Author: Yoky Matsuoka
Affiliation: Carnegie Mellon University
Title: Neurobotics for Women Recruitment and Retention
Keywords: rehabilitation robotics, assistive robotics, neurobotics, recruitment, retention, women, outreach.
Issue Date: July 15, 2006

Bibliography: Yoky Matsuoka, "Neurobotics for Women Recruitment and Retention", Journal of the Robotics Society of Japan, Vol. 24, No. 5, pp.585-587, 2006.

Abstract:
Girls and women often try to stay as far away as possible from being associated with the word “robot” to avoid stereotype threats. There is a general trend that women are more encouraged to pursue a career if they know that it may lead to the path of helping people in the future. It is thus critical to change the perception of robots from cold metallic objects to technology that improves quality of life for disabled and elderly people. This paper outlines the sub-field of robotics called Neurobotics and how it can be used to recruit women who want a career that mixes technology and humans and to retain women who want a career that is worth having even if it means that the time is spent away from their own children because they are also helping and changing other people’s lives. As the elderly population increases, the need for assistive and rehabilitative technology will only increase. It is thus a great time to recruit and retain many women in the field of robotics and start changing stereotypes so that girls who pursue robotics are envied by everyone, in the same way as girls who become doctors are today.

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