An Experiment on STEM Equity - HuffPo Repost

Recently, at a meeting for the Oregon Girls Collaborative project, I decided to try something new. When giving my speech on equity, I decided to skip the charts and graphs, and give the audience a truly immersive experience.

Before my session, I had an assistant help me hand out flyers to everyone. She took one side of the room and I took the other, explaining to the guests that this sheet would provide them with valuable background for the activity that we were about to do, and they should read over it very carefully.

When I got to the front of the room, I reiterated that these sheets would be considered their "background" for the next activity, and they had exactly three minutes to look them over before we took a very important (and very public) quiz. 

"The results of this will determine the future of education." I said, gesturing with the grand hyperbole. "I want you all to try your hardest to answer quickly, and since it's so important, I'll even let you refer back to your sheet for each question."

The crowd looked a little wary, though I could tell that some were loving the challenge and were ready to go.

With a very earnest face, I began, "Which direction does electricity flow in a simple circuit?"

The group glanced over their papers, and in less than a second, nearly half of the group raised their hand, answering that it flowed from the negative terminal toward the positive terminal.

"Okay," I chided, "that was only about half of you. Let's see if we can all bring it this time." Posturing with my quiz sheet, I asked, "On what side of a AA battery is the cathode?"

Again, about half of the group was able to respond, "The positive side." Interestingly, it was roughly the same half.

"Good job, those of you who answered. To the rest of you, can you please take this more seriously? These scores affect more than just you right here and now. This is a very important quiz."

I could see the other half of the room shifting in their seats. Some had already blown the exercise off, others were visibly concerned that they weren't picking up what they needed the way that the other half of the room was.

"Now," I began, "What is it called when the positive and negative wires cross before they reach the intended meeting point?"

This time, no more than half the room raised their hand, but they provided the answer that I was looking for. "It's a short circuit."

Incredibly, the correct answer came from the same side of the room! I could see the students from the other side looking around self-consciously while the side of the room containing the "honor students" sat smugly in their seats. I wanted to chastise the poorly performing side further, but my nature wouldn't let the torture continue. I couldn't keep a straight face any longer. 

"Would you all please hold up your background resource?"Gasps and giggles filled the room as the two halves of the room realized that they were working from different backgrounds! It was enough to give you chills. The relief was palpable.

While one side had received a very helpful sheet on all things circuits, the other side of the room had been given a background on binary encoding. 

"Do you get what happened here? I was teaching my class as if you all came to me with the same background, when in reality, your backgrounds were very different. How do you think this relates to the way we approach teaching every day?"

In the half hour that followed, we talked about the idea that not all students learn in the same way, and that some children are given more resources outside of class to pull from. We talked about how the half of the class that was getting everything right were feeling very self-assured and comfortable, while the half that couldn't answer the questions were starting to get very real feelings of anxiety and inferiority... even though the entire audience was made up of very successful, very intelligent people.

"How do you think you would have felt about your abilities in STEM if that quiz was the last impression that I had left you with?" I asked the weak performers. They verified that they would not have felt very confident, and they would have viewed themselves as "less talented" than the other half of the room, even though they had background knowledge that was every bit as technical and difficult as the half that excelled. Their group just hadn't been given the opportunity to showcase their knowledge in the same way.

So, how does this exercise relate to equity in STEM? I've been thinking about this for a while, so I could draw a thousand comparisons, but here is my favorite: Students who excel in STEM subjects will often continue to excel in STEM subjects, leading others to believe that they themselves are not talented or even capable. Instead of assuming that the entire class has the foundation that it needs to succeed, provide all students with an area of extra resources where they can go to catch up on stuff that they may have missed. This could be links to YouTube videos or printouts that are sitting in the corner of the room. Put aside that old feeling that it's okay to allow something that students missed in the past to continue haunting them in the future. Most importantly, if you know that a troubled student shines in a certain area, give them an opportunity and a spotlight.

Follow Kiki Prottsman on Twitter: www.twitter.com/KIKIvsIT

Engaging Girls in Your STEM Program - HuffPo Reblog

Even programs with the best intentions sometimes have difficulty attracting girls to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math).

Here are some tips and tricks for balancing the gender gap for your event:

Digital Invites 
Have a female student help you make digital invitations that can be sent to friends. If a girl helps create them, they have a larger chance of appealing to her peers. By making the invites digital, her peer group can share them virally via email and text, being sure to cover the demographic that you're trying to attract.

