Ruth Wilson (moderator):

Hi Barbie,

It is a great pleasure to welcome you to the UKRC blog, and all visitors as well. You're coming to the UK in 2011: thanks for this unique chance to ask you questions about your choice of new career.

The UKRC is passionate about building gender equality in science, engineering and technology: we have wide-ranging expertise and we offer a range of support to women starting or developing their careers. Anyone wanting to know more about the lack of women in computing, see our Women in Computing page.

Very best wishes, Ruth

Louise:

Hi Barbie
Congratulations on joining this fast-paced and exciting industry. We at e-skills UK agree it's so important for young girls to have inspiring role models. Our own employer boards include the female CIOs of the BBC and the Metropolitan Police as well as the CEOs of BT Wholesale and Quicksilva. Young people need role models like these and it would be great to see even more women involved in programmes aimed at encouraging young people into the profession. 
We've seen some really positive results from our own programmes aimed at encouraging young girls into IT. Our CC4G (Computer Clubs for Girls) programme aimed at 10-14 year olds has already benefited over 135,000 girls in 3,700 schools, and over two thirds of those participating say they are more likely to consider a career in technology as a result. Visit www.cc4g.net to find out more.
Nearly three quarters of 14-19 year olds registered on our careers attractiveness BigAmbition website are girls. That website carries profiles of inspirational young female IT professionals at companies like BA, ITV, MySpace and the Tate Gallery. You can check them out here www.bigambition.co.uk/News/Your-Tech-Future/IT-is-not-just-for-boys--/.
All the best
Louise at e-skills UK (www.e-skills.com)

Lulu:

Hi Barbie!!
I have been a fan of yours since i was about 7, so I am really excited to see you as a guest blogger!
I have a question for you - clearly Barbie seems to have it all, do you think it is possible for real women to have it all?

larry:

Hi Barbie,

Research may only be catching up to you. There was a large study published just a few years ago (2008)in Science, with a sample of about 7 million, that showed no statistically significant difference between boys and girls in math performance - http://dericbownds.net/uploaded_images/hyde.pdf. This will no doubt not come as a surprise to you. It didn't to me either. Although no similarly large study has been done in your current field, I have no doubt that the results would be little different.

Marilyn Booth:

Hi Barbie

Lovely to see you here and congratulations on your job choice.

Are you doing anything to get members of your own family interested in computers and technology as well, and what do you think big sisters and others can do to help inspire the next generation of computer whizzes.

Is this your first time blogging, and would you do it again?

Barbie:

Hi Louise,
‬‪Thanks so much for getting in touch. Its great to see that there are so many people out there passionate about encouraging girls to consider a role in IT.‬‪ ‬‪

‪Hi Lulu,‬‪
Nice to e-meet you. Wow - what a question! I feel so lucky to have had the experiences I have had - to have travelled all over the world and to have met so many amazing people - but believe me, I've worked hard to get here. I truely believe that with determination, hard work and the right attitude, any woman can achieve her dreams.‬‪

Hi Larry,‬‪
That's great to know, thanks so much. I guess what this is all about for me is instilling girls with the confidence that they can do these 'stereotypically male-dominated careers' just as well as men so its great to hear that research is starting to back this ideology up.‬‪

Pollyanna:

Hi Barbie,
As a successful career woman and fashion icon you are obviously proud of the way you look… amazing at 50+! Do you ever feel that your looks and fashion can determine peoples perceptions of you in your careers? Particularly within the male dominated world of Computer Engineering, do you feel your intelligence is ever overlooked by your colleagues because of the way you look?
Thanks,
Pollyanna

Pam:

Barbie, you have come into computing after trying other careers. I just wanted to say you are not alone -- many women take computer courses a long time after they left school, and start on a new career in computing. I did!

People trying to enter or return to a technical career should look around this UKRC website for help. You can also ask MentorSET for a mentor. And besides BCSWomen, there is the Women's Engineering Society, which holds a residential conference in the autumn which offers a good opportunity for extended talks with technical women.

Tina:

Barbie, You have had several careers yet this is the first time I recall you finding it necessary to wear glasses. Is this because female computer engineers have to look more geeky to fit in, or is your eyesight failing?

Rachel:

Hi Barbie, Clearly you have a professional interest in IT, but I wondered how you use technology in your leisure time? For example do you play any computer games or participate in social networking?

