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ERIC Number: EJ1410482
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023
Pages: 21
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1648-5831
EISSN: EISSN-2335-8971
Bioinformatics as a Means to Attract Women to Computer Science
Sara Genut; Yifat Ben-David Kolikant
Informatics in Education, v22 n4 p613-633 2023
Programs in bioinformatics, offered in many academic institutes, are assumed to expand women's representation in computer science (CS). Women's enrolment in these programs is high. Our questions are: Do these programs attract different women from those attracted to CS programs? What factors underlie women's decision to enroll in bioinformatics programs? How do these factors differ from those of women who choose CS, if at all? What career opportunities do these women anticipate and pursue? Using questionnaires and interviews, we found a statistically significant difference between the factors that motivate women to choose bioinformatics and others to study CS. Many bioinformatics students did not consider CS as an alternative. Post-facto they learned to love computing, albeit with a biology-oriented purpose. "Computing with purpose" underlies many participants' pursuit of careers in research, CS, and bio-tech. We thus conclude that bioinformatics programs do indeed expand women's representation in CS.
Vilnius University Institute of Mathematics and Informatics, Lithuanian Academy of Sciences. Akademjos str. 4, Vilnius LT 08663 Lithuania. Tel: +37-5-21-09300; Fax: +37-5-27-29209; e-mail: info@mii.vu.lt; Web site: https://infedu.vu.lt/journal/INFEDU
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A