Make it a Privilege
Students love to receive honors. If you're having a hard time drawing girls into your program, send out word to teachers. Ask the teachers for "nominations" of students that should be awarded entry into your program. You can take those nominations and balance your roster, based on the names that you've been given. Don't forget to save room to allow nominated students to bring a friend. Girls are more likely to stay involved if they have close friends by their side.

Create a Campaign
Perceptions of STEM begin to form waaaaaay before the invites for your program are printed. It can be a bit of a process to get girls to believe that your activity or event is "for them." See if you can hook up with a media teacher to get some volunteer time from two or three girls. Work with them to start a school-wide "Girls Can" campaign. Start creating posters, fliers, and digital images to plaster around their schools. Not only will this help with the reception of your program, it can help boost confidence altogether (just make sure that you don't put down boys, or indicate that girls are "better" than anyone else).

While these techniques are by no means guaranteed to bring in the girls, they will at very least spread awareness, and help to plant the idea into all students' minds that STEM is for girls, too!

Follow Kiki Prottsman on Twitter: www.twitter.com/KIKIvsIT

Helping Computer Science Gain STEAM with Girls - HuffPo Reblog

Executive Director, Thinkersmith

Helping Computer Science Gain STEAM With Girls

Posted: 12/09/2013 9:46 am EST Updated: 02/08/2014 5:59 am EST

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Editor's Note: This post is part of a series produced by HuffPost's Girls In STEM Mentorship Program. Join the community as we discuss issues affecting women in science, technology, engineering and math.

Ask any woman currently in computer science about her roots, and chances are you'll hear a story about having someone in her childhood who was also immersed in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math (STEM).  This phenomenon has led to a burst of mentorship programs targeted at increasing exposure to female professionals in STEM fields.  Over the last couple of years, wonderful programs have emerged with this goal, including FabFems, MentorNet, and EnCorps.

While it's become obvious that access to mentors increases a girl's chances of making it through college with a computer science degree, we need to do more to get girls interested in pursuing those degrees in the first place.

You see, the girls who grew up with built-in STEM mentors were provided with another (often overlooked) benefit.  They were exposed to the world of STEM at a much younger age than many of their friends, which means that they were more likely to be able to see themselves included within that lifestyle while they were forming their visions of what was possible for themselves as adults.

Girls who learn the basics of STEM at a very young age learn how to figure out solutions based on feedback.  They learn to persist through failure and tackle the unknown.  These are skills that can help put them at the head of the pack for the rest of their lives... no matter what they study.

In a time where only about 27 percent of college graduates are finding jobs related to their major, success becomes more about "learning to learn" than acquiring experience in any specific field.  Because of that, some subjects shine above others.  Computer Science is one of those.  To help ensure that girls consider choosing computer science even after academic autonomy sets in, it is essential that they receive exposure as early as possible.

So, the next time you're trying to decide on an extracurricular activity for your kindergartener, look up your local high-quality technology club and get them involved in something spectacular. Show them that you value computer science, and maybe they will begin to, too.

Follow Kiki Prottsman on Twitter: www.twitter.com/KIKIvsIT

Education Can Be Recreation This Thanksgiving

Chances are, you're going to have a hard time trying to avoid technology this Thanksgiving... so why not surprise your family by embracing the robotic uprising this year, rather than trying to prevent it?

Computer Science Education Week is the second week of December, and Thanksgiving week will make a fantastic preview for the hundreds of lessons that have been tailored for the experience.

In general, there are two categories of computer science opportunities that are being made available to the public. First, an unprecedented number of free, self-guided online tutorials have been hand-crafted for those seeking a one hour computer science preview. Among those, you'll see new twists on old favorites, such as Codecademy, and exciting new experiences like Blockly. There are even options with catchy jingles, like the Javascript Road Trip. Any of these would be memorable moments to gather  your family around the computer for.

But what about the families that don't revel in the thought of staring at a computer screen for an afternoon of giving thanks?  There is an option for you, too!  Offered among the many one hour tutorials is a category dubbed "Unplugged."  These options are based on arts, crafts, and playtime. One of the most popular unplugged activities is easily played together with as few as two people, and as many as a school-full.  Utilizing only plastic cups and paper, My Robotic Friends was created to teach the important concepts behind computer science in the form of a cup stacking game. It's a fun and addictive experience that can be played with all ages at the same time.

