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Dr. Kamau Bobb is the Director of STEM Education Strategy at Google and the founding Senior Director of the Constellations Center for Equity in Computing at Georgia Tech. On June 21, he delivered the keynote address at the National Science Foundation CISE (Computer and Information Science & Engineering) Education & Workforce PI Meeting, focusing on the current and future state of computing education.
“The National Science Foundation is setting the research agenda for computing education for the country,” said Dr. Bobb. “At a time when computational skills are foundational to citizenship, and broadening access is under threat, it’s important to stay focused, so I’m excited to be part of that national dialogue.”
Dr. Bobb said that the timing of the event coincides with an inflection point for the nation’s computing education community as they navigate competing demands. “On the one hand, we have the challenge of promoting basic computational skills for all students, but on the other hand, we are facing a national backlash against the critique of inequitable systems and the promotion of racial justice. Adding to the complexity is the new tech variable of AI, which will affect all of it.”
Dr. Bobb addressed PIs (principal investigators), potential PIs, and other members of the computing and engineering education community. He discussed the potential impact of contentious political debates surrounding equitable education. He also explored a path forward for helping these groups achieve computing proficiency.
The annual CISE EWF PI Meeting was held at the Georgia Tech Conference Center in Atlanta. It focused on advancing research for 1) helping historically excluded groups participate more fully in computing and 2) making equitable and inclusive computing education more accessible and effective on a national level.
Dr. Bobb holds a Ph.D. in Science and Technology Policy from Georgia Tech and an M.S. and B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley. His ongoing policy work centers on the relationship between equity in STEM fields, large educational systems, and the structural conditions that affect American life. Dr. Bobb served as a Program Officer at the National Science Foundation, overseeing $30 million of annual investments earmarked to improve computing and STEM education. In that role, Dr. Bobb helped structure the national research agenda for effectively delivering equitable and quality computational education to all students.
In collaboration with members of the Office and Science and Technology Policy in the Obama Administration, Dr. Bobb helped shape the national strategy for STEM education for both post-secondary and secondary schools. He was selected as a member of President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper STEM + Entrepreneurship Taskforce, which helped engage young men and boys of color in the STEM landscape.
To learn more about Dr. Bobb or his role in guiding America’s computing education toward a more equitable future, visit https://www.kamaubobb.com/.
About Kamau Bobb
Kamau Bobb is the Director of STEM Education Strategy at Google and the founding Senior Director of the Constellations Center for Equity in Computing at Georgia Tech.
