CS&E Earns Three Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Leadership Showcase Awards
Three members of the Department of Computer Science & Engineering (CS&E) earned awards at the 2024 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Leadership Showcase hosted by the College of Science and Engineering (CSE). Professor Maria Gini earned a faculty award, and Nhi Dang and Lauren Hagen earned undergraduate student awards.
Gini has spearheaded a number of DEI-related efforts within the department, as well as at the national and international level. She serves as the chair for the committee for diversity and inclusion for the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) and a mentor for the National Science Foundation’s CSGrad4US program. Within CS&E, Gini collaborated with Teaching Professor Shana Watters to institute complementary courses to introductory computer science courses with a goal of lowering the DFW rate - which measures students that receive a D or F, or withdraw from the course. Gini intentionally recruits Ph.D. students from underrepresented backgrounds for her research group and has the most diverse group in the department.
“I have been trying to do work within our department, because our field has a long way to go for diversity,” said Gini. “In computer science, women are still in the minority and make up around 20% of undergraduate students. I also have helped with funding within the department. Financing is a huge barrier for some of these groups to get involved in academia, so I have obtained multiple grants from the Department of Education to provide fellowships to doctoral students.”
Dang earned the award in large part for her work as a teaching assistant (TA). She consistently advocates for women in STEM and creates a safe learning space for students to feel comfortable asking for help. After graduation, Dang plans on going to graduate school. Dang plans on becoming a university computer science and engineering instructor to further her teaching career.
“I was very honored to receive this award because I didn't realize that my work as a TA could be awarded”, said Dang. “I enjoy being a TA and I used to have 20 or 30 people who would come to talk to me during my office hours. I was excited to help them weekly to help them with their homework and to improve their understanding of the course material.”
Hagen is a recent CS&E graduate and served as the president of oSTEM (Out in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). They were heavily involved in the overall planning and success of CSE's Pride Week, and always brought an inclusive and thoughtful voice to the process, doing an earnest job to represent the best interests of the LGBTQIA2s+ student population.
The 2024 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Leadership Showcase awards recognize the many DEI-focused contributions of CSE students, faculty, staff, and postdocs in the areas of advocacy, volunteer work, and engagement that have a positive impact on CSE, the University, and the Twin Cities communities through DEI initiatives. Last year, CS&E’s Eman Ramadan earned the postdoctoral award for her work on the Computer Science Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, and Advocacy (CS-IDEA) committee.
CS&E is proud of the DEI efforts of the students and faculty within the department and hopes to continue striving to create an inclusive environment for everyone interested in the field.
“I think diversity helps enrich the learning experience and allows everyone to have a seat at the table,” said Gini. “For women in particular, there is a lot of research out there pointing to how women positively influence groups of people. When we welcome new perspectives, it's good for everyone.”
For the full list of award winners, visit the CSE website. Learn more about the CS-IDEA committee on the CS&E website.