WiAC '13 Call for Participation

Overview

In the second USENIX Women in Advanced Computing Summit (WiAC '13), we will continue to bring the technical community together to discuss some of the challenges women face in the professional computing world. Beyond mere discussion, we hope to engage all attendees to share ideas, best practices, and knowledge to move us forward in our professional capacity as technical people.

Topics 

Topics will depend upon the speakers and workshop facilitators we have scheduled. We hope to cover such topics as improving your personal brand, dealing with negative people and stereotypes, and finding ways to support yourself or find support. We welcome your ideas to make this a productive two days of discourse.

WiAC '13 is looking for relevant and engaging speakers and workshop facilitators for our event on June 26–27, 2013, in San Jose, CA. WiAC brings together women from various computing backgrounds, as well as those who are in support of technical women, in order to:

• Identify issues facing women in computing today
• Improve the role of women in computing
• Engage both genders in safe and helpful dialogue on the issues
• Provide tools and guidance to enable attendees to improve their value to industry

Some possible topics for speakers include:

• "How I got here": Finding a path to success and lessons learned along the way
• Getting noticed and receiving recognition for your work
• Surviving the male-dominated culture of computing
• Why computing needs more women and what to do about it
• How to tell if your work environment is toxic and strategies to cope
• Building your brand (e.g., your public persona in such places as LinkedIn, your résumé; how people perceive you at work)
• Encouraging other women: those interested in a career in computing, as well as your peers and coworkers

Some possible workshop topics include:

• How to tell if a company is supportive of women
• How to write or adapt a solid technical résumé
• Enabling a work/life balance when work seems to dominate
• Negotiating: salary, benefits, flexible schedules, etc.
• Coaching/mentoring: how to get started on either side of the table

At the first WiAC in 2012, we welcomed teens and college students interested in computing to join the graduate students and professionals at WiAC. Again we welcome young adults to the event and would like to have some break-out sessions that directly address issues they may be facing. Some possible topics for teens and college students include:

• Résumé building
• Getting started in computing
  • Online courses such as Stanford’s CS 101 and Coursera
  • Learning Web sites (e.g., how to program)
  • Build your own computer, network, Web site, and/or apps
  • Working with a teacher
• An introduction to computing professions
• Why go into computing at all? Is computing only for boys? Is it too geeky?

Logistics & Submission Instructions

This will be a two-day summit. Speakers should be prepared for interactive sessions with the audience. Workshop facilitators should be prepared to challenge the status quo and provide real-world examples and strategies to help attendees walk away with tools and ideas to improve their professional lives. Presentations should stimulate healthy discussion among the summit participants.

Submissions in the form of a brief proposal are welcome through March 13, 2013. Please submit your proposal via email to wiac13chairs@usenix.org; you can also reach the chairs via that email address with any questions or comments.

Presentation details will be communicated to the presenters of accepted talks and workshops on March 29, 2013.