This being my first time attending the Grace Hopper Celebration, I’m not quite sure what to expect though I am excited to hear so many accomplished women speak. I am registered for speaking sessions on how to beat the bragging taboo, overcoming the imposter experience, surviving and thriving as the only woman in the room, user centered design for k-12 outreach, and developing meaningful experiences with art and technology. I also have registered for sessions with open source software; test driven development and a full day of coding by participating in the Code-a-thon for Humanity.
There has been a drastic decline in the percentage of females graduating with degrees in Computer Science because of isolation, loss of interest, lack of confidence, and lack of role models. I hope to return after the GHC with a better knowledge of how to reach out to young girls and women and how to support them and encourage them to pursue their interests in the Computer Science field. I was lucky enough to be raised by a strong woman who taught me to believe in myself and am raising a daughter to also have that confidence but I know that not every woman has had that same experience, that same support system.