Women in Technology Resources

Women are under-represented within the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields, and CodeProject wants to do its part in turning that around. We love IT and programming here: technology pros are in demand, and it's often a lucrative, challenging and innovative field to work in. Plus, coding is fun!

Whether you're starting out and want to get a first taste of programming, looking to connect with other women in science and technology, or want to be inspired by the amazing work being done by women, check out these resources.

Know of something we've overlooked? Post a message in the comments and let us know. We'll keep updating this list.

Coder Interviews With ...

Our Coder Interview with... series of articles puts the spotlight on individual programmers both within the Code Project community and beyond. Here we'll focus on the women we've talked to so far.

• A Coder Interview With Iris Classon - Iris went from nutritionist and fitness expert to programmer and Telerik evangelist in a little over a year. Check out her fascinating story.
• A Coder Interview with Lynn Langit - Lynn has worked as a Developer Evangelist for Microsoft, a consultant and a technical educator specializing in database systems, as well as co-founder a non-profit called Teaching Kids Programming.
• A Coder Interview With Julie Lerman - Julie is a programmer, author, long-time MSDN Magazine columnist writing the Data Points column, and all-around Entity Framework expert.
• A Coder Interview With Kelly Sommers - Kelly is a developer of all things mobile and has recently extended her interests into Cassandra, Hadoop and big data. She's also a passionate learner and knowledge sharer.
• A Coder Interview With Kate Gregory - Kate is an author, teacher, all-around expert on C++ and one of the two Gregorys in Gregory Consulting.
• A Coder Interview With Rachel Reese - Rachel has done all sorts of programming over the years, from front-end web app development to back-end logistics data-wrangling. This is her story.
• A Coder Interview With Vanessa Hurst - Vanessa is founder of Developers for Good, co-founder of Girl Develop It!, and a consultant and advisor to startups.
• A Coder Interview With Susan Buck - Susan splits her time between teaching, developing and helping other women learn to code with Web Start Women.

Learn and Connect

If you want to get involved, whether as a student or a teacher, here are some groups teaching a new generation of women to code and providing support and inspiration for women in the developer community.

• Girl Develop It - Empowering women of diverse backgrounds from around the world to learn how to develop software via classes, a supportive community and online learning resources.
• Ladies Learning Code - A women-run not-for-profit group working to empower everyone to feel comfortable learning beginner-friendly technical skills in a social, collaborative way.
• Web Start Women - Cultivating open, supportive, intimidation-free environments where women and girls of all ages can learn, build and code together.
• DevChix - An international group of female programmers. Connecting women in technology.
• Black Girls Code - Increasing the number of women of color in the digital space by empowering girls to become builders of their own futures through exposure to computer science and technology.
• Fembot Collective - News, opinion, publications and information about feminism, new media, science and technology. Home of Ada magazine.
• National Center for Women & Information Technology - A community of more than 300 prominent corporations, academic institutions, government agencies, and non-profits working to increase women's participation in technology and computing.
• Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology - Developing tools and programs designed to help increase the impact of women on all aspects of technology, and increase the positive impact of technology on the world’s women. Home of the ...
• Women 2.0 - A media company offering content, community and conferences for women innovators in technology with a mission to increase the number of female founders of technology startups.
• Dames Making Games - A non-profit, educational feminist organization dedicated to supporting women interested in creating games.

Resources and Information

What contributions are women making in science and technology? Here's a brief list of articles and sites where you can learn about the history of women in science and computing and what women are working on today. Know your roots!

