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Betting on Yourself: Regaining and MaintainingConfidence as a Woman in Computing

Tejinder K. Judge, Laurian VegaCenter for Human-Computer Interaction

Virginia Tech2202 Kraft Drive

Blacksburg, Virginia 24060 {tkjudge, laurian}@vt.edu

Erika PooleCollege of Information Sciences and Technology

The Pennsylvania State University321 E IST Building

University Park, PA 16802 USAepoole@ist.psu.edu

ABSTRACTWomen in technical fields may face gender bias, impostor syndrome, and stereotype threats on a daily basis. Other sessions at the Grace Hopper Celebration educate andcreate awareness that these problems are common, but fewaddress the secondary (and perhaps more enduring) effectof these issues: all of these problems result in confidencedips. We propose a session that discusses practical tips for gaining and maintain confidence. With a mix of panelistsfrom academia and industry, representing varying career stages, we will (1) present tips for managing and dealingwith issues of self-confidence, and (2) moderate a hands-onactivity in which attendees practice confidence building.Our goal is to equip technical women with a toolbox of techniques for coping with fluctuations in confidence.

1. INTRODUCTIONResearch has shown that women do not abandon technicalareas of study because of a lack of skills or poor academic

performance. In fact, women who drop out of engineering

degree programs in college are more likely to have a higher grade point average than their male counterparts [8]. Whilethere are many internal and external factors affecting

persistence to pursue a technical degree, one dominantfactor is a womans confidence and self-efficacy beliefs [9,11]. Given the important role of confidence in retainingdiverse participation in computing-related fields, we are

proposing a panel specifically discussing how to maintainand regain confidence after common setbacks.

The focus of our panel is not on reasons women loseconfidence, but instead on providing practical advice and hands-on practice in skills for increasing confidence . Thisis a topic that perhaps every female attendee can related to

[5]. Confidence issues pervade many aspects of female life beginning at an early age. In a study of 5 th grade BrightGirls research found that they were more likely to give upon difficult tasks because women are more likely toattribute success to innate ability. Thus, when presentedwith difficult tasks women are more likely to give up,doubt their ability, and lose confidence [3]. Theseconfidence issues may follow women throughout their lives, particularly if they pursue a technical career.

The cultures of many technical fields, Computer Scienceincluded, are filled with explicit and implicit reminders thatthese are male-dominated fields [10], which may leadwomen to feel like outsiders and question their worth. InComputer Science, examples include the programmingassignments [2] that embody male interests, jobexpectations that are different between men and women,and the software that embodies male views of certainty andvalues [7]. Despite much progress made in improvingwomens access to participation in the technical work force, gender bias and stereotypes remain. Moreover,women in technical fields may be especially prone to theImposter Syndrome, in which sufferers believe that successis due to luck, rather than hard work or intelligence. Inthese situations, a person may erroneously believe that sheis less capable and confident than those around her [1, 4].All of these factors may lead to women losing confidenceand even worse leaving the technical field.

2. PLAN OF ACTIONOur panel will address predictable confidence dips thatoccur at stages across a womans technical career. For instance, prior research has found that undergraduateComputer Science women in their first semester of collegeexperience a large drop in confidence [2]. This is due to theundergraduates adjusting from being away from their family, adjusting to college and dealing with a strenuousclass load. Graduate students and young members of theworkplace may experience confidence dips after

performance reviews such as after the qualifying exam of a Ph.D., or after an annual job evaluation. The effects feltafter negative reviews are stronger on women than on men[2]. Finally, there may be particular phases in a womanslife that can induce dips in confidence. Examples are takingleave for pregnancy or to look after a relative responsibilities that women are more likely to assume.One key factor that has demonstrated an increaseconfidence is identifying with other women who have faced

similar problems and successfully overcame them . The goalof our panel is to encourage discussion about situations thatcan cause a lack of confidence, and then to sharerecommendations and best practices on how to reboundafter such experiences. To do this we will divide our

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session into three parts: introduction of panelists (10minutes); tips for regaining and maintaining confidence (20minutes), confidence building activity (10 minutes), anddiscussion with audience (20 minutes).

Panelists will start by introducing themselves, their background, and briefly mention situations in their

professional life when they have lost confidence. This willallow the audience to learn about the panelists and possiblyidentify with some of the issues brought up (e.g.motherhood, bad reviews, negative feedback fromsupervisors, etc.).

Next, each of the panelists will share tips on confidencealong with their experience to contextualize the advice. Thetips we will be sharing include: Seeking Peer Support: We will provide concrete tips on

creating peer support groups that can be used to talk openly about issues of interest while maintainingconfidentiality.

Faking It Til You Make It: We will describe methodsfor cultivating an attitude of confidence in spite of self-doubt.

Dressing for Success : We will discuss how outwardappearance can reflect internal unconfident state, and

provide tips on using clothing as a confidence builder. Establishing Reachable Goals : We will discuss the

methods of setting mini-goals for building confidence. The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn : We will discuss

celebration of strengths and achievements and how togive self-permission to take pride and share successeswith others.

