Letter from ABI President Regarding Lawrence Summer’s Comments.
Dear Anita Borg Institute friends, colleagues, and supporters,
On Monday January 17th , Anita Borg’s birthday and the celebration of the birthday of Martin Luther King, I was at home reading email when my inbox exploded. The Boston Globe article discussing the comments by Harvard president Lawrence Summers took the science and technology community by storm. The ensuing email conversation, media attention and energy were the most significant I’ve seen since taking over the Anita Borg Institute two years ago.
Regardless of what you think about Lawrence Summer’s comments, they present a unique opportunity. An opportunity to talk deeply about the issues our world faces in changing the way we approach technology, the kind of technology we are developing, and the diversity of the people who are developing technology. This is a chance for academic institutions to talk about and develop new ways of exploring and teaching technology. These are the ideas that matter to me, that matter to the Institute, and that matter to our community and our world.
Summer’s was asked to make his remarks provocative and in doing so he has provided us an important reminder of the power of words, and the unintended impact they can have on today’s and tomorrow’s leaders. In our events and programs we are often provocative in that we celebrate the accomplishments of women in technology, and proactively challenge the status quo. In doing so we are both empowering today’s leaders and motivating and inspiring future leaders. A few examples:
At the recent Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing, an Ivy League student pulled me aside to tell me that she expected to be inspired by the conference, but didn’t expect to walk away with an action plan of how to change her institution.
Last week, I spoke to a political science student who is taking programming and technology courses as part of her study after listening to a technologist working in India at the Institute’s Virtual Development Center conference. She realized technology plays an important role in her plan to change the world.
I’m reminded of a brilliant young professor who recently took a position at a prestigious university although she just had her second child. Why? Because the faculty realized she had a full life. Yes, she needs to work hard, but they have resources that help support her.
And finally, in our last newsletter we featured a story about a top Silicon Valley CEO of a successful public company who created a different kind of culture that encouraged and accepted the diverse working styles of her employees.
After reading the press, I’m sure one of your questions is what I can do? What action can I take? Let me make the following suggestions:
Question the status quo. The culture of our institutions, both corporations and academic institutions, are changed by those that choose to stay, see opportunities, and take action.
Spend time with someone with promise. Each of us can have a profound impact on others by spending quality time. Find someone who is early in their career, listen to them, and share your own experience.
Let us know your thoughts; we will post all thoughtful responses on our website.
Support organizations whose work you believe is making a difference. There are many, such as the Anita Borg Institute, that are making a difference. We see the impact of the Grace Hopper Conference, Systers, and the VDC everyday. There is CRA-W’s graduate cohort program, MentorNet, and the promise of the new National Center for Women and IT.
Volunteer your time in causes that you believe in. There is no more fulfilling way to make a difference than to spend your valuable time on an effort that makes a difference. And if you don’t’ know where to volunteer, ask us…We have plenty to do.
At the Institute we’ve gathered much of the press coverage of the recent discussion, so that you can see what the world is saying. press coverage
On 1/17/05, we worked with Carol Muller from MentorNet and others on a letter of response to Dr. Summers which we’ve copied here.Twenty four hours later we sent this letter to the media, where it was published in the NY Times, and already the signature list was stunning.
Anita had a vision that lives on through the Anita Borg Institute. She believed in a world where technology had a positive impact on people, where women were equal partners in the design of the technology of the future. We believe we have a real opportunity to make a difference, but, we need to think about technology differently…..together.
Thank you,
Telle Whitney
President and CEO
Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology