Graduate information for women in CS&E

By Sandra Johnson Baylor

Computer Science and Engineering (CS&E) research has fueled numerous innovative and technological advances, resulting in the improvement of the quality of life for many. Although women have made major contributions to these advances, they are underrepresented in the fields. The 1992-93 CRA Taulbee Survey found that only 9.5% of the faculty of Ph.D.-granting CS departments were female and only 61 full professors were women (out of a total of 1,085 full professors). Also, although women who choose technical disciplines as undergraduates are more likely to earn their bachelor's degree than men, women drop out of Ph.D. programs at twice the rate of men.

The CRA Committee on the Status of Women in Computing Research (CRAW) is sponsoring a project to publish and disseminate graduate school information for women. The objective of the project is to encourage more women to pursue an advanced degree in computer science and engineering and help them better understand the graduate school experience so they will be more likely to succeed. This project includes a list of fellowships available to women in computer science and engineering.

The graduate school information kit will be published in early 1995 and be available via the World Wide Web. For more information on this kit, access the URL address http:/cra.org/ and search for the subtitle "CRA Committee on the Status of Women in Research" on the CRA home page.

This article includes excerpts from the kit, which discusses each of the following topics in detail.

Why graduate school?

Attending graduate school facilitates your ability to advance the state of the art in your chosen area through cutting-edge research. Having an advanced degree adds depth and breadth to your academic background, which may improve your chances of obtaining a job or improve your job performance if you already are employed. An advanced degree gives you more flexibility in choosing projects and provides you with the expertise needed for increased levels of responsibility. An advanced degree is viewed as a distinguishing criterion for separating job seekers in the applicant pool, and it provides research and writing experiences vital for launching a career onto the fast track. Throughout your career, these are the attributes that often make the critical difference in job satisfaction and lifetime earnings. Also, some jobs require an advanced degree. For example, if you plan to teach or do research at an academic institution, a Ph.D. usually is required (and a master's certainly is).

Choosing the right school

Once you decide to attend graduate school, there are many factors to consider when determining what school is right for you. You should make a realistic assessment of your abilities and determine the CS&E areas that most interest you. You may not be able to make a realistic assessment yourself--some women tend to underestimate their abilities. Get to know as many of your undergraduate-course professors as possible, particularly in the technical areas that interest you. It may be possible to conduct research with a professor while an undergraduate. Research Experiences for Undergraduates and the CRA Distributed Mentor Project are examples of programs sponsoring this type of activity.

Look into these programs and take advantage of the opportunities they offer. Experience gained from this type of activity can be a major selling point when applying to graduate school. Also, the supervising professor will be able to more readily assess your ability to do research.

Questions you should ask yourself about the graduate program include:

• What are my financial needs?
• Does the faculty exhibit special strengths and research qualities through their graduate advisees, published works and funded research?
• Are the libraries, laboratories, computers and other research facilities adequate for my education needs?
• Are graduates of the program sought by recruiters? Does the department of interest offer sufficiently large and varied curriculum to allow a broad offering of courses and options?
• How senior are the professors in my area, what are their interests and what will their availability be?
• What are the degree requirements? number of hours required? Will I have to do a thesis or dissertation?
• What is the completion rate of the general graduate population? the female graduate population?
• How long will it take for me to complete my program?
• Are study spaces and office carrels available for graduate students?

Where you do graduate work is important because the reputation of the institution affects the value of your credentials upon completion. The national reputation of a school is determined by the quality of its faculty, library holdings, research facilities and the success of its graduates. Three sources to consult for comparative rankings of programs are the Gourman Report and periodic surveys published in the Chronicle of Higher Education and the annual survey published by US News & World Report.

For descriptions of degree offerings, enrollment, number of graduates, admission requirements, academic calendar and faculty size, the Directory of Graduate Programs, published by the Education Testing Service, and Peterson's Annual Guide to Graduate Study, published by Peterson's Guides, are good sources. These publications should be available in most university libraries.

