Unlocking the Clubhouse: Women in Computing

Winner of the 2002 Frandson Award for Literature in the Field of Continuing Higher Education

The information technology revolution is transforming almost every aspect of society, but girls and women are largely out of the loop. Although women surf the Web in equal numbers to men and make a majority of online purchases, few are involved in the design and creation of new technology. It is mostly men whose perspectives and priorities inform the development of computing innovations and who reap the lion's share of the financial rewards. As only a small fraction of high school and college computer science students are female, the field is likely to remain a "male clubhouse," absent major changes.

In Unlocking the Clubhouse, social scientist Jane Margolis and computer scientist and educator Allan Fisher examine the many influences contributing to the gender gap in computing. The book is based on interviews with more than 100 computer science students of both sexes from Carnegie Mellon University, a major center of computer science research, over a period of four years, as well as classroom observations and conversations with hundreds of college and high school faculty. The interviews capture the dynamic details of the female computing experience, from the family computer kept in a brother's bedroom to women's feelings of alienation in college computing classes. The authors investigate the familial, educational, and institutional origins of the computing gender gap. They also describe educational reforms that have made a dramatic difference at Carnegie Mellon—where the percentage of women entering the School of Computer Science rose from 7% in 1995 to 42% in 2000—and at high schools around the country.

..."rigorous, academic...practical and readable." < br /> ..."rigorous, academic...practical and readable."-- Gill Stoker, First Monday ..."a highly influential and celebrated study of women in computer science..."-- Scott Carlson, The Chronicle of Higher Education -- Gregory V. Wilson, Dr. Dobb's Journal -- Scott Carlson, The Chronicle of Higher Education ?- Wm. A. Wulf, President, National Academy of Engineering ?- Anita Borg, President and Founding Director, Institute for Women and Technology " ...rigorous, academic...practical and readable." -- Gill Stoker, First Monday " ...a highly influential and celebrated study of women in computer science..." -- Scott Carlson, The Chronicle of Higher Education " This work proves that...by viewing computer science from different angles, we can attract a broader cross-section of society." -- Gregory V. Wilson, Dr. Dobb's Journal " Drs. Margolis and Fisher have done a great service to education, computer science, and the culture at large. Unlocking the Clubhouse should be required reading for anyone and everyone who is concerned about the drop in women' s participation in computing." - - Anita Borg, President and Founding Director, Institute for Women and Technology " On the surface it seems that computing should be an attractive career for women, but for many it hasn't been. Margolis and Fisher give us a deep and nuanced insight into this troubling problem. No simplistic answers are offered, but rather the far richer perspectives of real human experience." - - Wm. A. Wulf, President, National Academy of Engineering & quot; ...rigorous, academic...practical and readable.& quot; -- Gill Stoker, First Monday & quot; ...a highly influential and celebrated study of women in computer science...& quot; -- Scott Carlson, The Chronicle of Higher Education & quot; This work proves that...by viewing computer science from different angles, we can attract a broader cross-section of society.& quot; -- Gregory V. Wilson, Dr. Dobb's Journal & quot; Drs. Margolis and Fisher have done a great service to education, computer science, and the culture at large. Unlocking the Clubhouse should be required reading for anyone and everyone who is concerned about the drop in women& rsquo; s participation in computing.& quot; & mdash; - Anita Borg, President and Founding Director, Institute for Women and Technology & quot; On the surface it seems that computing should be an attractive career for women, but for many it hasn't been. Margolis and Fisher give us a deep and nuanced insight into this troubling problem. No simplistic answers are offered, but rather the far richer perspectives of real human experience.& quot; & mdash; - Wm. A. Wulf, President, National Academy of Engineering ."..rigorous, academic...practical and readable." -- Gill Stoker, First Monday .,."rigorous, academic...practical and readable." -- Gill Stoker, "First Monday" .,."a highly influential and celebrated study of women in computer science..." -- Scott Carlson, "The Chronicle of Higher Education" ."..rigorous, academic...practical and readable." ."..a highly influential and celebrated study of women in computer science..."-- Scott Carlson, "The Chronicle of Higher Education" "This work proves that...by viewing computer science from different angles, we can attract a broader cross-section of society."-- Gregory V. Wilson, "Dr. Dobb's Journal" ."..rigorous, academic...practical and readable."-- Gill Stoker, "First Monday" "Drs. Margolis and Fisher have done a great service to education, computer science, and the culture at large. Unlocking the Clubhouse should be required reading for anyone and everyone who is concerned about the drop in women's participation in computing."--- Anita Borg, President and Founding Director, Institute for Women and Technology "On the surface it seems that computing should be an attractive career for women, but for many it hasn't been. Margolis and Fisher give us a deep and nuanced insight into this troubling problem. No simplistic answers are offered, but rather the far richer perspectives of real human experience."--- Wm. A. Wulf, President, National Academy of Engineering