Episode 29 – Applying Pressure

Hosts: Dr. Jeremy Waisome & Dr. Kyla McMullen

Guests: Erik Russell and Dr. Burçin Tamer

Description: If you’ve watched Disney’s newest hit movie Encanto, you can relate to this episode. We all feel like Luisa at times, but instead of crumbling under the weight of the pressure to address inequities in computing, the Computing Research Association is applying pressure through data-driven, evidenced based initiatives to promote broadening participation. This is Data that’ll tip, tip, tip, the scales towards inclusion.

Erik’s Bio:

As Director of Programs at the Computing Research Association (CRA), Erik provides operational leadership, program management, and relationship building for the organization. Working closely with the CRA Committee on Widening Participation (CRA-WP), Erik drives CRA’s talent development initiatives with a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Through careful engagement, recruitment, cultivation, and support of talent, he aims to amplify efforts to promote advanced computing research.

Before joining CRA, Erik worked to advance computer science education through his service as an Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow within the Directorate for Computer & Information Science & Engineering at the National Science Foundation. Erik has been actively working to engage and retain students from groups historically underserved in computer science research.

Burçin’s Bio:

Dr. Burcin Tamer is the Director of Center for Evaluating the Research Pipeline (CERP) at the Computing Research Association (CRA). Dr. Tamer leads a number of projects that collect data, conduct research and evaluation, and engage with the computing community to support the community’s efforts to broaden participation in computing. These projects include BPCnet.org, which is an NSF-funded project that provides resources and services to the community to successfully develop and implement impactful BPC Plans.