2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Research indicates that, like most technical fields, the inclusion and diversity of various underrepresented populations in cybersecurity is beneficial. Sometimes, however, the call for diversity in computing can be complicated, as diversity is a complex concept highly entangled with notions of inequity and justice. While most of the research on diversity in computing fields focuses on gender and race/ethnicity, some interpret diversity in other ways. Undergraduate students are key stakeholders in the assessment of cybersecurity as a diverse and inclusive subfield of computing; they may or may not consider these concepts as they make curricular and career decisions. The purpose of this study is to explore how students conceptualize the field of cybersecurity and prioritize diversity concepts within the field. A goal of the study is to enrich understanding of diversity perspectives in the field, and so the authors sought complexity of interpretation over a narrowing or codifying of viewpoints. Data for this piece come from three sources: Q-sort rankings, group interview transcripts, and individual interview transcripts. Q-sort rankings from 16 high-achieving scholarship students at 2 Hispanic Serving Institutions are analyzed with a focus on diversity statement patterns. Student Q-sort responses were matched with qualitative data in the form of group and individual interviews. Results indicate that the concept of diversity in cybersecurity is complex, that students in the field prioritize diversity (or do not prioritize it) in myriad ways, and that conceptions of “diversity, equity, and inclusion” are opaque. While DEI programs exist in the cybersecurity world, diversity is a complex concept with multiple definitions. Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is ubiquitous in the current computer science higher education climate, yet definitions vary, as do perspectives regarding what forms of diversity are valued in educational spaces. As DEI plans become commonplace for securing federal funding [26], understanding how students, staff and faculty conceptualize the value of diversity will only increase in importance. This study illuminates the complexity of notions of "diversity" in a subfield of computing and the importance of educating scholars on DEI issues, especially those in fields with diversity gaps.