Gain valuable insights and practical strategies for creating a more welcoming environment in computing departments and organizations. The event emphasizes the importance of increasing the participation of people with disabilities in computing fields, which has been a focus of AccessComputing since 2006. Key takeaways include: Best Practices Sharing: Learn effective methods for fostering environments where all students can thrive from AccessComputing leaders and NCWIT Higher Ed Alliance members who have successfully implemented these practices; Broadened Perspectives: See highlights illustrating that incorporating a range of perspectives, particularly from individuals with disabilities, enriches the computing field for everyone; Resource Availability: Discover how AccessComputing and NCWIT can serve as a valuable resource for enhancing accessibility in academic departments and organizations.

The democratization of GenAI has provided widespread access to powerful AI tools. AWIS member Prabhmeet Kohli describes how small and medium-sized businesses can leverage these tools to gain a competitive edge and explains common risks and strategies.

In our current, fast-evolving world, the job market has become highly competitive, and artificial intelligence (AI) has become a game changer. AI informs how we work and, at the same time, revolutionizes how we find work. From optimizing a résumé and searching for a job to applying for the job and preparing for an interview, AI transforms the entire experience into a more efficient process for all individuals, whether recent graduates or seasoned professionals. New AI tools include résumé and cover-letter builders, which analyze job descriptions, pinpoint relevant keywords, and suggest ways to strategically market yourself to align perfectly with a specific job posting. These tools can augment your résumé to beat the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) used by most companies to weed out lesser résumés before passing along stand-out ones to a recruiter. With a wide range of options available, you can understandably feel overwhelmed trying to figure out which tools have a higher chance of success or represent a good investment in time and money. In addition, many of the dozens of résumé builders still perform like copies of one another. However, each of these tools serves as the best fit for a specific function. For example, Enhancv helps you build with an AI assistant. Kickresume generates résumés from scratch, while ResumeNerd adapts your résumé as you browse different jobs. Jobscan, on the other hand, specifically optimizes your résumé for ATS. These examples represent just a few tools available to job seekers. Overall, as you look for the best ones for your purposes, carefully consider factors such as adaptation, ease of navigation, value, customization and comparison features, ATS compatibility, reviews, and discussions provided on online platforms like Trust Pilot, LinkedIn, and Reddit discussions. The tasks of sorting through jobs, hunting down job requirements and salary ranges, and doing due diligence on each company’s culture take up valuable time and limit the number of jobs you can review. Some AI platforms use algorithms to match job seekers with relevant job openings based on potential applicants’ qualifications and preferences. Accessing these platforms, you can save time and get tailored recommendations based on your goals. By leveraging AI jobmatching tools, you can streamline your search and focus your efforts on the opportunities that fit you best. Again, you will find that you need to examine which options - among hundreds of impressive, AI-powered job search tools - align with your goals, but you will always find one that works for you.

Over the next few years, AI will undoubtedly shape the job market. The World Economic Forum predicts that demand for AI and big data skills will skyrocket by 87% over the next five years. For aspiring tech professionals, getting a head start on AI education is key to future-proofing your career. Here are explanations of the top four skills young people need for future jobs in tech: Learn How To Learn, Collaborative Problem Solving, Awareness Of AI Ethics And Legal Considerations and Cybersecurity Education and Preventing Shadow AI. Over the next few years, AI will undoubtedly shape the job market. Thankfully, there are concrete steps you can take to prepare. You can commit to lifelong learning, taking the time to experiment with emerging technologies like AI agents. You can hone your skills as a collaborative problem solver, learning how to work with multiple teams with diverse expertise. With an awareness of ethical and legal risks, plus strong cybersecurity practices, you can protect yourself and your place of work. By staying up-to-date with your AI education,you can drive innovation while ensuring a secure, ethical, and responsible future.

Registration is officially open for the 2025 NCWIT Summit. Each year, the NCWIT Summit provides unique opportunities to learn about research-backed strategies and promising practices designed to foster opportunities, both in computing education and within the broader tech workforce. Supporting change leaders remains our top priority. Over a half-day on May 20 (10 am to 1 pm MT), NCWIT will present a galvanizing and inspiring experience for our members and the larger broadening participation in computing community.

