Wohn Awarded for Mentoring Women and Minorities in Computing
In a lab dedicated to developing novel technologies for positive social interaction and trying to understand how people use social technologies, such as social media, mobile phones, and multiplayer games, it is the face-to-face, in-person relationships that students have with each other, faculty, and researchers that attracts them and brings them back year after year. Ask Dr. Yvette Wohn what she thinks about that, and she will tell you that she would have it no other way.
Wohn launched the Social Interaction Lab, also known as the Social X Lab, seven years ago when she saw an opportunity to study an issue that has long been a passion of hers – how to get more women and minorities involved in computing. STEM fields have notoriously low representation among those two groups. As she set up the lab, Wohn envisioned creating a welcoming, inclusive research environment for underrepresented student groups, especially those from NJIT’s undergraduate population.
In recognition for her successful and ongoing efforts to promote computing and research among women and minority students, Wohn was awarded the 2020 Mentoring Award for Undergraduate Research from the National Center for Women & Information Technology. The award recognizes outstanding mentorship, high-quality research opportunities, recruitment of women and minority students, and efforts to encourage and advance undergraduates in computing-related fields.
“I think one of the biggest obstacles that women and minorities face in STEM is the feeling of being ‘the other’ and not having an equal chance to contribute, explore, and to be equal participants in the work. The same is true for undergraduates, in general,” said Wohn. “When I started the lab, how to make that a non-issue in our space was very top of mind for me. Inclusivity is now the heart of the culture that we have created in the space. With that now well established, I am inspired every day by what that environment makes possible. I watch my students flourish in an open and supportive setting. They have formed a close-knit community. They get to meet and work with like-minded people. They help mentor one another. And they build friendships that last long after their time in the lab is over.”
Since she opened her lab, 49% of Wohn’s students have been women and 70% were people of color. They come from diverse academic backgrounds like computing, biology, math and humanities. Wohn has helped mentor 71 students, including eight who came to the Social X Lab from other universities. During their time in the lab, Wohn’s undergraduate students work closely with her on research and the authoring of papers, highly valued and appreciated experiences that make a lasting impression on students.
In a letter recommending Wohn for the award, Social X Lab student Jirassaya Uttarapong explained why she felt Wohn was deserving of this recognition. “Under Dr. Wohn, I have worked on two research projects. Our extended abstract regarding our research on esports commentators was accepted into the Ante-Games Conference at ICA 2019. Dr. Wohn helped secure academic funding for me to attend the conference to present the abstract," she wrote. "I would not have found my current voice as a leader and established myself within research, especially as an undergraduate student, if it were not for Dr. Wohn’s guidance. She does not only provide this fantastic guidance to me, but to all her students…in the Social Interaction Lab."
Wohn's students also recently produced a YouTube video describing the work they do in the lab. Upon hosting a Social X Lab reunion last year, Wohn said she was pleased to see many familiar faces return to reconnect. And she was happy to learn that several lab alumni continue to do research as part of their professional lives, while others are considering masters and even doctoral studies in the field.
The award included a significant cash gift to NJIT that is being used to support student assistants. Wohn hopes this will facilitate even greater participation from women and diverse groups in research activities.