Prof. Dr. Andreea Molnar, Swinburne University of Technology and TUM-IAS Visiting Fellow
July 23, 2025
Despite a growing number of initiatives aimed at improving diversity in IT degree programs, the representation of women remains low. Even when women do enroll, they tend to leave these programs at higher rates than men — despite entering with similar levels of interest. Additionally, boys often report higher self-efficacy and confidence in using technology than girls, which may influence how they engage with and adopt technology throughout their studies.
In this talk, Prof. Molnar will begin by briefly summarizing her research to date before focusing on her work as an Anna Boyksen Fellow, which explores the motivations and interventions that support women in enrolling and persisting in IT degrees. First, she will present findings from a study conducted in Australia, which examined the initiatives and other factors that influenced students to choose IT as their field of study. Second, she will share insights from a study carried out in Germany, focusing on what motivates women to enroll at TUM and what helps them persist in their degrees. Third, she will discuss the results of a study exploring computer science students’ perspectives on teaching and learning, and how these insights can inform more inclusive educational practices. Finally, Prof. Molnar will outline the motivation behind her current research, which investigates how generative AI may impact the retention of minority students in computer science.
Equity in IT Education
Guest talk with Prof. Dr. Andreea Molnar, Associate Professor at Swinburne University of Technology and TUM-IAS Visiting Fellow
Time: 23.07.2025, 1 pm
Location: Marsstr. 20, Room 604
Guest talk with Prof. Dr. Andreea Molnar, Associate Professor at Swinburne University of Technology and TUM-IAS Visiting Fellow
Time: 23.07.2025, 1 pm
Location: Marsstr. 20, Room 604
Speaker Biography
Dr. Andreea Molnar is an Associate Professor at Swinburne University of Technology in the School of Science, Computing and Emerging Technologies, and a TUM-IAS Visiting Fellow. She holds a PhD in Technology Enhanced Learning and has a background in both Computer Science and Education. Prior to pursuing her PhD, she worked as a Software Developer. Her research focuses on technology for good, with applications across various domains such as education, health, and government services. She is also interested in increasing diversity among computer science students and, more recently, in exploring the impact of AI on student diversity.
Feature image from Sarah’s Blog
