According to recent estimates, the tech sector accounts for more than 10.2 percent of U.S. gross domestic product or approximately $1.8 trillion. Tech jobs are poised to grow at a 13.1 percent rate over the next seven years (The Computing Technology Industry Association, 2019). However, Diversity among computer and information sciences graduates remains low with only 9 percent of degrees in 2016-17 conferred to Black students and 10 percent conferred to Hispanic students. The lack of diversity among computer and information sciences graduates will be an increasing problem due to the growth in the tech industry, which will likely outpace that of computer and information sciences degrees and population shifts within the United States. Trends in computer and information sciences degrees conferred provide context for understanding workforce diversity and current and future computer and information sciences workforce shortages. By highlighting recent trends at both the national and institutional level and determining mismatches in supply and demand, this research will assist higher education leaders, stakeholders and policy makers in the development of targeted efforts to broaden participation in specific computer and information science disciplines where projected shortages will exist. Secondly, the convening of university leaders from institutions seeking to broaden participation within the field of computer and information sciences will establish partnerships across various institutions, experts, and computer and information science societies. Finally, the development of a robust online tool combining several national datasets will provide various stakeholders and researchers an opportunity to analyze data, make peer comparisons, and build institutional metrics.
The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) aims to examine the growth in computer and information sciences programs and departments in the United States, recent trends in the racial/ethnic and gender diversity across the computer and information sciences subfields and the colleges and universities confer that a larger number of degrees to students from underrepresented groups. APLU will also compare diversity rates within computer and information sciences degrees conferred to the diversity rates within the computer and information sciences workforce, including examination of anticipated workforce shortages in specific computer and information sciences subfields. In order to accomplish this aim, APLU proposes a two-year project with five objectives: 1. Determine the number of degrees awarded since 2010 in computer and information science by all institutions by race and ethnicity, gender, and computer and information science subdiscipline. 2. Compare diversity in computer and information science degrees conferred to diversity in the computer and information science workforce, including examination of anticipated workforce shortages in specific computer and information science subfields. 3. Convene an advisory group of computer and information science faculty, industry, and university leaders to provide context to the study findings and discuss the implication of the findings on broadening participation. 4. Disseminate the findings among computer and information science education, higher education and tech industry leaders. 5. Organize current data sources and metrics into a publicly accessible resource available for researchers to compare and analyze computer and information science degree awards employment data.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
