UCSD Students Report on Grace Hopper
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10.19.04 - Have you ever wondered what it's like to see 850 women of different nationalities and ages come together under a single roof, dancing to wild karaoke and having the time of their lives?
That was just one telling scenario following the banquet at the "Grace Hopper" conference in Chicago a couple of weeks ago. Thanks to Calit², I had the wonderful opportunity of attending this conference, which I found to be an extremely rewarding and fun experience and one from which every woman in computing will benefit, if given the opportunity to attend.
It was mind boggling to see this number of women from different parts of the world, all bound by the common thread that they were highly motivated and smart women in a field dominated by men. It was this aspect of Grace Hopper that distinguished it from other computing conferences I have attended. Numerous women with careers spanning 30 years or more in Computer Science research came together to bond and provide the benefit of their experience with younger women just entering the field. It was very inspiring to see the dedication, energy, and selfless way in which they shared their views.
The conference devoted an entire day to topics in Computer Science, giving it the technical depth other CS conferences have. But it also featured several panels and discussions that addressed topics that most women in technology are concerned about -- issues like striking the right balance between work and home, when to start planning to have a family, choosing between an academic or a research lab career, etc. While the knowledge gained regarding cutting-edge research in CS was one obvious gain from the conference, to be able to get opinions and advice first hand from women who have been in computing for several decades and successfully mastered these challenges was indeed a fabulous experience, one that will inspire me for a long time.
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One of the most important themes of the conference was that every woman is unique. There is no one-size-fits-all. It's really important to understand yourself and your needs and do what is best for you. Women should not blindly emulate the path that men take because most women's careers are different from men's, just as women are very different from men. It's all about making choices that are right for the individual without compromising core personal values. Another very thought-provoking point was made by Shirley Malcom, head of the Directorate for Education and Human Resources of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, in her keynote talk. She said, "It does not matter how you got in but what you do after you get in."
The conference, I thought, ended on a fitting note by having women pioneers in computing narrate amusing anecdotes and provide valuable advice and suggestions.
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While we have a very challenging time ahead, it's good to take a look back and see how far we've come, as reflected in the experiences of these women. The progress made by women in computing in the past few decades is astounding. Reflecting on that can be very invigorating and good motivation.
As women in this field, we should use our knowledge and position to make life easier for less privileged women throughout the world, such as women that need to walk miles to fetch drinking water or those who cannot afford to go to school. Using technology to make these basic things easier in their lives is a very worthy goal, I think.
I'm already looking forward to the next conference, which will be held in San Diego. I'm sure all UCSD and UCI students and faculty working in computing would benefit greatly from attending.