Q&A with Bethany Edmunds: how she got to where she is today, the challenges she had to overcome and the advice she has for women going into STEM

This post originally appeared at Athena Pathways.

By Dr. Bethany Edmunds, Director of Computer Science and Teaching Professor, Northeastern University Vancouver

Dr. Bethany Edmunds is a recognized leader in Computer Science and STEM education in North America. She has a Ph.D. in Computer Science, with a specialization in Artificial Intelligence, and is currently Director of Computer Science and Teaching Professor at Northeastern University’s Vancouver campus. She brings together expertise in software development, machine learning, and educational innovation to create STEM opportunities for people of all backgrounds and abilities.

Did you always want to be a computer scientist? How did you get your start?

No, I took computer science in high school because my older brother highly recommended the teacher. Then, in university, I needed a second major alongside my elementary education major and chose computer science because it was fun. In my second computer science course, I had an amazing professor who became my mentor, and helped me realize that I could pursue a career in the field and encouraged me to become a software developer. After a few more courses, I realized just how much I enjoyed programming, and dropped the elementary education degree to pursue just computer science.

What inspired you to get into teaching? When was the first time you knew that this is what you were meant to do?

I always wanted to be a teacher. Going into my undergraduate degree, I was an elementary education major before switching to computer science. After working in the field as a software developer for several years, I missed teaching and went back to school for my Ph.D. with the intention of becoming a professor.

What are some of the values that are important to you that you bring into your classroom?

I feel that my role as a professor is to facilitate my students’ learning. This requires me to bring in my computer science expertise and industry knowledge, but also my empathy, compassion, and understanding of how humans learn. In order for the best learning experience, students need to be in a place where they feel comfortable asking questions and contributing their insights. The combination of this type of environment and my pedagogical style means everyone in the classroom learns from each other (myself included).

What has your experience been like as a woman in tech? What were some personal or professional challenges you’ve had to overcome to get to where you are?

As a woman in tech, I find that I’m sometimes underestimated. That combined with self-doubt could have really held me back.

Luckily, I have also been fortunate enough to have amazing mentors who have seen my contributions and cheered me on. Early on in my career, I had a lot of doubts about whether or not I was good enough, because my strengths and viewpoint were different than my peers, especially in graduate school. Without the support of my mentors, I may not have gotten to the point where I am now, where I recognize that my unique way of seeing a problem and finding solutions is actually a strength.

How have things changed for women in tech over the years?

I think there is more acknowledgement that it is hard for women, and therefore there is now more support in place. For instance, my first Women in Machine Learning workshop probably had less than 50 people in attendance. Last year, there were close to 1,000, including sessions where participants could get mentored by senior women in their field.

What are some things that need to happen to encourage more women to consider a career in tech?

I think the messaging needs to change. You don’t need to love technology and computers to have a rewarding career in tech. Technology is just a tool that can be used to solve issues that matter to you.

Opportunities like the workshops the Athena Pathways scholarship offers are also crucial in allowing women to pursue different career opportunities to see which ones they would enjoy. At Northeastern, we have programs like the Align Master of Science in Computer Science, that is open to students without an undergrad degree in computer science. This has allowed us to provide a pathway for more women to enter the tech industry, and we now have 49% women in this program across North America.

Another thing that needs to improve is how computer science is being taught and how the material is being presented. Currently, the approach is more about weeding people out, than bringing people in.
To encourage more women to enter the field, we need to broaden the appeal in the classroom that allows for more diversity of thought and experience.

What advice would you give to women looking to break into the tech industry?

Do it! It is actually a very large and varied field that can allow you to be in almost any type of work environment and project that you want. I’d also find those people that are your champions. It makes all the difference in the world if your coworkers or colleagues are there believing in you, even when you doubt yourself.

Do you have a go-to saying for when things don’t go as planned?

I find that most things rarely go as planned. I have a plaque that says “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning to dance in the rain”

As someone who’s helping train the next generation of computer scientists, what is the one key takeaway you’d want them to always be mindful of?

That assumptions are in everything that we do. Always check your assumptions and listen when others tell you that their experience was different than yours. This does not mean that your experience is not valid, only that there may be more to a problem or solution than you initially see. The more we work together and learn from each other, the better our solutions will be.

Is there a project or initiative you’re currently working on that you’re excited about?

Recently, I’ve been working on a few ethical artificial intelligence initiatives. Our biggest one at Northeastern University is the Cascadia Commitment which calls on organizations to consult affected communities and commit resources to make sure that their deployment of AI is not harming anyone.

What is your hope for the future of tech?

That it can be used to create a more equitable society.