Application process

The application process consists of writing letters or sending electronic mail to the graduate programs to request application materials, completing and submitting the application materials prior to the deadline and sending letters of acceptance or rejection once you are admitted to a program. The graduate school application package generally includes an application, your personal statement, transcripts, GRE scores and letters of recommendation. The objective of the graduate committee reviewing these applications is to assess and quantify your ability to conduct a successful research program within the department. Therefore, your application preparation and presentation should show a professional set of credentials that make the case for admission. This includes using a clear, concise and coherent writing style and completing all parts of the application as directed.

Two important components of the application are the personal statement and the letters of recommendation. The personal statement gives you the opportunity to elaborate on your motivation for wanting to pursue an advanced degree, your interests in the graduate program at the specific school, your technical area of interests and your professional goals. This allows the graduate admissions committee to assess your ability to conduct a successful research project in that school's environment, your thinking ability and your writing skills. It is important that all your letters of recommendation are positive. Approach professors who know you and your abilities and ask them if they would give you a positive recommendation. While this may be awkward and difficult for some women, it is imperative that you know that positive letters of recommendation are included in your total application.

Financing graduate study

Funds for graduate study are available. However, you must be diligent in searching for and applying to the various programs. There are numerous sponsorship, research, institution and fellowship dollars available. Make a list of all available graduate funding programs. Seek advice from the career counseling and placement center and the graduate financial aid office at your undergraduate institution. You also can seek advice from the graduate financial aid offices of the schools to which you apply. Read graduate study announcements and department bulletin boards, and talk to faculty. Go to the reference section of your school's library or your local public library. You should gather information about graduate aid during your junior year or the summer preceding your senior year. Many programs have early deadlines (November or December of your senior year), so you should request application materials during the summer but no later than September of your senior year.

Matriculation

A major figure in the life of the graduate student is the research adviser. The relationship you establish with your adviser is one of the most vital aspects of your successful completion of the graduate program. It is of utmost importance that you do your homework when selecting an adviser. There are four basic questions that should serve as a guide. First, ask if the faculty member is in a position to share her or his time and advice. Second, determine if the faculty member has a reputation for producing quality research in a timely manner. Third, determine if the faculty member's current research area is of interest to you and in keeping with your graduate study goals. Fourth, determine if the faculty member is sensitive to the concerns and problems many women face as graduate students.

Many women encounter problems in CS&E graduate school that are unique to their gender. If you do not find a supportive mechanism during your matriculation, it may be difficult for you to complete your degree requirements. Do some research to determine if the department or the graduate school in general provides some means of support and encouragement. For example, there may be a formal women-in-CS program that pairs female faculty, other sensitive faculty members or more advanced graduate students with new graduate students for mentoring or other support. There may be informal programs where female graduate students and faculty meet on a regular basis (for example, lunch once a month) to discuss problems and other issues they encounter and their technical work. Many CS&E departments provide some kind of support for the special needs of female graduate students. If you are not aware of these programs when you arrive, ask about them. If they do not exist in your department, you may want to start an informal group. If there are few women in your department, you may try getting together with women in other technical disciplines such as engineering and the physical sciences.

Conclusion

Earning a graduate degree in computer science and engineering can be an enlightening process. It is possible that the intense intellectual enlightenment associated with this process may not be repeated at any other point in your life. It can be an exciting time. However, it is also a humbling experience that can be extremely stressful. CRAW's graduate school information kit outlines the graduate school process for women in computer science and engineering. The overview presented here was designed to educate you on this process and highlight some of the advantages and disadvantages of pursuing a graduate degree. Also discussed were some of the formal and informal programs you can use to provide a supportive environment for conducting a successful independent research program while enjoying your life.

Sandra Johnson Baylor is a research staff member at the IBM T.J. Watson Research Center. She is a member of the CRA Committee on the Status of Women in Computing Research.