Celebrate Diversity with CRA at Tapia 2024
By Lauren Lashlee, Senior Program Associate, CRA-WP
The Computing Research Association (CRA) will have an exhibit booth at the ACM Richard Tapia Celebration of Diversity in Computing Conference in San Diego, CA Sept. 18-20, 2024. We will have friendly CRA staff manning the booth to share details about our various committees, as well as share opportunities for our next year of program applications! We’ll have stickers, shirts, and tech tacos to share as you listen to our membership and program offerings.
There will be many great opportunities to connect with faculty, researchers, and students during the amazing session offerings and exhibit hall hours. You won’t want to miss the Keynote of Phillip Gregory McKibbins, Chief Technology Officer for the Dallas Mavericks, on his model of servant leadership to inspire the next generation.
Did you know? Chad Jenkins, Professor of Robotics at the University of Michigan and CRA-WP Board Member and Steering Committee Member, is this year’s Richard Tapia Award Winner! Go find Chad and give him all the praise and congratulations after the ceremony at the reception on Friday, September 20, 4:00 – 7:00 pm PT. The agenda event is called “Tapia Awards Ceremony & Celebration.”
CRA-WP Mentoring Track at Tapia
Professional and Career Mentoring for Researchers in Industry and Government Labs
Thursday, September 19, 4:30pm – 5:45pm PDT
The CRA-WP Mentoring Track at Tapia is tailored for professionals from industry and government labs to enhance their career and professional skills, and is also valuable for those in academia contemplating a transition to industry or government roles. Attendees will benefit from discussions with three seasoned panelists and a moderator, gaining insights into thriving in research careers and advancing within industry and government labs. The session will begin with panelists sharing their career experiences to provide context, followed by conversations that address participants’ specific goals and needs.
Find out more about CRA-WP’s Mentoring Track at Tapia.
Speakers: Jaime Moreno, Distinguished Researcher Emeritus IBM (CRA-WP Board Member and Steering Committee Member), Taghrid Samak, Meta, Basak Alper Ramaswamy, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Gonzalo Ramos, Microsoft Research (CRA-WP Board Member)
Don’t Miss These Other Sessions Featuring CRA Leaders
Effective Programs for Increasing Diversity in Computing: Learning and Engaging
Thursday, September 19, 11:00 am – 12:15 pm PDT
Don’t miss your chance to hear from representatives of NSF-funded Broadening Participation in Computing Alliances and other groups to showcase their successful diversity-boosting programs in computing. The session will feature presentations from various organizations, including AccessComputing, blackcomputeHER.org, CAHSI, CMD-IT/LEAP, CRA-WP, ECEP, iAAMCS, NCWIT, and STARS, each highlighting a key program. Attendees will then break into nine groups, each delving into the specifics of one of these programs. Participants will have the opportunity to gather valuable insights that can be brought back to their own institutions or used to forge new partnerships. By the end of the session, participants will have explored details of three effective programs.
Speakers: Valerie Taylor, CMD-IT (Former CRA-WP Board Member), Jamika Burge, blackcomputeHER.org, Jamie Payton, Temple University (BPC Alliance Partner), Susan Rodger, Duke University (CRA-WP Board Member and Co-chair), Brianna Blaser, AccessComputing/University of Washington (BPC Alliance Partner), Ann Gates, CASHI/University of Texas at El Paso (CRA-WP Associate Board Member, BPC Alliance Partner), Carol Fletcher, TACC, Kinnis Gosha, Morehouse College/iAAMCS (CRA-WP Associate Board Member, CRA Board Member, BPC Alliance Partner), Wendy DuBow, NCWIT (BPC Alliance Partner)
Friday, September 20, 10:45 am – 11:45 am PDT
This panel features representatives from four NSF-funded Broadening Participation in Computing (BPC) alliances: CRA-WP, AccessComputing, the Institute for African American Mentoring in Computing Sciences (IAAMCS), and the Alliance Supporting Pacific Impact through Computational Excellence (ALL-SPICE). The discussion will focus on how program evaluation can advance these core principles in broadening participation efforts. Each panelist brings extensive experience in their alliance’s program evaluation, recruitment strategies, and community engagement, offering valuable insights into promoting representation and accessibility in computing. Through dynamic discussions, the panel will highlight the critical role of program evaluation in fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion, aiming to drive meaningful progress and create a more inclusive computing community.
Speakers: Eniola Idowu, Computing Research Association (CRA-WP Programs Evaluator), Kinnis Gosha, Morehouse College/iAAMCS (CRA-WP Associate Board Member, CRA Board Member, BPC Alliance Partner) , Brianna Blaser, AccessComputing/University of Washington (BPC Alliance Partner), Rylan Chong, Chaminade University of Honolulu
Thursday, September 19, 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm PDT
According to the latest Computing Research Association Taulbee Survey, only about 4.1% of undergraduate computing students and less than 2% of computing master’s and PhD students receive disability accommodations, often leading to feelings of isolation among these students who may struggle to connect with peers in similar situations. This Birds of a Feather session seeks to address this issue by bringing together individuals with disabilities and those interested in supporting them in computing education and careers. The session will focus on building community, sharing strategies for success, and promoting inclusivity in computing fields. It will feature brief introductions, discussions on internships, mentoring, career development, and resources for educators and employers, followed by group discussions on topics such as accessibility in computing education and recruiting employees with disabilities. Facilitated by organizers from AccessComputing and AccessCSforAll, this session aims to drive meaningful conversations and foster connections to enhance support for individuals with disabilities in computing.
Speakers: Brianna Blaser, AccessComputing/University of Washington (BPC Alliance Partner), Richard Ladner, Professor Emeritus University of Washington (Former CRA-WP Board Member), Raja Kushalnagar, Gallaudet University (CRA-WP Board Member)
Learning to Serve More Populations at PWIs
Friday, September 20, 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm PDT
The significant contributions of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) to broadening participation in computing are undeniable. Though the role of Primarily White Institutions (PWIs) in these efforts should not be overlooked. This panel will feature both early-career and seasoned scholars who have thrived in computing at PWIs, sharing their experiences and offering strategies for improving recruitment, retention, and outcomes for Black, Latino, and Indigenous students. The discussion will also highlight effective practices in undergraduate and graduate education to enhance diversity and research experiences at PWIs, impacting STEM fields at local, state, and national levels.
Speakers: Faye Jones, Florida State University, Christy Chatmon, Florida State University, Manuel A. Pérez Quiñones, University of North Carolina at Charlotte (CRA Board Member), Jamie Payton, Temple University (BPC Alliance Partner), Wanda Eugene, Co-Founder & Managing Director My Deep Designs, Inc., Brianna Posadas, Virginia Tech
