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CMD-IT Partners with Google to Award Ph.D. Students with $25,000 to Increase Diversity amongst Ph.D. Graduates in Computing
[November 19, 2020]

CMD-IT Partners with Google to Award Ph.D. Students with $25,000 to Increase Diversity amongst Ph.D. Graduates in Computing


CHICAGO, Nov. 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Six Doctoral students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds received $25,000 each to help complete their Ph.D in computer science with the help of the Center for Minorities and People with Disabilities IT (CMD-IT) and Google Research.

"We launched the program to increase the diversity of leadership in computing at research universities"

The initiative falls under CMD-IT's program entitled the Future Leadership in Computing (FLIP) Alliance which was specifically established to increase diversity in the professoriate in computing at research universities as a way to acieve greater diversity across the field.



From 2018 to 2019, the number of students from underrepresented groups who completed a Ph.D in computer science decreased by 13 percent.

"CMD-IT launched the FLIP Alliance program in 2017 to help increase the diversity of the future leadership in the professoriate in computing at research universities as a way to achieve diversity across the field," said Valerie Taylor, CEO and President of the Center for Minorities and People with Disabilities in Information Technology (CMD-IT). "We are grateful for supporters like Google for helping to close the gap."


Last year, together with Google Research, CMD-IT FLIP Alliance, established a competitive dissertation awards program.

Here's what the Doctoral students shared about themselves, their aspirations and dreams for the future.

Alexander Moreno - Georgia Institute of Technology: Will pursue a postdoc in academia on methodology and theory for healthcare applications.

Amber Solomon - Georgia Institute of Technology: Planning to work as a research scientist.

Felix Gonda - Harvard University: Will work to solve problems in health care and neuroscience. 

Michael Rivera - Carnegie Mellon University: Pursuing a postdoctoral position followed by a position as a university professor.

Gabriel Fierro - University of California, Berkeley: Pursuing a faculty position in a computer science department.

Wing Lam - University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: Hopes to better increase the participation of those with underrepresented backgrounds.

About CMD-IT
CMD-IT is the national Center for Minorities and People with Disabilities in Information Technology, focused on the following underrepresented groups: African Americans, Native Americans, Hispanics, and People with Disabilities. The center is composed of corporations, academic institutions, government agencies, and nonprofits.

To learn more about CMD-IT's program, the FLIP Alliance, visit flipalliance.org. To schedule an interview with Valerie Taylor, CEO and President of CMD-IT, contact Ashley Small at 281-827-3419.

 

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SOURCE Center for Minorities and People with Disabilities in Information Technology


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