Join us for Part 1: April 23 and Part 2: April 25 at 12pm ET.
Click here to register for Authentic Self-Esteem. The meeting invitations and links will follow once you are registered.
Part 1: Dr. Christopher Mruk presents: Authentic Self-Esteem
Did you know that research shows women often have different experiences in computer science than their male classmates? While many computing related classroom and work experiences can be positive and enhance self-esteem, others can be negative and can decrease it, leaving students to feel like they do not belong in their computing major or profession. If this type of “chilly environment,” as it is called, has ever happened to you, join us for a fun workshop that will give you strategies to build authentic self-esteem in a computing environment so you can combat those times of doubt.
Learn about Dr. Christopher Mruk
Dr. Christopher Mruk attended Michigan State University and Duquesne University. He is a professor of psychology at Bowling Green State University, Ohio. While there, Chris has received the University-wide Professorship of Teaching Excellence Award, along with six other teaching and research awards. Dr. Mruk’s publications generally focus on self-esteem that includes some work in the computer environment, four books, and over two dozen refereed articles and chapters. Chris is an Associate Editor of the American Psychological Association’s journal The Humanistic Psychologist and is a Fellow of the APA. His background also includes six years of clinical experience before becoming an academician. He may be reached at cmruk@bgsu.edu.
Part 2: Alexandria Macko-Millard presents: Cultivating Authentic Self-Esteem
For women in tech, the idea of self-worth is conflated with degrees, certifications, promotions, and long hours in the office, often leading to burnout and self-doubt that creep in when our competence and worthiness are out of balance (Hippler, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020). This doubt could lead us to stop working, asking questions, taking risks, or getting involved. It could even lead to us leaving the computing profession. The good news is that cultivating authentic self-esteem goes beyond ego-boosting, leading to stronger feelings of fulfillment and overall well-being. This seminar presents the opportunity to apply the lessons offered by Dr. Christopher Mruk in Part 1 of this speaker series. Through reflective discussion, participants will embark on a journey to deepen their understanding of authentic self-esteem as it applies to their lives. Key topics include understanding the interplay of competence and worthiness as it supports our authentic self-esteem, being mindful of positive self-esteem moments, and aligning our values with pursuing our career goals.
Learn about Alexandria Macko-Millard
Alexandria Macko-Millard is a senior Computer Science major at Baldwin Wallace University. Her research focuses on solving humanitarian problems through the use of IoT technologies. She is the Product Owner for BW’s Mission Guatemala Medical Records software project, utilizing her five years of industry experience as a software engineer and quality assurance engineer. As President of BW’s ACM-W student chapter and OCWIC’s ACM-W Student Chapter Coordinator, Alex is driven to make computing more inclusive and accessible for women and neurodivergent individuals who may feel like they don’t belong based on the current demographics.