If you feel like you've heard about Computer Science Education Week and An Hour of Code before, it's probably due to the passion and outspoken relentlessness of organizations such as Code.org, who are striving to make this CSEd Week the biggest one so far. As of this week, their determination has paid off, with over 3 million students pledging to participate in at least one hour of code between December 9th and December 15th, 2013.

What will you pledge to do once the turkey has been eaten?

 

Follow Kiki Prottsman on Twitter: www.twitter.com/kiki_lee

As seen in the Huffington Post on 11/26/2013

Looking Back

When I started Geek Groupies back in 2008, I had no idea where I would be just five short years later. Back then, I didn't have much faith in my ability to persevere through adversity.  Heck, even the name of the blog "Geek Groupies" indicates that I felt like more of an observer on the geek world than part of it myself.  Now, here I am, a computer science instructor at the University of Oregon, and the Executive Director of Thinkersmith, a non-profit that teaches computer science to people as a creative art form.
Looking back over my previous posts, it's amusing to see what little bumps and discoveries I had in the beginning.  It's also sad to see that the biggest lags in posts came during times when I was experiencing so much growth.  I wish I had taken the opportunity to document my personal journey, rather than neglecting to share information during my days of stress and deadlines.  I'd like to think that this will inspire me to write more now, but knowing how difficult eighty hour weeks have been, I find it hard to imagine that I'll put off bed for thirty more minutes to record a thought or two.  Even still, now that the seed has been planted, I believe I'll make an effort.

A quick note about the present. Thinkersmith has taken off, almost faster than I can keep up.  I have team members now, and some of those team members even manage other team members!  We still do camps, classes, and workshops locally, but we have also developed a curriculum that others can use anywhere in the world (some of those lessons have even been translated into other languages by government agencies!)

Our curriculum was so well received that Thinkersmith was asked to join Code.org in the task of developing a K-8 computer science curriculum intended to be distributed worldwide by 2014 at no cost to schools! Of course we said yes.  The better part of my Sept/Oct/Nov was dedicated to this feat, and we're starting to see the finished result of months of trial and toil.

There's so much more to share, but I'm going to have to do it bit by bit.  If you're interested in what goes in to starting an international phenomenon, stay tuned!

Debating Higher Ed in Computer Science

Cartoon Girl by PippySqueaks

It's a constant battle. I hear people say it over and over again.

"In order to be a great programmer, you need a Bachelor of Arts degree."

The argument is that computer science is a discipline.  It's not a vocation.  One must study for years, learn all of the picayune details, develop mastery...

Bull.

First, let me address the concept of a well rounded education.  I'm a fan.  Understanding a little about a lot of things is the key to understanding a lot about any one thing.  The premise that you must have a B.A. degree to achieve that is B.S..

To be clear, I think that the arts should be involved in every aspect of teaching from Kindergarten right on up through a Post-Post-Uber-Doc.  Learning to transform highbrow ideas into paintings, music, and poems forces you to process them and digest them, not just regurgitate them at testing time.  Plus, there's the added bonus that Americans have a somewhat inherent belief that there is no "wrong" in art.  Art is individual.  It's a process.  And as such, exploring scary things by way of an art project can take some of the fear of failure away.

That alone is not enough to accumulate a $40,000 debt in the name of your "future".

Over the course of my education, I have accumulated a debt greater than the annual GNP of some countries. I, however, still see it as a great value, because I learned a lot about myself, the world, and the way that networking gets things done.  I am 100% certain that without my college experience (independent of my college "education") my life would not be anywhere near as cool as it is today.

To sum it up:  For me, higher ed was vital. Being well-rounded is important, but college won't do that for everyone. Computer science is tough, but it can be made much easier (easy enough, in fact, for a toddler).  And for heaven's sake, you don't need to spend $20,000/year to get a job as a Software Engineer.

Start here free.

Do Your Colleagues Think You Are 'Tech Dumb'?

Posted: 02/05/2013 3:24 pm

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There are several digital faux pas that grate on the nerves of people who are comfortable with 21st century computer skills. In fact, you may not even know that your coworkers perceive you as a digital idiot, because common courtesy prevents them from calling you out on your naiveté. If you're interested in protecting your reputation as an innovator, keep reading.