Creating Environments that Build Confidence : Wewill discus how to shape physical environments to build

confidence. The Art of Moderation: We will discuss time

management skills, self care, tendencies towardoverwork, and the importance of everything inmoderation . Attendees will receive practical tips ongoing the extra mile to be prepared without goingoverboard or being perfectionists.

Defining and Living Your Values: We will discuss theimportance of doing personally meaningful activities,and providing tips for identifying ones personal valuesand incorporating them into ones work and life.

Following these tips, we will move into a hands-on activitywhere the audience will be divided into pairs. Each person

will take turns talking about her achievements in aconfident manner and will receive feedback from others.This will allow the audience to practice being confident in asocial encounter and will allow them to think about their accomplishments.

Last, we will open the floor for the question and answerssession. We believe that the tips will be a good catalyst for discussion as it will encourage women in the audience toshare other methods for maintaining and regaining

confidence that have worked for them. If the audience isshy, we will provide additional tips and personal anecdotes.

3. AUDIENCE, SESSION, & OUTCOMESPrior successful panels that are related to our proposedtopic have been run at the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing (GHC). To name a few, there have

been panels run in 2007 to 2010 on the Impostor Syndromeand having children in graduate school in 2009 & 2010 [6,12]. The success of these previous panels suggests thatGHC attendees would value a session devoted to the topicof confidence. While confidence is discussed at other venues, such as the yearly CRA-W Grad Cohort for junior graduate students, our session differs from these given thatour focus is on discussing tips for regaining andmaintaining confidence in both academia and industry andacross varying stages of ones career.

The proposed audience for our session will be all attendees.The audience will leave the panel with the knowledge that alack of confidence is a problem that can affect any womanin computing not matter her age, status, or rank. She willadditionally have techniques for confidence boosting andwill have practiced using them during the interactivesession. We will provide a flyer that the audience can takehome with the tips that we will be discussing.

While there is no magic formula for maintaining andincreasing confidence, the women in the audience willknow that they are not the only ones facing issues of confidence, and they will be equipped with tips shared bythe panelists and the audience. Creating a voice for thistopic can and will raise awareness about confidence and itwill bring women together and create cohorts to supporteach other.

4. PANELISTSTo provide a range of voices on the topic of confidence wehave selected panelists from different areas: graduateschool, academia, research, and industry. This includes: Jamike Burge, a Senior Research Engineer in the

Government/Defense industry, had a dip in her confidence when she had to find a new advisor and

project at the same time. Robin Jeffries, Engineer at Google and former Sun

Microsystems Distinguished Engineer, had a dip in her confidence when trying to manage work-life balance.

Tejinder Judge , a senior PhD candidate at Virginia Tech,

she will discuss multiple dips in confidence she hasexperienced in graduate school. Tejinder will also be themoderator for the session.

Erika Poole , assistant professor at Pennsylvania StateUniversity, will discuss the frequent dips in confidencethat come with being a new faculty member.

Laurian Vega , a Ph.D. candidate at Virginia Tech andsoon to be defense contractor for Next Century, she had adip in her confidence after having her first child.

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[2] Fisher, A. and J. Margolis, Unlocking the Clubhouse:

The Carnegie Mellon Experience . ACM SIGCSE Bulletin , 2002. 34(2): p. 79-83.

[3] Halvorson, H.G. (2011) The Trouble with Bright Girls.The Huffington Post , Available from:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/heidi-grant-halvorson-

phd/girls-confidence_b_828418.html .

[4] Harvey, J.C. and C. Katz, If I'm So Successful Why Do I Feel Like a Fake: The Impostor Phenomenon . 1985:St Martins Pr.

[5] Henderson, S.G. Staying Sane on the Tenure Track. Proceedings of the 40th Conference on Winter Simulation . 2008. Miami, Florida: Winter Simulation

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Know Best: Continuing the Discussion on Pregnancyand Graduate School. Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing, . 2010. Atlanta, Georgia, UnitedStates: ACM.

[7] Mintz, J., Researchers Study Software Gender Gap, inThe Associated Press . 2007: Seattle.

[8] Nauta, M.M., D.L. Epperson and K.M. Waggoner,Perceived Causes of Success and Failure: AreWomen's Attributions Related to Persistence inEngineering Majors? Journal of Research in Science

Teaching , 1999. 36(6): p. 663-676.[9] Prochaska, J., L. Mauriello, K. Sherman, L. Harlow, B.

Silver and J. Trubatch, Assessing Readiness for Advancing Women Scientists Using theTranstheoretical Model . Sex Roles , 2006. 54(11): p.869-880.

[10] Quinn, S.J.S.M.S.M., Stereotype Threat and Women'sMath Performance . Journal of Experimental Social

Psychology , 1999. 35(1): p. 4-28.

[11] Rayman, P. and B. Brett, Women Science Majors:What Makes a Difference in Persistence after Graduation? The Journal of Higher Education , 1995.

66(4): p. 388-414.[12] Vega, L.C. and M. de Silva. Baby Loading, Please

Wait: Pregnancy, Graduate School, & Computing.Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing .2009. Tucson, Arizona: ACM.