The Big IDEA and the PD Pipeline

In 2015, when considering whether to apply for the position of executive director for the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA), I read the book Stuck in the Shallow End by Jane Margolis (http://bit.ly/2zcEZeP). Computer science (CS) remains one of the least diverse of the STEM disciplines, and Margolis' book opened with a compelling comparison between the racial divide in swimming and the divide we see today in CS. Understanding that teachers are critical to access, and how we teach can influence what field students might pursue, I saw that within CSTA there was opportunity to make a positive difference in the world. Fast-forward to 2017, and thanks to Stephen Ibaraki, I had the opportunity to participate in the AI for Good Summit held in Geneva, Switzerland (http://bit.ly/2h494Xi). The Summit crystalized for me the scope, magnitude, and importance of an organization like CSTA to change the world.