1)  TyPING YOUR MESSAgES IN ALL CAPS
It's very common to look at a popular stream on a social networking site and see at least one entry where the commenter has posted in either all or inappropriately-mixed caps. Many times this is unintentional. If you have accidentally typed an entire post or email using the wrong capitalization convention (which typically should be sentence case) don't just shrug your shoulders and click send! The rest of the world sees that as a big, bold sign of ignorance. Take a moment to run your text through a case changer before you post.
If, on the other hand, you have created your message in all caps on purpose for the emphasis of yelling, you should most-likely delete the post altogether and try again when your medication kicks in. After all, trolls are the epitome of Internet stupidity.

2)  One Finger Typing
Nothing says "noob" faster than having someone in your office while you peck out an email with your pointer finger. Invest in your reputation by spending an hour on a keyboarding tutorial such as TypingWeb, then promise yourself you will practice proper typing from that point forward -- not even letting yourself resort to Hunt & Peck for rapid emails.

3)  Sending MS Word Documents When Formatting Matters
An increasing percentage of the population is putting trust into Apple, Google Docs, or OpenOffice. Gone are the days that you can assume that your audience will be using the same word processor as you do. If the format of your document matters, create a PDF. You don't have to use expensive software to transform your document, you can use a simple online converter, such as easyPDFcloud.

4)  Sending PDFs When Collaborating
PDFs are wonderful when you don't know what technology is being used on the other side of the email pipeline, but when you're working with a group to edit a document, they just aren't flexible enough. Google Docs is an extremely powerful tool for people who need to work together to get a document out the door... and it's free!

5)  Ignoring Hot Keys
Most operating systems provide a list of hot keys (or keyboard shortcuts) which allow you to easily do common tasks, without the overhead of moving your cursor to the menu bar. Microsoft and Apple both provide detailed lists of the shortcuts for their software. It's worth taking fifteen minutes to learn a few of these so that you can easily find a word, select-all, or copy and paste without losing your place.

Read this list over again and if any of these items apply to you, spend some time making these issues obsolete.  A little knowledge goes a long way!

Follow Kiki Prottsman on Twitter: www.twitter.com/kiki_lee

As published on 2/5/13 in the Huffington Post

The Art of a Well-Rounded Education

Last week, I went to the local middle school to guest-teach a lesson on computer science to a group of 6th graders.  My particular brand of computational thinking education is very hands-on, relying on craft projects and games to illustrate key ideas. Imagine my surprise when the students flew through the lesson on algorithms, but got tripped up tying knots!

As the lesson came to an end, the teacher thanked me for coming and said in a hushed tone, "This was good for them. They need more practice using their hands.  Most of my students can't even cut out shapes with scissors these days."

Floored by that revelation, I decided to compare notes from other groups.  Sure enough, in short experiments, knot tying was a hurdle for kids grades K-8.  It's not just in my part of the world, either.  Back in March, a British survey claimed that school children are excelling in technology and lacking in common life skills.  Many believe that this is due to a decrease in time during the school day for subjects like art and music. This phenomenon has been studied and documented, defended and dismissed, but I continue to maintain that the rise of one specialty does not have to oust traditional talents.

My solution is simple and approachable.  Some call it Blended Learning, but really it's a common sense approach toward maintaining handicraft through education.  Just like I encourage my sons to "read the book" before they see a movie, I encourage students to experience concepts through real-life exercises before they play with technical simulations.  Tie knots.  Fold origami.  Play with Legos.  These things can teach you about anything from mathematics to programming to African savannas.  Best of all, it appeals to additional learning styles which aren't satisfied by purely audio or visual cues.

This is not to say that the responsibility falls squarely on the schools.  The most promising approach is really to integrate these types of projects into fun activities at home and outside of school hours.  Encourage your children (or your friend's children) to make paper airplanes!  Use them to learn about aerodynamics.  That's fun at any age.

If you think that coming up with hands-on activities for your geography lesson, astronomy class, or book club is too difficult, hop on over to Pinterest.  Excellent teachers are pinning examples of hands-on curriculum all the time.  Don't see anything specific to your particular subject?  Send a tweet to me at @kiki_lee and I will personally help you find well-rounded activities for your kiddos.


As published in the Huffington Post on 10/19/2012

What is STEM, Anyway?

