CRA-W: Committee on the Status of Women in Computing Research
The mission of the Computing Research Association's Committee on the Status of Women in Computing Research (CRA-W) is to increase the number of women participating in Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) research and education at all levels. In addition, CRA-W also seeks to increase the degree of success they experience and to provide a forum for addressing problems that often fall disproportionately within women's domain. The group's activities may also have a positive impact on the research and professional environment for other underrepresented groups in CSE and indeed for all Computer Scientists and Engineers.
Programs
Founded in 1991, CRA-W is an action oriented organization and its board members each lead activities in support of the organization's goals. These programs include:
- Evaluating Our Programs: Data Buddies
- Borg Early Career Award (BECA)
- Advanced Career Mentoring Workshop (CAPP, CAPP-L, CAPP-R, CAPP-E)
- Career Mentoring Workshop (CMW)
- Collaborative Research Experience for Undergraduates (CREU)
- Collaborative Research Experiences for Undergraduates - Canada (CREUC)
- Discipline-specific Mentoring Workshops
- Distinguished Lecture Series Resources (DLS)
- Distributed Research Experiences for Undergraduates (DREU)
- Travel Support for Women in Research Labs
- Graduate Cohort Workshop
Other Activities:
- CRA-W Award Nominations
- Best Practices in Recruiting and Retaining Women in Computer Science and Engineering
- Careers Booklet
- "Expanding the Pipeline" Column
- Publications
Awards
- 2005: CRA-W was awarded the National Science Board's Public Service Award for its action-oriented programs aimed at increasing the number and success of women participating in computer science and engineering research and education.[1]
- 2004: CRA-W co-founders Maria Klawe and Nancy Leveson were awarded CRA's A. Nico Habermann Award recognizing their role as founding co-chairs of the highly successful CRA-W Committee.[2]
- 2003: CRA-W was awarded a Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring for long-running work to address the underrepresentation of women in computer science and engineering.[3]