To the Editor:
In an article published last month ("Algorithms can't solve CS gender gap," Feb. 16), The Herald made some gross misrepresentations of the Department of Computer Science and of the field in general. The Herald illustrates a national deficit of women in computer science by citing the computer science enrollments at Brown and other schools. There's no arguing with the numbers, but speculating about the cause of the problem through numbers alone is an inherently misguided and error-prone approach. Thus, it's not surprising that The Herald's article lacked an eye-opening, fair or even accurate depiction of being a female CS student.
Like many writings on this topic, the article discusses the under-representation of women in the sciences and how it can be difficult to be a woman in a field largely comprised of men. Yet it says nothing about the positive experiences of female CS students — students like us.
Being a computer scientist is incredibly challenging, fun and rewarding. Despite the widely propagated stereotype that programmers are Mountain Dew-guzzling, Dorito-inhaling, antisocial hermits, our department is a close-knit group of genuinely friendly, passionate people. Between the two of us, we have been teaching assistants for nearly every incoming student over the past three years, and an overwhelming number of our students have remarked upon the department's sense of community. When surrounded by such a welcoming atmosphere and immersed in fascinating projects, why should it matter that fellow females are few and far between?
Which brings us to the question: What is it like to be a woman in CS at Brown? Honestly, being women in the department simply does not define our experiences here. In fact, the top five groups within the CS department with which we identify do not include "women in CS." Only things like The Herald's distorted characterization of the gender imbalance make us feel stigmatized or like outsiders. Rather than heeding a reporter who has no personal experience as a woman in science or as a CS concentrator, but who nevertheless labels women as people fighting to belong in a field where they are underrepresented, we encourage you to consider some facts.
The eight women graduating from the CS department this year have 33 total semesters of TA experience. All eight have been a TA for at least one CS class. Five have been a head TA at least once. And for the last two years, one has been a "Meta TA," responsible for facilitating the program of 90 TAs. Additionally, three work as consultants who fix technical problems that students encounter in the computer lab. This is not to say that our department lowers its standards for women and other minorities — all eight have accepted jobs at major tech companies for next year, and all are esteemed by peers and professors alike as noteworthy department members. This substantiates our claim that being a woman isn't a handicap — our fellow female CS students all excel and stand out as high-achievers in one way or another.
There are fewer women than men in the CS department. Yet quantity and quality are not one and the same. The excellence of female students' departmental contributions is in no way limited by the number of female students — nor is our love for the subject. Writing articles that broadcast the unflattering statistics regarding women in CS and fixate on the trials and tribulations they face, but that do not also mention their joys and successes, is a damaging and reactionary way to dishearten potential computer scientists. The two of us love what we do and want others to join us, not for the sake of boosting the numbers, but so that they can experience first-hand a subject that is uniquely exciting and rewarding. We sincerely hope that after reading this piece, no student — male or female — feels discouraged from exploring the fascinating field of CS.
Nell Elliott '11
Alexandra Schultz '11