Professionals who spend any time in academics or grant-writing may have noticed that 2012 has become the year of STEM.  More precisely, it has become the year of talking about STEM.  That buzzword has been flying around so aggressively that it is now common to the vocabulary of educators from kindergarten through graduate school.  With such excitement surrounding that acronym, it has begun to leak out into every day society, and people all over America are starting to ask, "What the heck is STEM, anyway?"

Technically speaking, STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering & Math.  That definition doesn't even begin to do it justice.  Those of us who live STEM, have realized that the vision conjured up by those words are nowhere near indicative of the excitement those subjects invoke.  Unofficially, STEM is the declaration that we, as a population, need to bring creativity, passion and art to our academics. The STEM movement is a progression toward blended learning and teaching students how to integrate the scientific method into their everyday lives.  It's the passionate manifesto that computational thinking needs to begin right along side shapes and phonics. STEM is the realization that math is embedded into the beauty of a daisy and the functionality of the placement of its leaves. 

Even as the President's Council highlights the "need for approximately 1 million more STEM professionals than the U.S. will produce at the current rate over the next decade", congress is prepared to cut funding for science and technology in schools.  This is extremely surprising, considering that 93% of parents believe that STEM education should be a priority in the United States.  

With 51% of parents believing that our schools are failing to make STEM education a priority, a handful of organizations have taken it upon themselves to pick up the slack.  National entities like Change the Equation are developing resources to entice students and educators to look further into the amazing opportunities that STEM provides.  Individuals like Vi Hart are using YouTube to illustrate just how romantically hysterical the mathematical universe can be.  Role Model networks like FabFems are providing support for women and non-traditional individuals who are often dissuaded from the STEM disciplines when they are left wanting for professional exemplars. Local organizations like Thinkersmith, are taking programs directly to their neighborhood schools, to alleviate the cost and subject-fear which typically snip STEM lessons from the classroom.

Now that you know what STEM means, I invite you to learn more about the many exciting and inspiring methods that can be used to pique interest in these careers again. Help us banish the negative connotations surrounding these subjects. The fight is far from over, but the fact that you know what STEM means is a positive indicator that we are taking steps in the right direction.  

Find a STEM Organization in your area by searching the NGCP Program Directory.

First published on 10/5/12 in Huffington Post.

Going Gaga Over Gaga

Having been overweight my entire life  (sometimes slightly, sometimes morbidly) it's no surprise to me that fat is unacceptable.  What does come as a surprise, is how crazy acceptance of people can be.

Recently, Lady Gaga came out as having been anorexic/bulimic for the majority of her life.  For that, she's accumulating much support over the Twittersphere and throughout other forms of social media.  This comes after a large amount of criticism over her 25 pound weight gain.

It shocks me that a lady who has been adored for her Caution-Tape swimsuits, Kermit Coat, and  Meat Gown would suddenly fall out of favor after a couple of months of eating at her father's Italian restaurant.  It's as if the public is saying "You're great just the way you are...as long as you're not fat."  What's more, their reaction to her bulimia bombshell seems to say "We support you in your food issues, as long as they threaten to kill you from being too skinny, rather than too fat."

None of this is news to me.  I've been in awe this way before.  This lesson goes back to my days in Second Life.  Back when I was a super-fat housewife, I used to spend a lot of time in that virtual world. It struck me that everyone was so accepting of all of the various avatars.  We had extremely popular admins who were furries, robots, aliens, monsters, zombies, and vampires.  We had huge parties surrounding pirates, emos, goths and Slime-heaps.  Amazingly, it didn't matter what you were in Second Life, you would be embraced...unless you were a fat woman.  That's right.  Obese male avatars were never questioned, but obese females were avoided, chastised and ridiculed.  If you add a couple of "pounds" to your female avatar's waist slider, suddenly you're interrogated with such gems as "Why don't you just make your middle a little smaller?" or "You know you can make yourself taller, right?" and "Why would you come to a virtual world and make yourself fat??"

I recognize that being overweight is unhealthy.  I know that striving for exercise and good eating habits are the best practice, but I don't think I'll ever get over the Zombie > Slime-Heap > Meat Dress > Overweight Woman hierarchy.

You Couldn't Pay Me to be This Awesome

Recently, as part of my appointment to FabFems, I was charged with writing my own bio.  Now, if you've never had to do this, you may not know what a traumatic experience it can be.  You see, the key to a good bio is making sure you hit on every good thing you have ever done, without mentioning any of the logical steps that brought that gloriousness to pass.

