{"id":26181,"date":"2025-06-20T16:29:13","date_gmt":"2025-06-20T16:29:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/?p=26181"},"modified":"2025-06-20T16:29:15","modified_gmt":"2025-06-20T16:29:15","slug":"addressing-gender-inequality-in-computer-science-new-study-uncovers-hidden-bias","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/addressing-gender-inequality-in-computer-science-new-study-uncovers-hidden-bias\/","title":{"rendered":"Addressing Gender Inequality in Computer Science: New Study Uncovers Hidden Bias"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-blockquote uagb-block-e7eb3fc3 uagb-blockquote__skin-border uagb-blockquote__stack-img-none\"><blockquote class=\"uagb-blockquote\"><div class=\"uagb-blockquote__content\">Recent study exposes significant bias against applied research in computer science, a finding that spotlights the hidden hurdles women face in academia. <\/div><footer><div class=\"uagb-blockquote__author-wrap uagb-blockquote__author-at-left\"><\/div><\/footer><\/blockquote><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-content-justification-space-between is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-b0ffac9c wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><div style=\"font-size:16px\" class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-post-author\"><div class=\"wp-block-post-author__content\"><p class=\"wp-block-post-author__name\">The University Network<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share uagb-social-share__outer-wrap uagb-social-share__layout-horizontal uagb-block-ee584a31\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-ec619ce7\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"facebook\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\"><path d=\"M504 256C504 119 393 8 256 8S8 119 8 256c0 123.8 90.69 226.4 209.3 245V327.7h-63V256h63v-54.64c0-62.15 37-96.48 93.67-96.48 27.14 0 55.52 4.84 55.52 4.84v61h-31.28c-30.8 0-40.41 19.12-40.41 38.73V256h68.78l-11 71.69h-57.78V501C413.3 482.4 504 379.8 504 256z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-32d99934\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?url=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"twitter\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\"><path d=\"M389.2 48h70.6L305.6 224.2 487 464H345L233.7 318.6 106.5 464H35.8L200.7 275.5 26.8 48H172.4L272.9 180.9 389.2 48zM364.4 421.8h39.1L151.1 88h-42L364.4 421.8z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-1d136f14\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/shareArticle?url=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"linkedin\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\"><path d=\"M416 32H31.9C14.3 32 0 46.5 0 64.3v383.4C0 465.5 14.3 480 31.9 480H416c17.6 0 32-14.5 32-32.3V64.3c0-17.8-14.4-32.3-32-32.3zM135.4 416H69V202.2h66.5V416zm-33.2-243c-21.3 0-38.5-17.3-38.5-38.5S80.9 96 102.2 96c21.2 0 38.5 17.3 38.5 38.5 0 21.3-17.2 38.5-38.5 38.5zm282.1 243h-66.4V312c0-24.8-.5-56.7-34.5-56.7-34.6 0-39.9 27-39.9 54.9V416h-66.4V202.2h63.7v29.2h.9c8.9-16.8 30.6-34.5 62.9-34.5 67.2 0 79.7 44.3 79.7 101.9V416z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A new study led by Samantha Kleinberg, the Farber Chair Professor of Computer Science at Stevens Institute of Technology, uncovers a disturbing trend that may explain the persistent gender gap in computer science. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the dawn of the computing era, women were pioneering the use of computational technology, often in roles considered secretarial. However, as computer science evolved into a prestigious field driven by algorithms and theory, women became increasingly underrepresented. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fast forward to today, and only 23% of bachelor\u2019s and doctoral degrees in computer science are awarded to women, with just 18% of full professors being women \u2014 an even lower representation than in the 1980s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The study, <a href=\"https:\/\/ieeexplore.ieee.org\/document\/10975775\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">published<\/a> in IEEE Access, reveals that the type of research that often draws women into computing \u2014 applied research \u2014 is systematically devalued within the academic community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Applied vs. Theoretical Research<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In academia, research typically falls into two categories: applied research, which creates new products, technologies, or solutions to real-world problems, and theoretical research, which seeks to deepen our understanding of fundamental principles, such as the mathematical properties of algorithms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhen you walk into a room at an applied computing conference, you\u2019ll see a balance between women and men attendees,\u201d Kleinberg said in a news release. \u201cAt conferences that focus more on theory, the room looks vastly different. There are significantly fewer women than men.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite both types of research being crucial for the advancement of computer science, the study indicates that the academic community doesn\u2019t value them equally. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This trend often stems from longstanding academic preferences for theoretical work requiring deep mathematical expertise, even though many researchers contribute to both areas throughout their careers.