Committee on Widening Participation in Computing Research
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The Computing Research Association's Committee on Widening Participation in Computing Research (CRA-WP) is an action oriented organization dedicated to increasing the number of individuals participating in Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) research and education at all levels.
| Founded | 1991 |
|---|---|
| Location | |
Area served | National |
| Owner | Computer Research Association (CRA) |
| Website | https://cra.org/cra-wp |
Formerly called | Committee on the Status of Women in Computing Research (CRA-W) |
In addition to increasing the number of individuals involved, the organization also seeks to increase the degree of success those individuals experience and to provide a forum for addressing problems, building community, and empowering participants through mentoring.
CRA-WP seeks to widen participation and improve access, opportunities, and positive experiences for all people in computing research and education. CRA-WP is committed to improving the working environment and increasing the success of all Computer Scientists and Engineers.
CRA-WP leads programs for undergraduate students, for graduate students, for faculty members and for researchers in government labs and industry. In addition, CRA-WP provides Early Career Awards to individuals who demonstrate the potential for impactful contributions and leadership in their field of research, as well as has a positive and significant impact on widening participation and improving access, opportunities, and positive experiences for all people in computing research and education.
History
CRA-W was established in 1991 with the mission of increasing the success and participation of Women in Computing Research. In 2004, CRA-W first partnered with the Coalition to Diversify Computing (CDC) to engage and increase the participation of individuals from additional groups in computing. In 2008, this partnership became a BPC Alliance[1], further expanding and strengthening its outreach and programmatic efforts. The programs quite naturally shifted from being women-only or women-focused to being increasingly co-ed, serving a wide range of constituencies. In July 2019, CRA-W became CRA Committee on Widening Participation (CRA-WP) to reflect the broader scope.
Awards
- 2005: CRA-W was awarded the National Science Board's Public Service Award for its action-oriented programs aimed at increasing the number and success of women participating in computer science and engineering research and education.[2]
- 2004: CRA-W co-founders Maria Klawe and Nancy Leveson were awarded CRA's A. Nico Habermann Award recognizing their role as founding co-chairs of the highly successful CRA-W Committee.[3]
- 2003: CRA-W was awarded a Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring for long-running work to address the underrepresentation of women in computer science and engineering.[4]