Crystal Valentine

1. Does Gender Matter?
Stories from the Tower and
the Trenches
Crystal Valentine, PhD
VP Technology Strategy, MapR Technologies
Women in Big Data Luncheon
Spark Summit
June 8, 2016

3. The Gender Gap is
Not Innate
• Fact: Women are as smart as men (even at math and
technology!)
• Fact: Women opt out of tech careers starting in secondary
school
• Reasons:
1. Perception that “I won’t be good at it”
2. Perception that it’s boring
3. Perception that “I won’t fit in or like my peers”

4. Leaky Pipeline
Source: Anita Borg Institute

5. Strategies for Change
Change
• Ex. Intro CS at Amherst
College
1. Streamlining
2. Make it fun!
3. Grace Hopper
Celebration of Women
in Computing
Barrier
1. “I won’t be good at it”
2. “It’s boring”
3. “I won’t fit in or like my
peers”

6. Results
• Before: (2014)
• 40% of COSC111 enrollees were women
• <30% of CS majors were women
• After: (Today)
• >50% of CS course enrollees are women!

7. Help or Hindrance?
Pros
1. Unique perspective
2. Memorable
3. Never a line for the
ladies room
Cons
1. Glass ceiling?
2. Man-splaining
3. Harder to “fit in”

8. Keys to Success
1. Work hard
2. Be yourself
3. Speak up
4. Look for mentors and allies

9. Thanks!
bit.ly/wibd-luncheon-spark-summit
Find my slides & other related materials to this talk here:
or search:
cvalentine@mapr.com