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House Passes Woolsey Initiative to Encourage Women and Minorities to Study Computer Science

5/12/09
 
-Amendment would expand diversity in critical fields of networking and information technology-

Washington, DC – The House of Representatives today passed legislation to streamline the government’s research in the fields of network and information technology.  The bill included an amendment introduced by Congresswoman Woolsey (D-CA) to increase involvement among women and underrepresented minorities in these critical sectors.  The Networking and Information Technology Research and Development Act of 2009 will strengthen the government’s interagency planning process regarding information technology, and require input on the process from industry and academic stakeholders.

Woolsey’s amendment will encourage women and underrepresented minorities to get involved in the fields of network and information technology by directing the National Science Foundation to expand targeted outreach efforts in K-12 computer science programs.  Despite the importance of developing computer skills, research shows that young women are less likely to get involved in computer science at a young age than their male counterparts.  In fact, in 2008 only 17% of Advanced Placement (AP) computer science test takers were women, even though women represented 55% of all AP test takers.

“Computing, networking, and information technology…and the innovations they yield…are critical to our American economy.  Unfortunately, the current education pipeline in the United States does not meet the demands of these crucial industries,” said Woolsey.  “There are two major challenges that must be addressed if we are going to remain competitive with other countries when it comes to computing, which is why I have offered this amendment.  First, we need to get more students exposed to innovative, engaging, and rigorous computer science curriculum at the K-12 level.  And second, we need to ensure that more of these students are girls and minorities.  It’s only by encouraging all students to enter the computer science fields that we will be able to fulfill the need for this wide range of jobs."