Philadelphia, Pa. – Robin Hauser Reynolds, director and producer of critically acclaimed documentary “CODE: Debugging the Gender Gap,” will be a keynote speaker at the iConference 2016 – an annual, international gathering that pushes the boundaries of information studies and creates new technological and conceptual configurations.
Registration is now open for the conference, which will take place in historic Philadelphia from Mar. 20-23, 2016. Hosted by Drexel University’s College of Computing & Informatics, iConference 2016 will bring together more than 500 leading researchers and innovators from academia and industry under the theme of “Partnership with Society” to examine the dynamic, evolving role of information science and today’s iSchool movement, and the benefits to society.
In addition to Reynolds’ keynote address, the conference will feature exclusive on-site film screenings of her most recent film, award-winning documentary “CODE: Debugging the Gender Gap,” thanks to the generous support of iConference 2016 sponsor Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company. The film, which premiered at Tribeca Film Festival 2015, has caught the attention of the international tech industry and of policymakers in Washington, DC and abroad.
“It is a point of great pride to speak and show ‘CODE: Debugging the Gender Gap’ at the iConference 2016, as we join together to examine ‘Partnership with Society’ and the reasons behind the tech gender gap that have led to such an extreme shortage of female and minority software engineers,” Reynolds said.
“CODE” documentary explores the reasons behind the dearth of American female and minority software engineers, including the reasons for the gender gap and digital divide. The film also examines the reasons why more girls and people of color are not seeking opportunities in computer science and explores how stereotypes, educational hurdles, lack of role models and sexism all contribute to this national crisis.
“Beyond the gender gap, ‘CODE’ documentary targets the growing workforce crisis in computing and digital information – a challenge that educators and administrators within the 65 iSchools across the world can help to address,” said Jane Greenberg, PhD, iConference 2016 co-chair and Drexel University Alice B. Kroeger Professor. “The film is a must-see for anyone working or teaching within the digital information space.”
Reynolds is the director and producer of cause-based documentary films at Finish Line Features, LLC. As both a businesswoman and a longtime professional photographer, Reynolds brings her creative eye and leadership skills to her documentary film projects. Her years in fine art photography give her a keen vision for the artistic design of her films; her experience in the business world affords her a unique perspective on what it takes to motivate an audience.
Previously, Reynolds co-directed and produced the documentary feature, “Running for Jim,” which won 14 awards at 20 film festivals. She has spoken about the importance of increased diversity in computer programming and on behalf of women’s rights at the Mobile World Congress, SXSW Interactive Conference, InspireFest, AT&T Foundry FutureCast and Dell Women Entrepreneur Network. As director of “CODE” documentary, Reynolds has been featured in national publications: USA Today, Wired, Forbes, Fortune, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Fast Company, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Marie Claire and San Francisco Business Times.
To learn more about the iConference 2016 and its keynote speakers, please visit http://ischools.org/the-iconference/program/keynote-speakers.
Media Contact
Kerry Boland
iConference 2016 Communications Director
Writer/Editor, College of Computing & Informatics
Email: kb633@drexel.edu
Phone: 215.895.6271