Based on your dissertation, what do you think are the possible ways to capture the interest of the African-American Community population in order to stir up their interest in the field of tech? Participants' perspectives provided an insightful understanding of the complexities of being an underrepresented minority in an American corporate information technology department.

After a 15 min lightning talk we'll walk the board and pair-up based on needs and skills.

May contain contributions from various authors under discussed hot topics. However, progress has been slow and the results have been disappointing.

In Atlanta, black techies are working to diversify the industry's future. He is also an expert in Cloud Computing and programming languages such as Python, Delphi and C#. The answer to this question at the moment is unknown. He's also gone through extensive Agile and Scrum training to earn his CSM and CSPO certifications. Most of the major technology companies in Silicon Valley have vowed to dedicate themselves to becoming more diverse, and have instituted programs to do such.

However, some obstacles emerged more consistently than others among the research participants. 'Love is like the horizon and us, the sky, and the ocean. Several other participants, four out of fifteen pinpointed the importance of confidence, self-esteem and self-worth as a strategy for overcoming their obstacles as African-American Software development engineers. As you enter, grab a sticky note and write on it what you need help with or want to learn more about. STEM is the acronym for the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. Former president Barack Obama himself continually put pressure on and referred to the importance of STEM education in making the United States more competitive in the global economy as a result of STEM being the key to major innovations and job creations in the US. Although many experts have offered theories, there is little in the way of agreement. More than 50% of the participants in my research indicated that the lack of training support and opportunities was the biggest obstacle they faced as African-American software development engineers. Dupe, Kai Ajala. He's proud to say that every product he's managed, every application he's developed and every client he's worked with has fueled his passion for problem-solving. We could only…, 'Two comrades in arms, sundered by death.⁣. Your email address will not be published. Several participants provided examples of how differences in culture affected their ability to be their authentic self in the workplace, and having to work to be perceived as someone who is not harmful or threatening.

Even The White House and President Obama has made this issue of technology diversity and recruiting more women and people of color a topic of discussion hosting several events at The White House aimed at finding solutions to this issue. Today the disparity is centred around the differences in how students are taught to use the technology. Although many attempts to fix this problem has occurred for decades there has been no panacea to emerge. Another obstacle that was shared among the participants was not having [a common culture] with their colleagues and managers.

Your email will only be seen by the event organizer. We will begin with a Lightning Talk by Kenyatta Daniels on Product Management. The ability to code-switch was also expressed as a critical factor for success. These strategies prove about how important it is that the next generation sees role models in large numbers doing this, because when you see your peers doing it then it becomes believable and bolsters confidence and self-esteem. It takes a lot of effort to stay current and if you are not driven by your love for the subject, you will never be successful in this field. Dr. Kai Dupé is a pioneer in the technology industry, having completed his doctorate degree at Pepperdine University. Code-switching is the practice of alternating between two or more languages or any combination of languages in conversation. Coding While Black is my research study that I conducted at Pepperdine University.

The issue has become so prevalent in the news recently that technology companies have been asked to publish report cards disclosing the demographic breakdown of their employee workforce. It is a very lucrative area and one’s understanding of these subjects can be a foundation that leads to expanding your career options as STEM and particularly technology has permeated all areas of American culture and life. Online Events Your email address will not be published. These days the disparity is not so much in what tech is available to one group over the other although this still exists to some degree. His dissertation, Coding While Black, focuses on the lack of African-American software developers and coders. Coding While Black: Hacking The Future Of The Tech Industry : Code Switch Silicon Valley has a diversity problem, with many tech companies employing a … Connect with the community. 3. You can also subscribe without commenting.

I personally think pursuing a career in STEM is very good idea. Join at 6:30 for virtual networking and music. My experience in the tech industry as well as my realisation of those African-Americans who will be left out of the innovated economy if they do not possess the requisite tech skills.

Could you tell us a little about your dissertation “. What are some noteworthy advice you would like to give today’s teenagers, who are yet to graduate from high school and enrol themselves in colleges regarding why they should consider pursuing a degree in the fields of STEM subjects? Required fields are marked *.

Instead of simply teaching “Drill and kill” skills. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. I would suggest that students only enrol in STEM subjects if they have a strong passion and desire for the subject. In my opinion, what is central here is a good understanding of math.

We all know how a discussion of these STEM-related programs have become extremely important to such an extent it has even reached the president’s priority lately due to the very few number of college students pursuing degrees in such important fields. Aspire, work, achieve and inspire. On behalf of Merak and the entire team, we wish you all success with everything you plan to land on in the future. Place it on the board. About the strategies they used to overcome these obstacles: 60% of the participants mentioned the importance of having excellent communication skills to help them overcome some of the challenges that they faced as African American Software development engineers. Online Science & Tech Classes. ], ProQuest LLC. What needs to happen is that they need to be taught in such a way that unleashes their imagination to the possibilities of what is possible using technology. Break out of quarantine and virtually join your fellow nerds for a lightning talk, coding challenges, and games.

Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. As the numbers continue to dwindle and more women and people of color continue to pursue careers in other fields or depart from the technology industry, technology companies are challenged to increase the number of underrepresented minorities in their workforce and to come up with solutions that address this issue that has become so important to the future economic growth of the United States.

Virtually join your fellow nerds for a lightning talk, coding challenges, and games. The Coding While Black event is all about building and collaboration.

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