Dynamics of Gender Bias in Software Engineering

TL;DR

This paper explores the evolution and current state of gender bias in software engineering, analyzing historical trends, leadership influences, and women's participation in research authorship over several decades.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive survey of gender bias in software engineering, including a quantitative analysis of women's research authorship from 1976 to 2010.

Findings

Identified years with significant gender exclusion in authorship

Highlighted the influence of industry leaders on gender issues

Suggested policy directions for addressing gender bias

Abstract

The field of software engineering is embedded in both engineering and computer science, and may embody gender biases endemic to both. This paper surveys software engineering's origins and its long-running attention to engineering professionalism, profiling five leaders; it then examines the field's recent attention to gender issues and gender bias. It next quantitatively analyzes women's participation as research authors in the field's leading International Conference of Software Engineering (1976-2010), finding a dozen years with statistically significant gender exclusion. Policy dimensions of research on gender bias in computing are suggested.