The retirement of aging computer professionals is likely to result in an acute scarcity of experienced computer scientists unless industry and academia can attract and graduate more individuals from minority groups. How can higher learning institutions help meet the ongoing demands for interdisciplinary computer science (CS) skills required in the agile business world? Frieze and Quesenberry discuss strategies for inviting, retaining, and guiding more women in CS education.

The authors present the alarmingly low rate of female CS graduates in the US, and the rising number of women in CS enrollments at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), to advocate effective strategies for recruiting, mentoring, and guiding women to successfully complete degrees in CS. Visionary college and university administrators ought to promote a culture and settings that are conducive for accommodating women in CS training, without compromising the academic rigor, relevance, and integrity of the CS discipline. With the limited number of CS role models for high school girls, academic institutions should rethink the use of background training in programming and CS as important factors for college admission. Concerned administrators should invest in, endorse, and provide funds and guidance for women in CS enrichment initiatives.

Female graduates in CS are valuable assets to any economy. CMU has recognized the importance of women in CS education. However, there are still major unresolved questions. Do the academic institutions have enough effective women role models on the CS faculty? What can be done about talented prospective women candidates for advanced CS degrees who end up pursuing early careers in industry or advanced managerial degrees? Readers, what are your recommendations for broadening access to CS education?