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HIRE MORE WOMEN IN TECH 

We must increase the number of women – across the globe – who design products and technology. Cell phones are designed to fit in a man’s palm. For decades, cars were designed for the average man, who was both taller and heavier than the average woman. As a result, women were 47% more likely to be injured and 17% more likely to die in a car accident than men.89

Most artificial intelligence (AI), and the programs that utilize AI, are created by (White) men. Those programs and apps will be different than those created by a more diverse group of programmers. For example, a recent article documented that “smart speakers” such as Alexa and Home have a hard time understanding commands by those who speak English with an accent.90

Many U.S. universities are working to increase the number of women who graduate with engineering degrees, and that needs to continue.91 According to a 2015 study, women earned over 40% of engineering degrees at top-ranked schools.92 At Harvey Mudd College, for example, the percentage of women graduating with degrees in computer science increased from 12% to approximately 40% in five years when Harvey Mudd revised its introductory computing curricula, provided research opportunities for undergraduates after freshman year, and exposed young women students to networking opportunities.