Colorado School of Mines (CSM) proposes a Demonstration Project designed to attract and retain females in computer science from middle school through undergraduate studies. Specifically, the project aims to (1) develop effective strategies for stimulating female interest in computer science from middle school through undergraduate studies, (2) increase the number of female undergraduate students who declare majors in computer science, (3) increase the retention of female undergraduate majors in computer science, (4) redesign the undergraduate computer science curriculum in a manner that is appealing to both male and female students. Each intervention has been specifically designed to build on results from prior research. At the middle and high school levels, interventions ? including a summer technology camp and an academic technology club ? are planned to stimulate female interests in and understanding of mathematics, science and technology. Interventions will also take place at summer workshops for teachers, where middle school and high school teachers will learn both the statistics on female attrition and research based methods to encourage female participation in computer science, mathematics and science. Efforts will further be made to improve academic advising at the middle school, high school and undergraduate levels with respect to technical fields. At the undergraduate level, the computer science curriculum at CSM will be redesigned to build on the efforts of the Humanitarian Engineering program at CSM, which is known to attract female participation.
