GT Computing @ Tapia Conference 2023
The College of Computing at Georgia Tech believes that bringing people with different backgrounds and experiences together strengthens our community and amplifies the impact of our technical achievements.
We celebrate diversity in computing and are excited to connect with a global community at Tapia 2023, taking place Sept. 13-15 in Dallas. By working together and sharing our ideas, we can use technology to make the world better for everyone.
About
The CMD-IT/ACM Richard Tapia Celebration of Diversity in Computing Conference is the premier venue to acknowledge, promote and celebrate diversity in computing. The goal of the Tapia Conference is to bring together undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, researchers, and professionals in computing from all backgrounds and ethnicities to:
- Celebrate the diversity that exists in computing
- Connect with others to create communities that extend beyond the conference
- Engage with computing leaders in academia, industry, and government labs and inspire with thoughtful presentations and conversations
The Tapia Conference brings together CMD-IT’s target communities:
- African Americans/Blacks
- Native Americans/Indigenous People
- Hispanics/Latinxs
- People with Disabilities
Commitment to Diversity in Computing
Troy Peace, director of Community and Student Engagement in Georgia Tech’s College of Computing, talks about the importance of Tapia.
Keep up with us at Tapia on Instagram and LinkedIn!
Tapia Testimonial
Chukwudumebi Ejikeme
CS Student
Going to the Richard Tapia conference was a rewarding experience! I actively engaged in a range of workshops and participated in thought-provoking discussions led by people from different branches of computing. The conference provided numerous occasions to connect with fellow attendees. I was genuinely impressed by the willingness of so many individuals to offer their assistance and insights on any concerns I had. Interacting with like-minded professionals facing their own unique challenges provided a strong sense of solidarity, invigorating my determination to pursue my career with unwavering dedication.
Michael Johnson
PhD CS Student
Tapia was the first conference I went to as a graduate student back in 2018. Since then, I have presented posters at Tapia twice in 2020 and 2022. With this last one, and as I’ve moved later into my graduate career, I was able to network with more professionals at other universities looking to hire faculty, which is a career path I am considering. I also moved into the semi-final round of the Student Research Competition, which gave me an opportunity to give a presentation about my research in addition to presenting my poster. Those experiences are very helpful to me and gave me a sense of validation as a graduate student that others can see the worth in my research efforts. I also won a best poster award, which was exciting.
Tanish Goel
CS Student
Attending the Richard Tapia Conference was one of the most enriching experiences of my career thus far. I felt constantly inspired being surrounded by innovators and leaders from all over the nation. I also felt motivated by the stories they told about their experiences in this field. From the enlightening fireside chats to the networking opportunities, it was remarkable to connect with individuals who are driving innovation and advancing technology every single day. Attending the Tapia Conference gave me a renewed passion for my own studies and future in this industry.
GT Computing @ Tapia 2023
OMSCS and Graduate Student Recruiting
Director of OMSCS Admissions
Georgia Tech’s Online Master of Science in Computer Science (OMSCS) was the first master’s program in CS to be offered by an accredited and premier university in an exclusively online format at a fraction of the cost of traditional, residential programs. By design, the OMSCS program has the same course rigor as its on-campus counterpart. Many of the OMSCS faculty also teach in the on-campus program.
The OMSCS program is currently in its 10th year. Nearly 10,000 students have graduated from the program. There are 12,734 students enrolled for the Fall 2023 semester. Five specializations and over 60 different courses are available to OMSCS students. Approximately 7,000 applications are received for the program each year. Admitted applicants can matriculate in either the Fall or the January semesters.
There are several advantages and benefits to the OMSCS program:
- Because there is no cap on enrollment, the Admissions Committee can accept applicants with non-traditional backgrounds. The Committee is looking for a reason to accept the applicant, not deny the applicant, i.e., has the applicant demonstrated an ability to perform rigorous graduate-level academic CS work?
- Because of its admissions criteria, the program encourages applications from all academic and demographic backgrounds, and the acceptance rate is upwards of 80%.
- The cost for the entire degree — not per year, not per semester — is approximately 7,000 USD.
- No distinction or differentiation is made between foreign or domestic applicants except that the former must demonstrate English language competency, and English language versions of their transcripts must be submitted. Since the program is 100% online, international students do not need a US visa to participate in the program. (However, any international students who happen to be in the US while participating in the program must prove that they are legally allowed to reside in the US.)
- The program is designed to be part-time, with a maximum of two courses per semester. Nearly all our students work full-time or have other full-time obligations, so this part-time commitment is perfect for their lives.
- The program has several people with whom students can connect and network with throughout their journey in the program.
13%
of OMSCS students are minority students
Enrollment
12,734 Students
9,813 Men
2,932 Women
Minorities
431 Black or African American
898 Hispanic or Latino
338 2+ Races / 19 Other
The LEAP Alliance is a NSF-funded Broadening Participation in Computing Alliance focused on diversifying future leadership in the computing professoriate at research universities as a way to increase diversity across the field of computing. The alliance brings together four cohorts of universities, with each cohort having common strengths and a common agenda for diversifying future leadership in the computing professoriate. The cohorts provide a comprehensive solution that covers undergraduate students and graduate students.
“LEAP Alliance focuses on increasing the numbers of African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans/Indigenous Americans, and People with Disabilities who become faculty at Ph.D. granting universities. Georgia Tech’s College of Computing is active in this effort as we teach these students as undergraduates, enroll and support them as Graduate and Ph.D. students, and hire them as faculty.
“Our involvement as a top-five institution is integral in providing leadership for other universities and partnering with our peers. We are also inclined to take action and uphold our (the city of Atlanta’s) reputation in building equity and supporting the large population of underrepresented students in our region.”
Cedric Stallworth
Associate Dean for Inclusive Excellence, College of Computing
GALLERY
Project Lead: Charde Brown
Website Development: Joshua Preston