WOMEN IN STEM AT DUKE Bolstering research and education in STEM fields is a top priority at Duke

Just thought I would share this article with you. It does mention me. https://today.duke.edu/2019/04/women-stem-duke?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Women%20in%20STEM%20at%20Duke&utm_campaign=WatDukeEmma

Working for Change

Rochelle Newton has four decades of experience working in information technology. Photo by Justin Cook.

Rochelle Newton was a teenager in the 1970s when she began working with computers, feeding trays of punch cards into hulking contraptions that produced a fraction of the computing power of today’s smartphones.During her time in information technology, Newton, now senior systems and user services manager for the Duke University School of Law, has seen a head-spinning amount of technological change.

The rate of change for women in the field, however, has been slower.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that, while women make up 46.9 percent of the nation’s labor force, they hold 25.5 percent of jobs in computer and mathematical occupations, up slightly from 24.8 percent a decade ago. At Duke, women hold 32.5 percent of positions in information technology, down from 33.5 percent a decade ago.

Duke’s Office of Information Technology is trying to expand the range of voices in technology with intern programs that draw students from underrepresented populations, and through “Diversify IT,” a program providing networking and educational opportunities for IT professionals from all backgrounds.

“If women represent half the population, they’re also half of the people using technology,” said Tracy Futhey, Duke’s vice president and chief information officer. “If the technologies they’re using are overwhelmingly designed by men, without involvement from women, they’re likely not going to be as welcoming, usable or interesting as technologies designed with a broader set of perspectives at the table.”

Stories like Newton’s illustrate gradual progress in the field.

Newton was the only woman or person of color at her first job decades ago in Virginia, where she said co-workers played mean-spirited pranks. 

“It was really hard, but I was stubborn,” Newton said. “I was going to persevere no matter what.”

As technology advanced, so did Newton’s career. After earning multiple degrees, Newton joined Duke’s staff in 2008. Here, Newton completed professional development programs, such as the Duke Leadership Academy, and became an in-demand speaker on diversity in tech, all while earning a doctorate in higher education administration.

Now, she’s creating the community she lacked earlier in her career with an informal group called “Techs and Collaborators.” The diverse collection of Duke IT professionals meets monthly, discussing upcoming projects and other topics. The group’s guiding principle is inclusiveness.

“I don’t care what color you are, what gender you are, come to the table and bring what you can,” Newton said.