During the last decades, the presence of women in computing has been decreasing appreciably both in universities and in the business sector worldwide. UNESCO highlighted this problem in the Science 2021 report, indicating that women represent only 28% of graduates in engineering and 40% in computer science. Also, it is stated in the “Women in Digital Scoreboard 2020” report prepared by the European Union that only 18% of professionals in information and communication technologies are women. Unfortunately, the statistics in Spain are even worse given that the number of women in computer science studies represents around 13% of the total enrollment. In the scientific field, the lack of women in engineering and technology areas increases even more, given that female researchers represent only 12%.
The Spanish Computer Science Society (SCIE) is aware of the need for diversity in Science, and seeks to eliminate the gender gap in the area of computing, both at the level of computer science studies and in the scientific career. As a result, the different societies that make up SCIE have been working on different projects, chairs, etc., with the aim of changing this situation. One of these initiatives has been the creation of the “Women in Computing” commission in order to analyze the current situation, identifying what actions are being developed at the national level and that have had a positive effect, in order to establish synergies and disseminate initiatives. at the national level that make it possible to eliminate this gender gap. This commission is made up of:
- Alicia García Holgado (USAL) – Member of “Women in Computing at SCIE”, member of ADIE
- Silvia Rueda Pascual (UV) – member of AENUI
- Edurne Barrenechea Tartas (UPNA) – member of AEPIA
- Alicia Fornés Bisquerra (UAB – CVC) – member of AERFAI
- Carina Gonzalez Gonzalez (ULL) – member of AIPO
- Belén Masiá Corcoy (UNIZAR) – member of EGSE (EUROGRAPHICS Spanish Section)
- Maria Angels Gonzalez Navarro (UMA) – member of SARTECO
- Paloma Martinez Fernandez (UC3M) – member of SEPLN
- Elena Navarro (UCLM) – member of SISTEDES
One of the first activities of this initiative has been the holding of a round table in the context of CEDI 20/21 entitled “Women and computing”. In this round table, both the commission and the activities that it will develop were presented. A space for debate was also opened in which proposals, improvements, needs, etc. were discussed. offered by the different attendees.
More information:
Access the video of the round table: “Women and computing: a binomial for the future”