ACM Richard Tapia Celebration of Diversity in Computing 2018
A conference presented by CMD-IT intended to celebrate diversity (including, and not limited to, race, gender, LGBTQA+, ability) in computing.
I had the wonderful opportunity to attend the ACM Richard Tapia Celebration of Diversity in Computing, thanks to the generous support of the National Science Foundation. The focus and prioritization of diversity through this event and the intimacy it offered (capped at 1400 attendees) made it a truly unique learning experience.
At the risk of being repetitive, I want to emphasize that the conference committee clearly made remarkable inclusivity efforts. Tapia celebrated diversity of all kinds, a diverse group of diversities if you will. The conference was also not limited to individuals with a computer science background. Students of many other majors, a variety of which were not directly related to technology, attended and participated in the sessions, panels, and workshops. This multifaceted approach to diversity was prevalent throughout the conference and made the event an incredibly enriching experience.
“It’s important to act like you belong, act like you have a voice that matters.” -Joel Branch
There was also a lot of variety in the sessions that were offered, ranging from topics such as ethics to technical skills to education. The material was also presented in different ways, specifically with an emphasis on collaborative workshops and discussions. During every session, chairs were exclusively placed around tables, promoting networking and group communication.
During conferences, I like to attend talks that provide me with new information on topics I am interested in. Usually, this knowledge is conveyed through lecture and accompanied with reliable statistics. Through the interactive discussions and panels held at Tapia, I received information in a format that I was not expecting — through the thoughts and insights of members in the audience.
In a discussion style session I attended called Values in Computing, table groups were given scenarios of times where algorithms were utilized to predict outcomes in various situations. Through this session, we discussed to what extent, if at all, these situations were ethical. Even more importantly, we connected the opinions we generated to our own personal values. We asked each other to consider — would we ever take part in contributing towards making such a system?
In another similarly styled session called The Ethics of Cyber Dating, I was pushed to explore to what extent corporations could have control over my daily life, and how much of that control they really deserve. The perspectives in the room differed in accordance with each individuals’ background and experience, and that made it an especially interesting conversation to be a part of. The discussion participants thought of questions and scenarios I know I personally might never considered. This is the precise reason diversity is crucial in every field, and to experience it first hand was an astonishingly valuable experience.
There were also a plethora of panels incorporated through the conference. A topic was chosen and a variety of individuals were brought together to offer their knowledge and information on the specific subject area. Leveraging this amount on inclusivity extended the realms of the conversation, once again increasing the perspectives offered. Moreover, the panel structure also lead to a more natural flow in conversation as well as strong audience participation. The more unique insights provided, the more informed we can be, and the more we can learn.
Overall, I felt that attending the Richard Tapia Celebration of Diversity in Computing was an experience that will endlessly contribute to my growth as an individual. Attending this event was a great reminder of the fact that we all have different backgrounds, passions and perspectives which should be shared and communicated with the world. The goal is to ensure that every voice is heard to promote kindness and inclusivity. The culture and community that this conference cultivated, the values and priorities it fostered, is what the future of computing will look like.
