Make Space for Women in C.S.

Stories From the Field

How to Make Space for Women in Computer Science

Many women reject a career in computer science because the field’s workspaces appear too geeky and masculine. Sapna Cheryan asked women what they thought about a career in computer science in two different versions of a computer lab. If women were questioned in a space littered with electronics, junk food wrappers, sci-fi posters, and technical magazines — signals of geeky male workers — they were less likely to consider a technical career path. When women were asked the same question in a space with nature pictures, general-interest magazines, and healthy snacks, they were just as likely as men to say they’d consider a career in computer science.