Gloria Townsend

Gloria Townsend is a Professor of Computer Science and Chair of the Computer Science Department at DePauw University. With four degrees from Indiana and Purdue Universities, she has dedicated her career to evolutionary computation, computing ethics, and addressing gender disparities in computer science. Her research extends to biological applications through evolutionary modeling and inclusivity in STEM fields.

• Evolutionary computation with biological applications
• Robotics
• Computing ethics
• Gender issues in computing
• Computer science education reform

Recent publications analyze women in computing through SIGCSE initiatives, ACM-W history, and inclusivity strategies. She explores gender disparities in CS enrollment, student retention through peer organizations, and the intersection of athletics with computing participation. Her work emphasizes curriculum development for diverse learners.

Key scientific contributions include:

• Founding student organizations to broaden computing participation
• Developing scholarship/travel grant programs for Grace Hopper Celebration
• Creating Julian Scholarship initiatives for first-generation CS majors
• Research on introverted student engagement through groupware systems
• Innovative CS1 interventions for equitable learning