It struck me to read that PhDs in computer science were nonexistent prior to the 60’s (I think). On one hand, it doesn’t seem that long ago. On the other, so much has changed in that short amount of time – of course that didn’t exist as a discipline then!
Now, being in the math department, I see computer science as a growing major. Rumor has it the university is currently working on a minor in computer science designed in such a way as to qualify licensed high school mathematics teachers to also teach computer science at the high school level. Even more so, some middle schools are participating in the Hour of Code, designed to give every student “an opportunity for every student to try computer science for one hour,” such as the Meadowbrook School in MA, where my brother-in-law Jonathan works in educational technology. How quickly needs and opportunities change within society.
One issue I don’t know as much about as I could is the representiveness of girls and women in computer science. Although I don’t have data at my fingertips, I have heard females are underpresented in the field and in the major across the US. What reports have you seen related to this?