The terror in this, comes from knowing that you are supposed to be writing from a third-person point of view.  That means that you are crafting a beautiful story about yourself, as if you have no idea how many times you fell flat on your face before you learned enough to teach undergraduates.  You write as if you are someone who doesn't know that you spent your life-savings creating a non-profit that will ultimately never pay as much as a corporate position.  You wax poetic about your role in an event that is still months in the future without hinting that there is any uncertainty in its outcome.  Worst of all, you do this knowing that anyone else who has ever written a bio will be aware that they're reading a sugary illusion, which you wrote yourself!

Don't get me wrong, science has proven that I'm pretty darn cool.  Directly out of school with my master's in computer science, I have an appointment teaching web development to undergrads, I am the Executive Director of Thinkersmith, a non-profit that teaches computer science to elementary school students all over the area, and I'm working on two national campaigns to encourage equity in STEM fields (FabFems and Picture Me in Computing.) I've created a game which helps to develop computational thinking skills, I have begun planning/fundraising on the first ever Oregon STEM Festival and still manage to feed, clothe, and entertain my two little boys.

In the previous year, I have been offered no less than ten jobs.  The majority of the time, my answer is "You can't afford me."  Don't get me wrong, it's not that I'm a pretentious elitist.  Quite the opposite.  No amount of money could entice me from what I am doing right now. In fact, the reason that my salary doesn't compare to that of my peers (male OR female, thank you very much) is that I'm following my heart.  I'm working positions that pay me a fraction of what my cohorts make because I'm blazing trails in an effort to make life better for the generations who will come after me.

Meanwhile, with no savings or love-life to speak of, the only things about me that are impressive are the items I list in my overly dramatized bio...and I'm perfectly okay with that.  For now ;)

Science: It's an Everybody Thing

Didja watch the video? Didja?

It honestly took an entire day for my opinion to form on this PA by the European Commission.  At first, I could feel my hackles rising as I thought of all the ways that this video went wrong.  The problem is that it becomes as much a statement on what "women should be" as it is on "what scientists are".

Things I love:
These women come in like they own the lab.  With confidence, they show that they can handle an equation.

Things I don't love:
The women are obviously supposed to look like models.  They represent a very narrow view on what a "girl" may look or act like.  With their stilettos and fashion glasses, the video makes it look like the only reason that they're interested in science is to create make-up.

In fairness, it should be pointed out that the current "scientist" at the microscope is obviously a male model, so at least they went for equality there.

This becomes a classic case of "damned if you do, damned if you don't".  When no one intervenes, the public gets upset because many women naturally steer themselves away from STEM. The public accuses the industry of not doing enough to encourage diversity.  But then, if someone does step up to intervene, they get hit with all sorts of flack.

The truth is, a fifty-three second second spot is far too short to incorporate all possible representations of women.  They're trying to get their message across to one particular group (probably middle school girls) so they took an archetype that statistically appeals to that target.

In the end, I'd much rather have seen a fashionista, a female athlete, a book-worm and an artist band together to take the lab over from the guys -- or better yet, to work *with* them -- because in reality, science isn't just a *girl* thing.  It's an *everybody* thing.

Facing Fears Head-On

I am brave. I'm a thrill seeker, a trail blazer and and adrenaline hound.  What I do for a living terrifies most individuals.  I take what other people fear and make it my bitch. I leap into the open abyss every day, armed with only two things: The hope that my training has prepared me for today, and the belief that luck will pull me out of whatever trouble I get myself into.

Image Courtesy of Lenovo Ad Campaign

That's right, I'm a computer science teacher!

Don't laugh.  It's completely true.  When I see the look of horror and dread that comes to people's faces when we talk about technology, it only reaffirms what I already know.  I'm a counter-cultural, extreme being...an off-road educator.  I twiddle bits all day long, asking for nothing but the chance to do it again tomorrow.  I. Am. Fierce.

I see the desire in the eyes of young people everywhere.  They want to learn how to get to where I am. I see the frustration when they figure out that their parents can't help them. That's why I do what I do.  I created Thinkersmith to teach...to inspire...and most of all, to foster confidence in a generation raised by a parents who are full of technological doubt.

My name is Kiki and I am one of the FabFems.  Please join us today and share *your* story.

Making Room for Non-Trads

To properly prepare for today's blog article, you should probably first become familiar with the "brogramming" movement, the science cheerleaders, and my article on letting people be who they are.