Both research and the experience of women in top jobs suggest that women tend to lead differently than men do, for a variety of reasons. Although women leaders share some common approaches, there are as many leadership styles as there are individual women leaders. “Feminine” leadership can be described as an approach to executive management that uses skills and behaviors commonly associated with women, but which might just as easily be deployed by men: emotional intelligence, transparency, relationship building, flexibility, inclusiveness, and a focus on personal growth.¹ “Masculine” leadership, on the other hand, has long been standard in most organizations and is characterized by a hierarchical, confident, “command and control” approach to tasks and decisions. The two styles are complementary, management experts insist,² and the effectiveness of each varies with many factors, including the size and purpose of the organization and the political and economic landscape. A masculine style would be appropriate for an emergency rescue operation, for example, while the feminine approach would be effective for getting public buy-in on a development project. However, as the working world changes and businesses become increasingly global, the feminine leadership style is emerging as effective for building motivated and cohesive teams and for global organizations with diverse, remote staff using rapidly evolving technology.

Despite progress made to narrow gender gaps in education, women remain crucially underrepresented in STEM fields. By 2021, globally, women only accounted for 35% of STEM graduates and 31.5% of researchers — a figure that has barely increased over the past 10 years. This persistent gender gap not only reflects a failure to reach global gender equality commitments, but it also limits our collective ability to tackle one of the greatest challenges of our time - climate change. With 2024 being the hottest year on record and the climate crisis escalating, we need an all-hands-on-deck approach. People with diverse experiences are needed to raise awareness of climate impacts and create innovative solutions to these challenges. This means including women in research and recognizing women’s knowledge in climate action. As detailed in the UN Women’s report, “Feminist Climate Justice: A Framework for Action,” to address gender inequalities and climate change, systemic transformation is needed. We must start by recognizing and removing structural barriers, such as women’s unequal access to information and education, and reshaping gendered social norms and prejudices that can obstruct women’s ability to enter and advance within these careers. Perceptions of gender stereotypes in these fields have been identified in children as young as six, partially explaining why only 15% of young women choose STEM courses as compared to 35% of men.

Megan O’Meara, M.D., head of early-stage development at Pfizer Oncology, is deeply committed to scientific innovation, mentorship, and breaking barriers for the next generation of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) industries. In this conversation, Megan shares her journey in oncology, leadership philosophy, and vision of a world where people with cancer live better and longer lives. She has always been curious about science. Her grandfather was a pediatrician, and as a child he read books to her about the history of medicine. In high school, she worked in cancer research labs, and that gave her exposure to the field from an early age. By the time she was in college, there were exciting advancements happening, including broader use of tumor profiling and targeted therapies. She felt there was a huge opportunity to transform cancer treatment, and she knew she wanted to be part of it. She pursued her medical degree and later went into academic research before transitioning to industry, where she felt she might have the broadest impact on the greatest number of people. Women make up less than 30% of the global STEM workforce. Being a woman in a historically male-dominated field can come with unique challenges and opportunities. As an industry, there’s still a long way to go.

The 2025 Lab Manager Leadership Summit is an exclusive event for laboratory leaders and decision-makers across clinical, forensic, environmental, food and beverage, pharmaceutical, and life science fields. The Summit offers interactive sessions, hands-on workshops, and insightful presentations designed to elevate your leadership skills. Discover the latest advancements from technology and service providers showcasing innovative lab solutions, connect with industry peers, gain actionable insights, and bring transformative ideas back to your organization. Don’t miss this chance to drive your lab forward with confidence and vision!

In our current, fast-evolving world, the job market has become highly competitive, and artificial intelligence (AI) has become a game changer. AI informs how we work and, at the same time, revolutionizes how we find work. From optimizing a résumé and searching for a job to applying for the job and preparing for an interview, AI transforms the entire experience into a more efficient process for all individuals, whether recent graduates or seasoned professionals. New AI tools include résumé and cover-letter builders, which analyze job descriptions, pinpoint relevant keywords, and suggest ways to strategically market yourself to align perfectly with a specific job posting. These tools can augment your résumé to beat the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) used by most companies to weed out lesser résumés before passing along stand-out ones to a recruiter. With a wide range of options available, you can understandably feel overwhelmed trying to figure out which tools have a higher chance of success or represent a good investment in time and money. In addition, many of the dozens of résumé builders still perform like copies of one another. However, each of these tools serves as the best fit for a specific function. For example, Enhancv helps you build with an AI assistant. Kickresume generates résumés from scratch, while ResumeNerd adapts your résumé as you browse different jobs. Jobscan, on the other hand, specifically optimizes your résumé for ATS. These examples represent just a few tools available to job seekers. Overall, as you look for the best ones for your purposes, carefully consider factors such as adaptation, ease of navigation, value, customization and comparison features, ATS compatibility, reviews, and discussions provided on online platforms like Trust Pilot, LinkedIn, and Reddit discussions.