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The percentage of women in technology and computer science fields is staggeringly low. This is a major issue at the University of Colorado and nationwide.
鈥淚鈥檓 always one of the few girls in the class,鈥� said Sarah Godine, a senior at CU majoring in computer science.听
Only about 18 percent of female bachelor鈥檚 degrees received in the United States are in computer science and information studies. Female students like Godine feel outnumbered in their courses, and severely underestimated by their instructors.
鈥淚 feel like our instructors look to the boys first before they look to the girls, like even for answers and everything,鈥� Godine said.听
Negative stereotypes cultivated in early education are driving females away from STEM fields as early as 8th grade. Female students have consistently scored similarly if not higher on most mathematical and science examinations, yet they still feel discouraged to pursue a future in these male-dominated subjects.听
Despite this adversity, one enthusiastic Ph.D. student on CU鈥檚 campus is inspiring women to hack the problem.听
鈥淚 was one of six women who graduated with a degree computer science,鈥� said Brittany Kos, Ph.D. student at the University of Colorado.听
Brittany and her colleague Ilene Pierce were not satisfied with the extremely low percentage of women engaging in computer science majors or extracurriculars at the collegiate level.听
听鈥淲e went to a hackathon one time and we were sort of looking around and there was, it was sort of this moment of like where are all the women?鈥� Kos said.听
Astonished by the limited amount of women at the hackathon, Kos and Pierce were inspired to create their own female and non-binary event called T9Hacks, named after the Title Nine educational amendment promoting equality between sexes.听
鈥淎 lot of people are coming in with these preconceived notions of what computing is or what technology is or what its like to be in that field so we are kind of combating that as well,鈥� Kos said.
It is a mission of T9Hacks to provide a comfortable space for women and non-binary students to explore their potential in computing and hacking surrounded by strong female role models like Kos and Pierce. Their hackathons have had about 100-120 attendees in the last year, but Kos is anticipating that the event will have the opportunity to grow once they are provided with more space.听
听鈥淲e really see hackathons as a learning opportunity,鈥� said Kos. 鈥淪o we want to provide as many instances as possible for students to come and learn.鈥澨