Pixel International Conferences

Why aren’t female students majoring in cybersecurity when this is the fastest growing field?[1] How come only 24 percent of the U.S. workforce in cybersecurity is female? [2] This gender disparity is concerning, and the challenges women face in the cybersecurity sector are puzzling.  These challenges either prevent them from entering or force them to leave. The gender imbalance has potential consequences for this nation’s security, so it is imperative that we understand why women are not being attracted to this field.

One study suggests that this shortage is because women believe that they will not succeed at STEM courses. They have a “perceived risk of failing”. Perceived Risk of Failing refers to high school students’ perception that they are incapable of understanding STEM subjects and will fail if they pursue STEM courses. NSF data revealed that in 2010 only 7.5 percent of engineering or computer science technicians were African American or Hispanic. [3]

It is recognized that women have made strides in closing that gap we still have a substantial way to go. [4] According to a recent survey by Women in Tech “28% of C-suite leaders are women and 5% represent racial minority”.  Camp CryptoBot utilizes SeaPerch (underwater robot) and Sphero (round robotic ball) as the platform for teaching cryptography and cybersecurity concepts using various pedagogical approaches, including storytelling, hands-on labs, and problem-solving missions. In our paper we will share our methodologies for increasing female interest in cybersecurity and which methodologies were effective on reducing their fear of failure thereby increasing their self-efficacy.