The Colorado School of Mines proposes a project to develop CONNECT (Creating Open Networks aNd Expanding Connections with Technology), a tool that provides networking assistance for attendees of conferences aimed at broadening participation. Attendees at such conferences as the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing, the Richard Tapia Celebration of Diversity in Computing, and the Colorado Celebration of Women in Computing, for example, consistently state that networking is an extremely valuable component of the conference. Professional networking is particularly important to underrepresented populations, as barriers to participation include a lack of mentors and the feeling of isolation that one doesn't belong. CONNECT uses technology to help BPC conference attendees develop a support network at the conference and, more importantly, sustain those connections after the conference ends. With CONNECT, attendees of a conference set networking goals prior to the event. Then, when two (or more) people want to CONNECT and exchange contact information, conference badges are scanned. CONNECT attendees also receive networking tips, a daily progress email that details which of their networking goals are being met, and suggestions on the types of people to try and meet the next day. At the end of the conference, contact information of the connections made by an attendee is shared. Feedback from an initial pilot of the system will be used to significantly improve upon the CONNECT system, adding, for example, the development of stationary CONNECT stations that do not require personnel to oversee, the ability to make a connection by transmitting a text message from a cell phone, which avoids the need to scan badges, the integration of connections with other social network systems, a face-to-face mentoring opportunity at the conference venue, a networking game component that can be used as an icebreaker, and the facilitation of forming BPC communities of individuals that share common interests. The CONNECT system will be deployed and evaluated at several different types of BPC conferences and meetings.
