Panel — Computer scientists wanted! Strategies for increasing interest in computer science

Diverse strategies have been used to improve student awareness and interest in computer science. Research suggests that by focusing on rich interdisciplinary subfields of the computing discipline, computer science courses will be more appealing to women and other underrepresented groups. Inspired by these findings, the panelists use application areas and games in a variety of venues to engage students in the study of computer science. Experiences with a middle school outreach program in Appalachia will be described. Additionally new courses including an introduction to scientific modeling, seminars on social networking and gaming, and a course in digital storytelling will be discussed. Open discussion with the audience will follow the panelists' remarks.