Institute for Women and Technology moves to HP Labs

The Institute for Women and Technology, a research, development, advocacy and action organization, moved into a new home at Hewlett-Packard Labs, leaving the Palo Alto Research Center (formerly Xerox PARC).

HP is a long-time sponsor of the Institute for Women and Technology. With the move, HP and the non-profit group will pursue a strategic partnership, focused on changing the relationship between women and technology.

"Hewlett-Packard's support for the Institute represents both a continuation of prior HP involvement and a partnership designed to fundamentally change the participation of women in higher education and the technological workforce," says Wayne C. Johnson, executive director of HP university relations worldwide.

decline in female engineering students

Johnson says he's particularly concerned because fewer women are enrolling in technology-related disciplines in universities. In the U.S., the percentage of female students in engineering, computer science and related fields has dropped from 36 percent to 20 percent in the past two decades.

"Industry needs to take more of a leadership role in solving this problem," Johnson says. "My intention is to work with industry leaders and make this a major issue we bring to university strategy partnerships."

Dr. Anita Borg founded the Institute in 1997 with a mission to increase the impact of women on all aspects of technology, to increase the positive impact of technology on the lives of the world's women and to help communities, industry, education and government benefit from these increases.

"The Institute's move into HP Labs marks the next pivotal phase of our growth and impact," said Dr. Borg. "We are now in a position where we are beginning to acquire enough data and results to implement, influence and change the system of how technology is created and who it will be created by. It promises to be an exciting time for us and for those most intimately involved with the Institute." HP a strong supporter

HP a strong supporter

Since 1999 Hewlett-Packard has been one of the Institute's strongest supporters, becoming deeply involved in the work of the Virtual Development Center (VDC), a nationwide program advocating a new model of technology creation focused on women's interests and needs.

Since May, the Institute has been located at HP Labs' Palo Alto, California, headquarters.