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Bias<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kleinberg, in collaboration with Jessecae Marsh, a psychology professor at Lehigh University,  surveyed tenured and tenure-track faculty across the top 100 computer science departments in the United States to gauge perceptions of researchers engaged in applied versus theoretical work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Their findings reveal significant bias against applied researchers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Faculty assessed researchers involved in applied work as less likely to publish in prestigious venues, secure tenure or promotion, receive awards or obtain funding. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even more concerning, they rated these researchers as less brilliant, creative and technically skilled than their theory-focused counterparts, despite recognizing the applied work as equally important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI wanted to understand this dynamic I was seeing,\u201d added Kleinberg. \u201cSo we thought, let\u2019s find out what people actually think about this research and the people who do it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Analyzing data from publications, hiring, funding and awards, the researchers confirmed that applied research indeed leads to inferior career outcomes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To test the hypothesis that women are more represented in applied research, Kleinberg manually examined over 11,000 American academics\u2019 profiles to ensure accuracy, revealing that women are more frequently found in applied research roles, making this bias particularly detrimental to their careers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Interestingly, universities have successfully increased women\u2019s participation in computer science by emphasizing its applications. Initiatives like interdisciplinary CS+X programs that pair computing with fields such as anthropology, biology or music have significantly attracted more women students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s not clear whether it\u2019s actually their interest or the culture of the field that makes theoretical work unappealing,\u201d Kleinberg added. \u201cIt might be that women do want to do theory but feel less welcomed in those spaces.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The study suggests that academia might be pushing women toward applied areas due to cultural barriers and then penalizing them for their work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Broader Implications<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Diverse perspectives are crucial for advancing computer science. Just as early clinical trials that excluded women led to less effective treatments for women, computing research needs varied voices to create inclusive algorithms and tools.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI do research in health,\u201d Kleinberg added. \u201cUltimately, we want our algorithms and tools to be used by everyone and to be applied to everyone. Science is better when it reflects everybody.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The implications of this study extend beyond gender equity, warning that systematic devaluation of applied computing could deter vital research addressing society\u2019s most pressing challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Moving Forward<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To address this bias, it will be necessary to make systemic changes in how universities evaluate research impact, train faculty to recognize unconscious bias, and restructure promotion and tenure decisions to value both theoretical and practical contributions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:11px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.stevens.edu\/news\/the-hidden-bias-pushing-women-out-of-computer-science\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Stevens Institute of Technology<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A new study led by Samantha Kleinberg, the Farber Chair Professor of Computer Science at Stevens Institute of Technology, uncovers a disturbing trend that may explain the persistent gender gap in computer science. At the dawn of the computing era, women were pioneering the use of computational technology, often in roles considered secretarial. However, as [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"single-no-separators","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[357],"class_list":["post-26181","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-education","tag-stevens-institute-of-technology"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"The University Network","author_link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/author\/funky_junkie\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"A new study led by Samantha Kleinberg, the Farber Chair Professor of Computer Science at Stevens Institute of Technology, uncovers a disturbing trend that may explain the persistent gender gap in computer science. At the dawn of the computing era, women were pioneering the use of computational technology, often in roles considered secretarial. However, as&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26181","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26181"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26181\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26241,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26181\/revisions\/26241"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26181"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26181"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26181"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}