This article is published in the January 2017 issue.

Get Involved with CRA-Women Activities


cra-womenThe mission of the CRA Committee on the Status of Women in Computing Research (CRA-W) is to increase the success and participation of women in computing research and education at all levels. There are several ways you can get involved such as mentoring students, submitting proposals, and sharing these opportunities with your colleagues and students.

Nominations Open for Borg Early Career Award

CRA-Women invites nominations for the Borg Early Career Award (BECA). The award honors the late Anita Borg, who was an early member of CRA-W and an inspiration for her commitment in increasing the participation of women in computing research.

This annual award is given to an individual who has:

  • made significant research contributions,
  • had positive and significant impact on advancing women and diversity in the computing research community,
  • is relatively early-career (at-most 8 years post-PhD) faculty member or researcher in an industry or government lab, and
  • is affiliated with an institution, industry lab, or government lab in the United States, its territories, or Canada.

The deadline for nominations is February 15, 2017.

Distributed Research Experiences for Undergraduates (DREU)

Are you a faculty member interested in being a research mentor or do you know students interested in exploring research? The DREU program matches students with faculty mentors for summer research experiences at the faculty mentor’s home institution. Applications are currently open for both students and mentors. The application deadline is February 15, 2017.

Scholarships for Women Studying Information Security (SWSIS)

The SWSIS program provides scholarships of up to $10,000 for women studying for bachelor’s and master’s degrees in information security fields. The program is a partnership of Applied Computer Security Associates (ACSA) and CRA-W, with sponsorship from ACSA and the Hewlett-Packard Enterprise to provide assistance to women at the formative stages of their careers. The application deadline is February 1, 2017.  

Distinguished Lecture Series

The CRA-W Distinguished Lecture Series brings prominent faculty and industry researchers to campuses across the U.S. The purpose of these visits is to provide inspiring role models that will encourage students to pursue research in computer science and engineering. At these events, students will have the opportunity to discuss the graduate school process and receive mentoring from leading researchers. Submit a proposal today!

Travel Support for Women in Research Labs

Do you know a researcher in industry or a government lab interested in attending a conference but having difficulty finding the funding? CRA-W provides partial or full support for travel expenses to conferences or workshops in the applicant’s area of research. Travel to CS-related summer schools for the purpose of learning technical material is also covered. Up to $2,000, or $3,000 for international conferences, is available per trip. Click here for more information and application instructions.