Computer Science Education Week Highlights Progress Made, Continued Need for, STEM Education in Underrepresented Communities

This year’s Computer Science Education Week (CSEdWeek) theme is social justice. Of course, there are lots of perspectives to social justice, from distribution of wealth and support for environmental sustainability, to improving the lives of marginalized individuals. While one aspect of computer science for good focuses on the application of technologies to address these opportunities, the 2020 CSEdWeek theme focuses on the need to enable science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education for underrepresented students — those whom traditionally have limited opportunities to develop computer science knowledge. This is even more dire today given the deepening digital divide being experienced due to the impacts of COVID-19 on classroom education, and is exactly the gap we have been working on through Keysight’s K-12 STEM education programs. Not only do efforts in this area support underrepresented individuals and enable community prosperity, but they also help ensure a continued diverse technology skillset to maintain innovation into the future.

With strong values that support both STEM education and inclusion & diversity, Keysight has engaged in STEM learning opportunities to help make progress in this area. For example:

The above combine with other company STEM education programs offered to general student populations, including our Keysight After School program, which is currently focusing on virtual engagements, our high school intern program, and various online mentoring engagements from career talks to discussions about the impact and opportunity of today’s digital learning reality.

While progress is being made, more is needed. I hope to see this focus, given visibility through the CSEdWeek theme this year, continue well beyond the one-week recognition to throughout 2021.

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