Supporting Women in InFormation Technology ~ Website 2002

SWIFT is no longer an active project.

SWIFT began in September 1997, and ended in August 2002. Although no longer initiating new projects, many of the projects that stemmed from SWIFT, such as ARC and the Tri-mentoring project are still ongoing. If you have any queries, please direct them to Michele Ng, Special Program Coordinator at the Department of Computer Science, UBC [mng at cs.ubc.ca] (swift@cs.ubc.ca is inactive). We hope you find this site useful!

Affiliates:

CWICS
Canadian Women in Computer Science

CSPC 100
Introduction to Computing via Applications in Psychology, Biology, and the Arts

UBC Computer Science

Women in Technology 2000 Conference

SWIFT, Supporting Women in Information Technology, is a five year research, action and implementation project to increase the participation of women in Information Technology. SWIFT is centered around the NSERC/IBM Chair for Science and Technology for BC and the Yukon, held by Dr. Maria Klawe at UBC. This Chair is one of five regional NSERC-Industry Chairs across Canada working towards equal gender representation in areas of science and engineering.

Information Technology fields are predicted to experience a strong demand for highly trained people over the next decade, but participation by women is currently low at all levels from undergraduate training to the work force. SWIFT will research, create and disseminate teaching resources and strategies to encourage sustained interest and achievement by girls and women of all ages in areas related to Information Technology. SWIFT's five year goal is to increase the percentage of female students in these areas at all levels by 50%.

SWIFT will work with faculty, students, administrators,counselors, school teachers, and representatives from industry, governmentand the media to create a provincial Action Network. This group will work together to implement strategies and and programs in collaboration with existing science outreach and professional organizationsto encourage girls and women at all levels to become interested in and pursue Information Technology studies and careers.

SWIFT's Strategies:
The E-GEMS project: Conduct research on effective design and use of interactive multimedia for learning mathematics and science in grades 4-10, with particular attention to gender.
Create the SWIFT Provincial Action Network.
Create and fill a new tenure track position in Computer Science at UBC for a woman faculty member.
Create and fill SWIFT Co-op placements.
Implement Action Network activities to address the key factors that discourage girls and women from enrolling and succeeding in InformationTechnology courses and programs.

Sponsors:

NSERC

IBM Pacific
Development Center

Vancouver Foundation

UBC