CRA-W Mentoring Programs
Successes and Future Plans
Grace Hopper Celebration of
Women in Computing
September 2000
Overview
• DMP & CREW successes & future plans (Mary Jean
Harrold, Sheila Castañeda)
• Breakout sessions
– Sharing Experiences / Mentor Advice (Mary Jean Harrold,
Sheila Castañeda)
– Scaling the Programs (Anne Condon)
– Diversifying the Mentor Pool (Mary Lou Soffa)
– Increasing the Applicant Pool (Ann Redelfs, Sally McKee)
• Summary and questions
DMP: Distributed Mentor
Project
Goal: Improve representation of women holding
high-level positions in industry and academia
Method: Provide research experience for
undergraduates with female faculty members at
research university
Implementation: Pair undergraduates (potential for
graduate-school success) with female faculty
members (active research programs) for summer
of research
DMP Funding
• National Science Foundation under the
Experimental and Integrated Activities program
(1994-95, O’Rourke, 1996-1998, Condon, 19992001, Harrold, 2002-2004, Amato will submit)
• Computing Research Association Committee on
the Status of Women in Computing (CRA-W)
• National Science Foundation’s Partnership for
Advanced Computational Infrastructure (NPACI)
DMP 1999 – 2000
• Funded 18, 19 students respectively from a
variety of colleges and universities
• Matched two students per mentor where
possible (matches made by Selection
Committee)
• Record of 2000 projects maintained by students
(inspired by Sara Smolensky, 1999 participant)
• Described in Computing Research News,
September 2000
Students Supported
1999 (18 students)
Bucknell University, Northwestern University,
University of Oregon, Rose-Hulman Institute of
Technology, Dartmouth College, Brown University,
University of Southern California, University of
Minnesota, Morris, Harvey Mudd College, Purdue
University, University of Tulsa, Mississippi State
University, Williams College, Duke University, Rice
University, Trinity College, Uniersity of Missouri,
Brooklyn College
Mentors’ Affiliations
1999 (14 mentors)
University of Utah, University of California
San Diego, Brown University, Duke
University, Worchester Polytechnic
Institute, Rice University, Georgia Institute
of Technology, University of Tulsa,
University of Massachusetts, Brooklyn
College, University of Central Florida
Students Supported
2000 (20 students)
Columbia University, Marymount College, University of
Oregon, University of California, Polytechnic University,
Rutgers University, University of Southern California,
Mills College, Ashland University, Hope College,
University of Oregon, Transylvania University, Bucknell
University, Franciscan University, University of
Pittsburgh, University of Delaware, Santa Clara
University, Dartmouth University, Purdue University
Mentors’ Affiliations
2000 (15 mentors)
Polytechnic University, George Mason University,
Georgia Institute of Technology, Rutgers
University, Brown University, University of
Georgia, University of Utah, University of
Wisconsin, Duke University, University of
Pittsburgh, University of Delaware, North
Carolina State University, University of
Washington
Students / Mentors
DMP Successes
Summer 1999 participants (LEAD Center)
CRN article, CRA-W web site
– 100% learned/gained more than they had
expected
– 100% reported change in attitude about graduate
school after experience
– 72% were committed to graduate school after
experience
Participants with graduate degrees?
DMP Future Plans
LEAD Center evaluation
– Summer 2000 evaluation
– Longitudinal evaluation
Scaling
– Diversification of mentors, institutions
– Broader funding base
CREW: Collaborative Research
Experience for Women in
Undergraduate Science and
Engineering
Goals
– Increase the opportunity to do research
– Decrease the isolation that may be experienced
in doing independent research
– Encourage women scientists and engineers to
pursue similar work in graduate school
CREW Funding
• Computing Research Association
Committee on the Status of Women in
Computing (CRA-W)
• National Science Foundation’s Partnership
for Advanced Computational
Infrastructure’s Education, Outreach and
Training program (NPACI)
• $25,000 per year budget
Projects Supported
1998-1999 (20 students, 9 advisors)
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Brooklyn College, CUNY
Bryn Mar College
Case Western Reserve University
Grinnell College
North Carolina A&T State University
Texas Christian University
University of Wisconsin, La Crosse
Projects Supported (cont’d)
1999-2000 (10/27 funded, 22 students, 13 advisors)
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Columbia University
Lawrence University
Marymount University
Middlebury College
Northwest Missouri State University
Rutgers University
Texas Wesleyan University
University of the South
Western Washington University
Projects Supported (cont’d)
2000-2001 (11/14 funded, 27 students, 14 advisors)
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Brooklyn College
College of New Jersey
James Madison University
North Carolina A&T University
Northwest Missouri State University
San Diego State University
Sonoma State University
University of Alabama, Huntsville
University of Alaska, Fairbanks
University of Montana, Missoula
Students
CREW Future Plans
• Expand the program
• Secure additional funding
• Provide additional evaluation of results
(pre- and post-surveys)
Sharing Experiences /
Mentor Advice
Goals of Session
– Share experiences and advice about being
a good mentor
– Develop concrete list of useful
information for mentors and students
– Publish the information for future
participants in the program (after
conference)
Areas for Discussion
• What works well and what doesn’t?
• What kinds of preparations are needed
(e.g., research plans, travel, housing) ?
• How can the research project be structured,
stay on track, and meet the timeline?
• What can be done if the research isn’t
progressing as you had expected?
Areas for Discussion
• How can interaction with research
group/community be fostered?
• What kind of interaction should you expect from
the supervisor or mentor?
• What can be done if your mentor is not as
supportive as you expect?
• How can students participate in social activities
during mentor experience?
• How can we stay in touch with students after they
participate in a project?
Scaling the Programs
Motivation:
– Reach more students, including Canadians
– Enhance the DMP experience for students
Proposed Approach:
– Industrial sponsors
– Mentors from industry/national research labs which pay
for students
– Institutions help pay student stipends (provides edge on
recruiting students to grad school)
Diversifying the Mentor Pool
• Develop a group mentoring model with
both men and women faculty as mentors
• Benefits:
– Broader pool of mentors for program
– Opportunity for men to work towards
expanding the pipeline
– New mentoring structures for students
• Retain current single-mentor format
Increasing the Applicant Pool
Through Connections/Activities
• Partnerships: MentorNet, Institute for Women in
Technology, GirlGeeks, National Institute for
Women in Trades, Technology & Science
• Funding sources: NSF, DARPA, NIH
• Professional associations and their student groups
• Minority serving institutions, women’s colleges,
junior colleges
• Conferences
• Articles / press releases / reports