Tag Archive: CERP Infographics
These infographics are brought to you by the CRA’s Center for Evaluating the Research Pipeline (CERP). CERP provides social science research and comparative evaluation for the computing community. To learn more about CERP, visit our website.
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Number (CNS-1246649; DUE-1431112). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
CERP assessed whether undergraduate students who had aspirations to earn a graduate-level degree made steps toward reaching that goal in their senior year of college. Results are displayed by students who intend to earn a master’s degree and those who aspire for a doctoral degree.
CRA’s Data Buddies Project started as a pilot in 2011 and has been growing in its reach since then. As of 2020, 159 departments across the US and Canada are participating in the project. The 2020 Data Buddies Survey was launched on October 26th for the students in the DBS longitudinal sample and was distributed to the participating departments on November 3rd.
CERP analyzed the results of the 2019 Data Buddies Survey and discovered the top 10 words used to describe the computing field in which they are interested in earning their highest degree.
Among non-student professionals in computing-related jobs, women and non-binary gendered survey respondents report lower confidence in their ability to negotiate for resources in their job. There were no statistically significant differences in survey respondents’ confidence to speak up about issues in meetings or with their supervisor.
Analysis of how welcome students feel in computing by intersections of race/ethnicity and gender, and disability status and gender shows that there are significant differences between students from various demographic groups ranging from 36% (Black women) to 75% (White men) of students in each group.
CERP analyzed the results of the 2018 Data Buddies Survey and discovered areas where undergraduates indicate their confidence in computing abilities. Additionally, CERP uncovered some significant differences in confidence levels between students who are underrepresented and non-underrepresented.
Data Buddies 2019 came to a close at the beginning of February 2020, concluding the seventh year of data collection. Since its launch in 2013, the survey collected approximately 75,000 total responses, and 32,000 of these respondents are part of CERP’s longitudinal cohorts.
We analyzed students’ post bachelor’s degree plans and their intentions for the highest degree they plan to pursue. Our analysis found that not only are the pathways students expect to take not direct but also the shape of these pathways potentially differs for students of different racial/ethnic and gender identities.
Where do graduate students find mentors? CERP analyzed results of the 2018 Data Buddies Survey and discovered the most common sources for mentors. Additionally, CERP uncovered some significant differences between where men and women graduate students find mentors.
Analyzing data collected graduating computing students during the spring of 2018, CERP replicated findings indicating that students with formal research experience are more likely to apply to graduate school and enroll in doctoral programs compared to students without any formal research experiences during their undergraduate program.
According to the Data Buddies Survey (2018), undergraduate students with pre-college coding experience tend to have higher sense of belonging in computing. Given the importance of sense of belonging for retaining students in the field of computing, this finding highlights the potential long-term benefits of engaging students in coding early-on.
