issue 09 / volume 41 news // 5 Blog examines gender disparity at Canadian universities Michel Ghanem The Martlet n January 29, Canadian data-visualization blog “The 10 and 3” published an informal study on female Canadian university professors in three departments, comparing the top 20 largest research universities. The University of Victoria ranks within the top five for the departments of Computer Sciences and Mathematics, and ninth in Electrical Engineering. The blog is authored by three Canadian data and analytic enthusiasts, Michael Kuzmin, Arik Motskin, and Zack Gallinger. Inspired by diversity reports released by Google, Twitter, and Apple, the group looked towards the root of gender imbalances in the fields of math and sciences. “It allowed a really wonderful conversation to begin about the reasons for these imbalances, now framed with concrete figures rather than imaginative speculation,” Motskin said via email. Motskin is a Harvard University undergraduate alumni, who received his Ph.D in applied mathematics from Stanford University. The data was collected by online faculty member lists in their respective department websites, and included professors, assistant professors, and associate professors (excluding session- based instructors). Gender was : determined by name, available : photos, and outside research. UVic was ranked second : best in Canadian universities for female professors in : computer sciences, with 34.6 : per cent female professors, while : Carleton ranked the lowest at 3.4 per cent. UVic’s lowest rank : of female professors was in : electrical engineering, at 10 per cent. Motskin said the natural reaction to the numbers seemed : to be dismissal and anger, which : he felt was “unfortunate.” “We'd love to hear UVic’s : thoughts on their hiring : practices, and whether these : results are due to any conscious : choices or simply due to random chance,” he said. Director of academic : leadership and initiatives Grace : Wong Sneddon oversees 880 ? UVic faculty members to ensure : equity in hiring practices. : Sneddon is also the advisor : to the provost on equity and : diversity. “What’s unique to : UVic is that I have equity and : diversity in my portfolio, and : | sitin the [vice-president : academic and provost]’s office,” she said. According to Sneddon, most : universities have only one equity : and diversity representative : to oversee faculty, staff, and : students. “There's only so many hours ina day,” she said. Equity in hiring at UVic : begins from the very early stages : of the recruitment process. : Sneddon is responsible for : verifying position postings : to ensure inclusive language, : and to reach a broad pool of : candidates. She also attends : search committees to help with : the process. During the search process, : whether fora faculty or : departmental position, anyone : involved must attend a required : recruitment workshop, “which : has a good, strong focus on best : practices in equity hiring,” said : Sneddon. Sneddon also noted : many universities offer such : workshops on a non-required : basis The workshops teach : recognition of conscious and : unconscious biases during the : recruitment process, preferential : and limited hiring, and are : reinforced by case studies : and research. “We're building : capacity so that everyone knows : the language,” she said. In UVic’'s electrical : engineering, with 10 per cent : female professors, “It’s not for : a lack of trying, I know how : hard the faculty of engineering : works on that,” she said. The : faculty also supports Women : in Engineering and Computer : Sciences (WECS), which : offers mentoring programs : anda lecture series for women : learning in the field. In 2012, UVic was awarded : the Canada Research Secretariat : award for “Exemplary Equity : Practices,” the first award of its : kind. “We can work really hard, : but everyone hasa responsibility : to equity. If the senior leadership : is supporting it, then things : happen,” Sneddon said. Women Professore in Computer Science Depariments Women Professors in Electrical and Computer Engineering Departments a Universities Women Professors in Mathematics Departments 4 Women i Lars es Image from www.thel0and3.com TED Talks highlighted by Monica Lewinsky » Former White House intern discussed cyber bullying and taking her life back Angela Espinoza News Editor Mi news @theotherpress.ca vf ED Talks returned to Vancouver on March 16, showcasing another year’s- worth of presentations between then and March 20. The 2015 TED Talk presentations were once again hosted at the Vancouver Convention Centre, under the theme “Truth and Dare.” Over go speakers were scheduled for the event, discussing topics focussing on various arts and sciences, advancements in technology, social practices, Some big name speakers at this year’s conference included Of the many presentations : media attention. Lewinsky : spoke on cyber bullying, : addressing the media frenzy : that occurred following her : public affair with then-US president Bill Clinton in 1998. Lewinsky’s talk description : on the TED website reads, : “After becoming the focus of the history-changing federal : investigation into her private : life, Monica Lewinsky found : herself, at 24 years old, one of /) Monica Lewinsky : humiliation. : Photo by James Duncan Davidson/TED. : : former Microsoft CEO Bill : Gates, former prime minister of : Australia Kevin Rudd, musician : Aloe Blacc, and former White : House intern Monica Lewinsky. : and philanthropy and activism. : at TED 2015, Lewinsky’s : arguably garnered the most the first targets of a ‘culture of m9 Lewinsky remained out of the public eye until 2014, : when she wrote for Vanity Fair detailing how the experience : had affected her life, and how a lack of feminist public : speech and support at the time : inspired her to enter the world : of social activism. “Not a day goes by that : Tam not reminded of my : mistake. And I regret that : mistake deeply,” said Lewinsky : during her presentation. : Amongst other statements : : made during Lewinsky’s : presentation, Jeff Lee of the : Vancouver Sun live-tweeted, “This culture of humiliation : and public shaming has : developed into an industry; : the more shame, the more : Clicks.” Lewinsky then : described various unrelated : instances since the scandal : that followed her where others : have been harmed by cyber : bullying or public shaming, : including Rutgers University : student Tyler Clementi, who : committed suicide at the age : of 18 on September 22, 2010. : Lewinsky recounted that : following Clementi’s suicide, : her mother feared she would : do the same if she were not : able to recover from the : scandal. : The rest of Lewinsky’s : speech detailed how the : Internet has developed into : something of a public-shaming : forum, and how not stopping : such behaviour can often : negatively affect the lives of : other. Lewinsky ended her : speech with, “We all deserve : compassion, and to live both : online and off ina more : compassionate world.” : Between now and next : year’s TED conference, which : will also be held in Vancouver, : the TED Women 2015 chapter : will run from May 27 to 29 in : Monterey, California.