Five grants awarded to programs aimed at improving diversity, equity and inclusion within the global computing community
LOS ALAMITOS, Calif., 29 February 2024 –Today, the IEEE Computer Society (IEEE CS) announced the recipients of the 2024 Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Fund grants. The IEEE CS D&I Fund, now in its third year, supports programs that positively impact diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout the computing community. Out of the 124 proposals received for the latest round of D&I funding, IEEE CS selected five programs that focus on educating, training, and empowering women, girls, the LGBTQ+ community, and others from underrepresented/underprivileged groups on digital literacy and fluency, STEM activities, robotics, programming, and other computer science-related topics.
“Advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in computer science is core to the mission of the Computer Society,” said Jyotika Athavale, 2024 IEEE CS President. “With the D&I Fund, we can further efforts that help to bridge equality gaps. In fact, through projects and initiatives like those funded this year, we will be able to inspire the next generation and drive inclusivity for the betterment of the field and our world.”
This year, IEEE CS awarded funds to the following programs:
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- Digital Literacy for Remote and Underprivileged Communities – The project will consist of three, week-long digital literacy workshops that will take place in different areas throughout Lebanon. Geared towards youth, women, refugees, and Lebanese nationals with limited access to digital resources, the goals of the project are to improve participants’ digital literacy and digital communications skills; foster and encourage inclusiveness; raise awareness of online security risks and best practices to protect personal information and encourage safe online behavior; and prepare participants to continue their digital literacy journey.
- Go Windsor Project – The project will deliver a hands-on training experience using TinyGo programming language to approximately 50 to 60 students. In collaboration with “Queer in STEM,” the training will also include tech talks on open source, engagement with the Free and Open-Source Software (FOSS) Community and will integrate “Try Engineering” principles. The goals of the initiative are to foster diversity and inclusion in technology education with a specific emphasis on supporting LGBTQ+ individuals and create a safe and welcoming space for LGBTQ+ students to explore and excel in computer science.
- Tech for Tomorrow: Empowering Girls and the Underprivileged – The project will consist of a three-day event geared towards young girls and underprivileged individuals in Pakistan. Participants will receive robotics and programming education, participate in a robotics hank-a-thon, take part in a tech tutoring initiative, and post-event, receive continued tutoring and mentoring and opportunities for engagement. The goals of the project are to help empower girls and underprivileged individuals; promote gender equality and equal access to technology for the underserved; and establish a forum for continued learning, networking, and collaboration.
- TechForAll Code Camp – TechForAll Code Camp will seek to train and mentor 200 high school students/graduates in Anambra State, Nigeria, who have a hearing impairment or are physically challenged in digital skills. The training will focus on digital fluency, HTML and CSS. The goals of the program are to empower physically challenged students with digital skills; inspire the pursuit of higher education in IT-related fields; support students with tools and resources to sustain further engagement of learned skills; and build a supportive and inclusive community among participants through post-training mentorship and an alumni network.
- Women in STEM: Workshop and CodeFest – The project will consist of a series of workshops on STEM topics and programming languages, on-site tours of local engineering departments and laboratories, and a codefest event for 200 underprivileged students, primarily girls, from schools across Bhutan. The goals of the initiative are to increase interest and awareness of STEM by women and improve confidence in STEM abilities; encourage the pursuit of STEM-related courses during tertiary education; and improve networking, creativity, and teamwork skills.
The IEEE CS D&I Fund was created to positively impact diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout the computing community. A part of the IEEE Foundation, the initiative supports diverse programs and activities that aim to help women; the BIPOC community; people with disabilities; and individuals from underrepresented groups. Through its first two years and with more than $500,000 USD donated by IEEE CS, the IEEE CS D&I Fund has supported 13 programs that brought together BIPOC high-school students, taught computer literacy in rural communities, created mentoring circles and inclusive teaching spaces, and enabled workshops, courses, and hackathons for underrepresented communities in the United States and countries around the world.
As the 2024 programs progress, project leaders will provide updates to IEEE CS and the society will share success stories via its Tech News blog. For more information about the IEEE CS D&I Fund or how to donate to the initiative, please visit https://www.computer.org/about/diversity-inclusion/.
About the IEEE Computer Society
Engaging computer engineers, scientists, academia, and industry professionals from all areas and levels of computing, the IEEE Computer Society (CS) serves as the world’s largest and most established professional organization of its type. IEEE CS sets the standard for the education and engagement that fuels continued global technological advancement. Through conferences, publications, and programs that inspire dialogue, debate, and collaboration, IEEE CS empowers, shapes, and guides the future of not only its 375,000+ community members, but the greater industry, enabling new opportunities to better serve our world. Visit computer.org for more information.