Barbie:

Hi Pollyanna, That's so sweet of you to say. I think I have been very lucky not to have come across this more often as I know it does happen. When I have experienced it, it just makes me all the more determined to prove them wrong.
Fashion makes me feel confident - if I look good, I feel good and it has absolutely no bearing on my ability to do my job. I see no reason why women can't wear whatever they want to and still deliver.

Helen:

Hi Barbie

Obviously you have had lots of incarnations during your career as a must have for many girls. This blog will probably be seen by people working in the IT industry, engineering etc but maybe not by many girls and young women under 18 - do you know what your makers will do to raise awareness of the fabulous opportunities open to girls in areas where they have been under represented to support your release here in the UK?

Melissa:

Hello Barbie
You're a computer engineer as a result of a vote - I'd like to know a bit more about that.

- is it the first time Mattel have gone for a vote to determine your career?
- how do they decide of the list of options (six I think)

Adults voted for Computer Engineer, and girls for TV Anchor Woman, and both Barbies are in production which is great. Looking at the blogosphere, it seems that lots of women in computing wanted you to join them. Is that true? Will you join girl geeks?

Barbie:

Hi Pam,
Thanks for your comment. I absolutely agree with you - there are some fantastic resources out there and the best way to find out how fulfilling and exciting a career in IT is, is to talk to women who are already doing the job.

Hi Tina,
I still have 20/20 vision but I saw these fab pink glasses and thought they look great.

Hi Rachel,
I'm fortunate enough to have some fantastic websites so am always checking through these and I also tweet regularly. You can follow me at http://twitter.com/barbiestyle

Hi Helen,
That's a great point. In fact, we are going to run a careers-focused education programme from autumn 2010 in which IT will be a major focus. The aim of the programme is to inform UK primary school girls about the different careers available to them and to encourage them to aspire and to follow their dreams.

Hi Melissa,
Great questions. Yes, it’s the first time Mattel has ever held a vote to decide on my next career. The shortlist of options was chosen after we looked at what careers have a real impact on the world in 2010. I am delighted with the results and proud to be a girl geek!

Sally:

Hi Barbie,

What materials are you made of? I have heard that your head is made of poly vinyl chloride (PVC). Is your body made of PVC too? As you probably know, PVC is hazardous in production and disposal. Is Mattel working to make Barbie dolls out of a plastic that is safer and greener than PVC?

Terry at WISE (www.wisecampaign.org.uk):

Hi Barbie
Many congratulations on embarking on such an exciting career - geek is the new chic - and you will make a real impact on our future world.

Your planned outreach programme for primary schools is an inspired idea, as most girls start dismissing the idea of a career in IT pretty early on. WISE (Women into Science, Engineering and Construction) would love to support you in this programme, so do get in touch.

Sean Ellis:

Hi, Barbie.

As a computer professional, you probably have to use Windows at work. But at home, which Linux distribution do you use?

Danielle:

Hi Barbie,

How does your career as a computer engineer compare to your other 125 careers?

Do you find it is male dominated workplace?
If so how does this make you feel?

Lynne Copp:

Dear Barbie,
Good to see you in the field of science and technology and becoming a good role-model for other young women. I did electronics engineering in the 70's when women in engineering were more rare than hen's teeth! Today, there are many more opportunities for women to develop a technology based career and I applaud that. Today, I no longer work in the field of engineering myself, but my career as a public speaker, author and developer of women mean that I can continue to encourage young women into great careers; or older women to change the one they no longer want to do! In my experience, young women still regard engineering as task based, male focused and dirty! There is much to be done to support the communication of engineering as a career for women, and this has to be done with female-focused appeal. That means focusing communication on the people, community and collaborative benefits of these careers - in other words, how they make a difference. My latest research entitled Lipstick Leadership aims to measure female leadership excellence and use this to educate employers and women about changing workplace cultures to suit female style. To complete the survey, click on the link or copy it to all the senior women you know... thank you! https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/5J8R8BG

Biosci:

I'm really not sure what I feel about this. There has been a wealth of discussion about Barbie and the image this doll portrays of women, starting by its flaw dimensions all the way to its influence on girls, who from a very early age may develop the desire to achieve a Barbie look. So to now put a pair of glasses and a watch on the same doll and call it engineer seems to me as superficial as the doll itself. I certainly don’t feel any reassurance regarding women’s professional standing and acceptance through a computer engineer Barbie. Perhaps even quite the opposite, because again it sticks the stigma of body dimensions, hair and general look as well as the famous glasses, how much more stereotypical can we get?

