Reconfiguring the Firewall: Recruiting Women to Information Technology across Cultures and Continents

The challenge of recruiting women into majors and careers in information technology is internationally recognized. The economic implications for women are also significant if they are not prepared for a career in one of the fastest growing and financially rewarding fields. This book uncovers the factors that influence womens' interest in and choice of IT as a career field, and how this varies across cultures and regions. The results of the studies are both illuminating and prescriptive for designing and implementing sucessful programs that cross the secondary, post-secondary, and professional settings, and establishing an agenda of critical areas for future research about women and information technology.

Dr. Carol J. Burger is an Associate Professor at the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies and coordinator of the Science and Gender Equity Program at Virginia Tech. She is the founder and editor of the Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering, now in its 10th year of publication.Dr. Elizabeth G. Creamer is professor of educational research in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at Virginia Tech, and Director of Research and Assessment for VTAdvance, a project funded by the National Science Foundation to advance the climate for women in science and engineering.Dr. Peggy S. Meszaros is professor of Human Development and Director of the Center for Information Technology Impacts on Children, Youth, and Families at Virginia Tech. She has published over 80 scholarly articles and book chapters.