• Women in STEM: A Guide to Bridging the Gender Gap One of the major criticisms of STEM has to do with the gender disparity in students who graduate with STEM degrees and enter careers related to these fields. Here are some stats, useful background, and resources for women looking to getting involved.
• Girls Go Geek… Again! "In 1987, 42% of the software developers in America were women. And 34% of the systems analysts in America were women. Women had started to flock to computer science in the mid-1960s, during the early days of computing, when men were already dominating other technical professions but had yet to dominate the world of computing." Anna Lewis at Fog Creek Software tells the story.
• Lindsey Bieda has compiled several useful sources of information including Women in Computing Timeline — A processing.js Visualization, Women in Computing Factsheet and a roundup of Diversity and Women in Technology Resources. She also wrote a terrific article on Ada Lovelace and Women in Computing Today. Actually, her entire site is chock full of great information. Check it out.
• An alphabetical, biographical compendium of Women in Programming from the Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems at Pace University. From Fran Allen to Joan Zimmerman, you'll find plenty of inspiration here.
• Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Radio Stories - A colleciton of radio programming on women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, produced by WAMC/Northeast Public Radio and made possible through support from the National Science Foundation. These shows were originally produced for broadcast on the nationally-syndicated radio programs 51% and The Best of Our Knowledge.
• The Programming Women’s Dress Code - Dusty Reagan presents the programming women’s dress code, a list of seven famous women programmers and their pictures to illustrate their style of fashion.
• Women in Astronomy: An Introductory Resource Guide - A resource for anuyone who wishes to explore the challenges and triumphs of women of the past and present of astronomy and space sciences, brought to you by the Astronomical Society of the Pacific.
• The Woman Astronomer provides general information about the work of female astronomers, current and past. The site has not been updated recently, but does have many interesting historical articles and extensive links to additional information.
• 9 College Scholarships for Women in STEM - An older article from US News, but a great place for prospective STEM students to start looking for educational support.
• informIT Women in Tech - Providing technology educational resources from girlhood to adulthood to help bridge the gender gap.
• Scholarships, Colleges and Careers In Computer Science - There has never been a better time for women to enter computer science. The following guide is the result of in-depth research and interviews with expert sources, to identify how women can make the most of this tremendous opportunity.
• Buildium’s Women in Technology Scholarship - Buildium provides a scholarship to outstanding female students in the field of product design, interaction design, UX design, engineering and computer science. Open to female college students who are at least 18 years, majoring in the mentioned fields.
• A guide for women in STEM - In this guide we provide information regarding: Issues and challenges women face in STEM Fields, how companies are recruiting more women to fill positions in these fields, resources for those women interested in pursuing a career in STEM, and how campuses and programs are making an effort to foster a welcoming environment for females to succeed in the STEM fields.
• Women in Engineering: Scholarships, Statistics & Tips for Advancing - This guide provides detailed insights and resources on the following topics:
  • List of Women in Engineering Scholarships (Including the SWE scholarship program)
  • Women in Engineering Statistics
  • Challenges Facing Women in Engineering
  • Overview of 6 Famous Women Engineers
  • Inspiring Quotes from Women in Engineering
  • Tips for Advancing in the Engineering Field
• Computer Science and Engineering Resources for Women in STEM - This is a collection of resources on topics like: STEM programs for young women, STEM degrees and career guides for women, financial aid and scholarships for a STEM degree, campus clubs and initiatives for women in STEM, and finally some additional women in STEM resources.
• Free STEM Resources for Girls and Women Who Want to Work in Data Science, Machine Learning and AI - This article explore several factors that keep women from entering STEM fields and provides girls and women with the resources to help empower them to pursue careers in these underrepresented tech fields at different ages and life stages.
• Network Engineering Career for Women - This guide provides an overview of the career opportunities available in network engineering and how to succeed in this growing industry.

Professional Organizations

These groups provide worldwide support for women in science and technology. From educational scholarships to professional networking, these organizations will help you take your work to the next level and show off the results.

• ACM Women in Computing - Supports, celebrates, and advocates internationally for the full engagement of women in all aspects of the computing field, providing a wide range of programs and services to ACM members and working in the larger community to advance the contributions of technical women.
• Women In Technology - A professional association for women in the technology industry, offering a broad range of support, programs and resources to advance women in technology from the classroom to the boardroom.
• WITI - Women In Technology International - A global organization committed to empowering women by providing access to - and support from - other professional women working in all sectors of technology. Home of the WITI - Hall of Fame, celebrating the contributions of women in all areas of technology.
• The Society of Women Engineers - The first society dedicated to the advancement of women in all areas of engineering, including electronics and computer sciences.
• Association for Women in Science - Another professional organization making science a better place for women and advocating for the interests of women in science and technology. The site includes an extensive guide to STEM Disciplinary Societies and Outside Resources.
• AAS Committee on the Status of Women - A group of American Astronomical Society members working to improve the status of women in astronomy and encourage their entry into the field.
• US National Science Foundation (NSF) ADVANCE - Providing grants to increase the representation and advancement of women in academic science and engineering careers, thereby contributing to the development of a more diverse science and engineering workforce.