing are faced with multiple challenges. Too few and far between, they are scattered among majority institutions where they experience all of the pressures of university life and are also most often one of few minority (race/gender/abilities) in their departments. This BoF provides an opportunity to speak out and provide input for institutional change to the greater benefit of our nation’s leading universities.