Top technology companies like Google say they want to encourage women and members of historically underrepresented groups to consider careers in computer science research.
The dawn of the era of artificial intelligence (AI) has made it even more urgent to teach diverse students to create new technologies. For AI models to work well, they must be trained with different types of users in mind and on a wide range of datasets.
In 2018, global giant Google established exploreCSR. The program funds efforts that create opportunities in technology, particularly research, for historically underserved and underrepresented groups.
An interdisciplinary team of researchers at Arizona State University has received a three-year exploreCSR grant to develop an inclusive AI research community.
Their initiative introduces middle school students to AI and its applications in various fields such as cybersecurity, human-computer interaction, robotics, and art. The ASU team continues to engage with these students beyond their high school years, giving them research opportunities and experience mentoring younger students.
This initiative builds on a previous successful camp program held in the summer of 2024.
Junior high school students stretching their wings
“Mentoring is critical in supporting historically marginalized students in STEM fields,” says Hasti-Seifi. “It helps them feel supported.”
Seifi is an assistant professor of computer science and engineering in the Department of Computing and Augmented Intelligence, part of ASU’s Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering. Over the summer, she co-hosted Desert CodeSprouts, a computer science support workshop for middle school students.
She points out that women and other groups that have been historically underrepresented in computer science may not be able to pursue technical careers. Young students may also feel unwelcome if existing classrooms and workplaces are not inclusive.
Seifi is a haptic expert who received the 2024 Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for his work in programmable touch technology.
At the Desert CodeSprouts workshop, she helped a group of 11- to 13-year-old students develop their own iOS application for a hypothetical pet shelter using the tool Figma. They created a wireframe diagram of the project, discussed how best to help users connect with their pets, and selected the color scheme and photography they felt would best convey their design ideas. This activity allowed the group to connect with technology tools, be creative, solve challenges, and make new friends.
This event will serve as a template for the program’s future efforts. Seifi and the team plan to expand Desert CodeSprouts in 2025, adding more AI exposure to their service.
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X marks the spot
“The goal is basically to build a leadership pipeline from middle school to graduate school,” says Pooyan Fazli.
Fazli is an assistant professor in ASU’s School of Arts, Media and Engineering, a joint school of the Herberger Institute of Art and Design and the Fulton School of Engineering, and a graduate faculty member in the Department of Computing and Augmented Intelligence. He is an expert at the intersection of AI and robotics, researching how to improve human-robot teamwork and how to make machines more useful partners for humans.
He brings a track record of success to his new team. Fazli has received significant funding from NSF and Google for early projects promoting a more inclusive AI workspace.
The exploreCSR team works both to mentor students and to give them experience mentoring others. For example, in the Desert CodeSprouts workshop, computer science graduate students from the Fulton School played a key role, leading some activities and helping develop materials.
One particularly important new aspect of the exploreCSR grant is its focus on “AI+X,” Fazli said. The “X” represents another area of student interest.
“Although the focus of our project is AI, we want to encourage students to further explore how artificial intelligence can be applied in different ways,” he says. “+X could be art, robotics, cybersecurity, etc.”
The team hopes that by demonstrating the wide-ranging applications of AI and other technologies, it will encourage students from a variety of backgrounds to consider careers in STEM.
X factor
“We are trying to create a centralized hub for STEM support and mentoring activities for underserved students here at ASU,” says Adil Ahmad.
Ahmad is an assistant professor of computer science and engineering at the Fulton School, specializing in cybersecurity education and research. In 2024, we received a Defense Establishment Program grant from the U.S. Department of Defense to stimulate multi-year competitive research to develop a logging system to protect computer systems from cyber-attacks. He also co-hosted the Desert CodeSprouts workshop, where he guided students through cybersecurity learning exercises.
Ahmad said the team will work with faculty across ASU to create modules for the Google-funded mentorship program. Plans are underway for summer camps, high school internships, research experiences, and more.
Ahmad hopes that programs like exploreCSR will bring about lasting change in the technology sector. He said the team’s main goal is to create a more welcoming and inclusive space in the technology space.
“As historically underserved students participate in our workshops, camps, and mentorship opportunities, we want to show them where they belong,” he said. says.