With Mayim Bialik in D.C.

I was in Washington D.C. this weekend working the USA Science Festival with The National Girl's Collaborative Project and FabFems on behalf of my non-profit, Thinkersmith.  The experience was phenomenal. It was truly unparalleled by anything I had ever seen as far as introducing families to the fun and creativity behind science.  With over 100,000 visitors, the festival was buzzing with excitement.  Thousands of minds were absorbing positive messages about mathematics, engineering, biology, chemistry, and computer science. It was awe-inspiring.

Surrounded by such a variety of positive female role models, I thought I would take the opportunity to go spread the word about FabFems, the new site that matches girls in science with female mentors in their area.  The result was baffling. At first, I was pleasantly surprised by how many booths were being "manned" by women.  Next, I was disappointed to find that many of them described themselves as being "just in HR" or "volunteering with a friend", disavowing any relationship to science themselves.

Those who *were* scientists kept telling me "Oh, no, I'm not really in the sciences...I'm just a math teacher." or "I'm not actually a scientist, I'm a psychologist."  I even heard one lady say "I'm not a scientist, but I write books about science, is that okay?" After reassuring these women that they had a valid relation to STEM, I handed them my info and suggested that they sign up as mentors so that they might inspire a young girl to someday believe that her contribution to STEM is also valid.  

My normal attire

As I was walking back to the "Girl Zone" (sponsored by the NGCP) my focus was distracted by super-sparkly cleavage.  Confused, I continued to look; trying to make sense of this group of bosoms being flaunted to a convention center full of young children.

Before I go further, it feels important to mention that when it comes to STEM conventions, I usually have the most exposed chest in the room -- I have no problem wearing low collars, as long as it remains age-appropriate and doesn't get to the point of becoming a distraction.

Science Cheerleaders

These ladies, however, would have made J-Lo blush!  Clad in deeply cut v-necks, short shorts, and more make-up than the late Tammy Faye Bakker, the women had attracted a ring of fathers so big that it was difficult to see what experiments were being offered. A brief chat with the cheerleaders showed me that they were a group of female scientists who were playing these characters as a method of trying to excite and entice young girls to follow their career paths.

Judgements not yet formed, I thanked them for the chat and headed back to my booth. As it turns out, these ladies have been all-but rejected from the female scientific community in an effort not to replace one stereotype for another.

Example Brogrammer Meme

The same thing appears to be happening with the Brogrammer movement.  Brogrammers have caught a lot of flack lately for their unabashed flaunting of a testosterone-filled irreverence. Fortunately, these guys don't actually exist as a corporately encouraged entity as various videos and articles would suggest.  Instead, these mythical creatures were dreamed up as another example of meme, such as the Sir and the more recent Ridiculously Photogenic Guy. Any geek worth her (or his) salt would take a look at the evidence and detect the farce instantly.  The media blitz generated by the misunderstanding, however, was very real.

This spinning vortex of extremity went a long way toward exploding my mind over the weekend.  When asked about my opinion of these radical groups, I had to defer my answers.  On one hand, I am such a big fan of supporting non-traditional individuals in any field.  On the other, I'm appalled by the perpetuation of a woman being most prized as eye-candy.  (Another honesty side note: I most likely only feel that way because I don't fit into the eye-candy stereotype and I want to be prized, too.)

Finally, I came to peace with my answer.  If brogrammers existed as a group, I would hope that their derogatory attitudes wouldn't be accepted in any workplace anywhere.  The practices being heralded as brogramming basics would make for sloppy and unsuccessful coding practice, and their kind wouldn't last in a start-up world anyhow.  Attitude aside, I do LOVE the idea of programmers who stay active, stay social and buck the system. There's no reason to fall into a stereotype just because some group appears to outnumber you.

As far as the Science Cheerleaders go, I approve of the message, but not the outfits.  As long as the science is real (and not dumbed down) then the method doesn't really matter to me.  Why should I care whether the message comes from a cheerleader, an old man or a rat?  The reasoning is in the results.  If it works, it works!  I figured out that my initial shock came from the same place as if I had seen my child's kindergarten teacher dressed in a similar outfit.  It just doesn't feel like an appropriate costume for the age group that they're reaching out to.  In the end, I say to the cheerleaders:  "The message is good.  The outfits...not so much."