Barbie:

Hi Marilyn,
So sorry I missed you - and what a great question. My younger sisters Skipper and Stacie have grown up with computers and the internet and they amaze me with what they know already. I'm not sure there's much more I can teach them! What I do want to do is to be a role model to them, and along with every other woman in IT, science engineering and technology, show them that women can succeed in this dynamic, fast-paced and rewarding industry.

Hi Sally,
Thanks for your post. As a lover of all living things I, along with Mattel, am committed to minimising our impact on the environment and am always exploring the viability of greener alternatives.

Hi Terry,
Thanks for your email. We'd love to work with you on this and will be in touch.

Hi Sean,
Good question. I'd have to say Ubuntu 10.04 LTS because its fast and integrates social networking.

Hi Danielle,
I am loving this career - its so fun and fast-paced and I love that the work I do has a real impact. I do think it is a male-dominated career but I am hoping that I will be able to inspire more girls to join it.

Hi Lynne,
That sounds fantastic. What we need is more women like yourself to act as role models and to empower and encourage girls to achieve.

Hi Biosci.
Thanks for your comments. From Mattel's research and over 50 years of experience, we have found that children perceive me very differently to the way adults do. Adults tend to bring a whole set of experiences and values to toys that children do not. For girls, I am a conduit for role play enabling them to play out their dreams and aspirations. I think that anything that encouarges girls to think about different careers can only be a good thing.

Gill:

Hi to all - a blog at the eleventh hour from me as I wanted to respond to the Biosci blog. Yes Barbie is very stereotypical and I too had reservations re image...but reading Barbie's response to Helen about the careers focused day aimed at primary schools I think is a good thing. It will capture their imagination and make engineering an activity they can relate to. My colleague at EAGIT in Norwich has recently done some focus groups with schoolgirls in relation to career choices and perceptions of engineering and career choices based on media programmes like casualty are stunning. Like it or not, we live in a society based on stereotypes...British Gas attract girls to their stands by giving away lip gloss. Not a great message maybe, but it works and they get the girls engaged. I don't feel much has changed over the years in terms of occupational segregation with girls and women still not choosing engineering as a viable career...if Barbie can attract more, and reach younger women, then I'm in support of her. By the way, Barbie, my dog once chewed off one of your ancestors heads - and she was a very expensive Christmas present - so apologies for that. Gill

Ruth Wilson:

Thank you so much for being our guest blogger for these two weeks, Barbie. Its been very enjoyable and interesting reading the comments and questions that have come in, and your replies.

There's been plenty of tweeting as well, and anyone wanting to discuss the issues can contribute here, or at Nature Network http://network.nature.com/groups/women_in_science/forum/topics/6633 or can email me . Thank you everyone for your interest in Barbie and her new career, and the issues it raises.

We are following this up, and I'll post information here and through our various networks about anything going on relating to women and computing. We welcome people's news, events, concerns, ideas. There are a range of resources and links here: http://www.theukrc.org/about-us/our-projects/women-in-computing and I'm keen to add to the list, including any relevant research - so do send me information.

I hope individual women are joining GetSET Women - that way you can stay in touch and hear about our grants, free training and other opportunities(http://www.getsetwomen.org). And employers, sign our CEO Charter as a way of demonstrating your commitment to gender equality (http://www.theukrc.org/for-organisations/ceo-charter).

And I hope that a girl geek will tell us what the binary code on Barbie's blouse says!

In particular, Barbie, we want to wish you all the very best in your exciting new career. Standing up in public to talk about your choices and hopes can be a hard call, especially when you are in a minority. You have done a really good job.

At the UKRC we do a lot to help and encourage women role models, and this blog is just one strand of our activity. We hope you'll stay in touch, and let us know how you get on. Perhaps one day we will have Board Room Barbie as our guest!

Isma:

Hi, the binary on Barbies shirt reads reads "barbie" in ASCII, same on the laptop.

01000010 = 66 = B
01100001 = 97 = a
01110010 = 114 = r
01100010 = 98 = b
01101001 = 105 = i
01100101 = 101 = e

Ruth Wilson (moderator):

Thanks Isma. Brilliant!