Antonio M. Lopez

African American women in the computing sciences: a group to be studied

Most will likely agree that fewer and fewer women are finding their way to completing a bachelors degree in one of the computing sciences. However, in looking at data collected by the National Science Foundation (NSF) on bachelors degrees in Computer Science (CS), an interesting anomaly is evident when African American women are viewed as a separate trend. This paper presents some preliminary analysis and suggests that research is needed to better understand this ethnic group that has remained relatively stable in its production of bachelors degrees in CS.

VISIR, a simulation software for domotics installations to improve laboratory training

This paper focuses on the programming and configuration stages of the domotics systems (automation technology applied to the technical management of houses and buildings), which are carried out in the laboratory prior to its definitive installation in houses and buildings. Different hardware and software tools for testing and debugging domotics systems are described. Because of their limitations (cost, closeness to the real system, flexibility, maintenance, etc.) we have developed a new software simulation tool called VISIR, which is comprised of three components: Editor, Drawing and Simulation. This paper describes VISIR features and operation modes using an example. All of this allows important advantages to be found in using this software for domotics laboratory training.

Gender and race: Stereotyping, coping selfefficacy and collective self-esteem in the CSET undergraduate pipeline

Gender and race play significant roles in how people view and experience the world. In certain contexts both gender and race may activate doubts about onepsilas career-related performance- and coping-related capabilities. This paper presents findings on the effects of gender and race in the undergraduate pipeline of the computing disciplines (i.e., computer engineering, computer science, software engineering, information systems, and information technology) through the more proximal impacts of stereotyping, coping self-efficacy and collective self-esteem. Data were collected in Fall 2004 from 1,208 computing discipline and 581 non-computing discipline students attending forty-two colleges and universities across the United States. Twenty-one of these institutions were Historically Black Colleges and Universities and 21 were Predominantly White Institutions. Data were analyzed using statistical and data mining techniques to investigate the influence of stereotyping, coping self-efficacy and collective self-esteem in the computing disciplines.

Large dataset offers view of math and computer self-efficacy among computer science undergraduates

First-year data from a large, nationwide, three-year longitudinal study of undergraduates in the computing disciplines have been obtained and are in the process of being analyzed. Participants were from both Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Predominantly White Institutions. This paper presents an initial analysis of just two of the twelve variables being investigated -- math self-efficacy and computer self-efficacy -- and focuses primarily on computer science undergraduates. Comparisons are made between the first-year computer science subjects and first-year subjects from non-computing disciplines who also participated in the survey in order to verify commonly held views about these two variables. Among the computer science subjects, the two variables are examined more closely with respect to gender, ethnicity, university type, and year in school.

Multidisciplinary research on the datapath of the computing disciplines

Social cognitive career theory helps determine why minorities and women are still so underrepresented in the computing disciplines in colleges and universities.

Software tools for helping with the design and implementation of automation projects

The practical teaching of process automation requires laboratories equipped with a great variety of tools. The ideal configuration of a laboratory desk could be one made up of real, hardware components. Although the students will have the highest motivation with such a configuration, the cost and the lack of flexibility are fundamental drawbacks that must be solved. A balance must be achieved between real and virtual components, which will lead to a balanced cost and flexibility without decreasing the students motivation and the quality of education. This balanced solution is presented in this paper.