March marks Women’s History Month! We hope that you are able to check out some of the events happening at University of Michigan honoring women’s academic, professional, and civil contributions to society.
The Weinberg Institute wishes to acknowledge and celebrate the accomplishments of women in the field of cognitive science. We are proud of the Institute’s commitment to gender equity and our contribution to the representation and success of women in STEM fields. This is reflected by the number of women who make up the Cognitive Science major.
The CogSci major consists of four tracks: Computation and Cognition, Decision and Cognition, Language and Cognition, and Philosophy and Cognition. Not only do women comprise approximately 60% of all students across all four tracks, but 49% of all students on the Computation and Cognition track are women: just shy of half the track! This is particularly significant because of the large amount of computer science courses required on the Computation track, an academic field where women have been historically underrepresented.
Additionally, women account for nearly two-thirds of students on the Philosophy track, whereas the national average of women in Philosophy majors is only 30%. We hope to continue to foster a welcoming and supportive environment that continues to enable the presence and success of women in STEM courses, as well as in our other partner disciplines in the field of cognitive science.
To honor Women’s History Month, we are highlighting a number of great on- and off-campus resources that provide support to women in Cognitive Science, Computer Science and Technology, Linguistics, Philosophy, and Psychology. It is important to recognize that, through the lens of intersectionality, women’s experiences differ across many aspects of identity, including race, disability, sexual orientation, and economic background. We affirm our commitment to women of color, which is reflected in the diversity of the resources provided below.
Campus Resources
Center for Education of Women+ (CEW+)
From their website: "At CEW+, we navigate circumstantial barriers by providing academic, financial, and professional support to help you reach your personal potential. Established to support women through higher education, we lift up women and all underserved communities at U-M and beyond. Through career and education counseling, funding, workshops, events, and a diverse, welcoming community, we exist to empower. We are CEW+, and we’re here to help you reach your potential."
Women in Science and Engineering (WISE)
From their website: "The University of Michigan Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) unit aims to increase the number of girls and women pursuing degrees and careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics while fostering their future success. The University of Michigan is at the forefront of equality in science and engineering. The U-M focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion covers not just women, but specifically minoritized women- women of color, LGBT women, and women who are first generation in higher education, to name a few. WISE does not limit our programming by identity and fosters the success of students anywhere on the gender spectrum."
External Resources
General Resources
Women in Cognitive Science (WiCS)
From their website: "[WiCS seeks] to:
Improve the visibility of women by ensuring that they are included on editorial boards, influential committees, visible positions in professional organizations, etc.
Create an environment that encourages young women to join the field of cognitive psychology/science, particularly in cognitive neuroscience and computational modeling areas.
Provide support and training with regard to dealing with administration at home universities.
Assist with professional development in the field.
Provide contacts with other women in science in the states and abroad.”
Computer Science and Technology Resources
Association for Women in Computing (AWC)
From their website: “The Association for Women in Computing (AWC) was founded in Washington, D.C. in 1978 and is one of the first professional organizations for women in computing. AWC is dedicated to promoting the advancement of women in the computing professions. Our members include many types of computer professionals, such as programmers, system analysts, operators, technical writers, Internet specialists, trainers and consultants.”
National Center for Women & Information Technology
From their website: “The National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) is a non-profit community of 1,400 universities, companies, non-profits, and government organizations nationwide working to increase girls’ and women’s meaningful participation in computing. NCWIT equips change leaders with resources for taking action in recruiting, retaining, and advancing women across the entire computing ecosystem (K-12 through career).”
Women in AI
From their website: “Women in AI (WAI) is a nonprofit do-tank working towards gender-inclusive AI that benefits global society. Our mission is to increase female representation and participation in AI. We are a community-driven initiative bringing empowerment, knowledge and active collaboration via education, research, events, and blogging.
blackgirlscode.com
From their website: “Our Vision [is to] increase the number of women of color in the digital space by empowering girls of color ages 7 to 17 to become innovators in STEM fields, leaders in their communities, and builders of their own futures through exposure to computer science and technology. To provide African-American youth with the skills to occupy some of the 1.4 million computing job openings expected to be available in the U.S. by 2020, and to train 1 million girls by 2040.”
Full Stack Academy: 15 Tech Organizations Actively Supporting Black Coders
IEEE Women in Computing Resource Page
CIO article “16 organizations for women in tech”
Linguistics Resources
Women in Linguistics Mentoring Alliance
From their website: “This project provides women in linguistics with mentors to help them with professional development skills and advice at all stages of their careers: from undergraduates to women in senior positions.”
Committee on Gender Equity in Linguistics
From their website: “The work of the Committee includes, but is not limited to, the following:
Monitoring and advancing the status of women in linguistics.
Proposing to the Executive Committee LSA policies regarding the rights, opportunities, and needs of women in linguistics, as well as evaluating said policies.
Maintaining liaison with other organizations concerned with gender diversity and equality in linguistics and allied fields and investigating possibilities for cooperating with such groups on specific projects.
Advocating for the Society's Guidelines for Inclusive Language, proposing revisions or additions to the Executive Committee as deemed appropriate.
Organizing professional development programming to assist women in advancing their careers as linguists.
Encouraging research on language and gender, as well as gender and sexuality.”
Philosophy Resources
The Society for Women in Philosophy
From their website: “The Society for Women in Philosophy was started in 1972 to promote and support women in philosophy. SWIP holds divisional meetings, meetings in conjunction with the meetings of the American Philosophical Association, and it publishes newsletters.”
Collegium of Black Women Philosophers
From their website: “The Collegium of Black Women Philosophers (CBWP) is a philosophical organization whose purpose is to encourage and foster a networking and mentoring relationship between the underrepresented Black women in philosophy including undergraduate students and graduate students as well as assistant, associate, and full professors in the Academy. The objective of the CBWP is to mentor and retain the Black women who are currently professors or graduate students in philosophy while simultaneously recruiting more Black women into the discipline.”
The International Association of Women Philosophers
From their website: “The International Association of Women Philosophers is a professional association and network that provides a forum for discussion, interaction and cooperation among women engaged in teaching and research in all aspects of philosophy, with a particular emphasis on feminist philosophy. Founded in 1976 in Würzburg (Germany) as “Association of Women Philosophers” (APh), the IAPh has gradually grown into an international organization with members all over the world. Currently the IAPh has more than 380 members from more than 35 different countries.”
Psychology Resources
Association for Women in Psychology
From their website: “The Association for Women in Psychology (AWP) is an interdisciplinary organization that attends to issues and concerns at the intersections of feminism and psychology. The annual national AWP conference is the catalyst that brings together activists, students, academics, clinicians, government and policy workers, researchers, and folks from the nonprofit sector (among many others!) for a weekend of working towards building feminist community and connection, and exciting exchanges of dialogue, ideas, and social actions.”
Society for the Psychology of Women
From their website: “Division 35: Society for the Psychology of Women provides an organizational base for all feminists, of all genders and of all national origins, who are interested in teaching, research, or practice in the psychology of women.”
