Events for the CIS Community

The following events have taken place for the CIS community as part of Diversity + Climate efforts in the Department.

CIS Celebration of Women in Computing
November 26 – Dec. 3


Penn Resources for Victims of Sexual Assault, Harassment and Microaggessions

Special Services and Penn Violence Protection
Pat Brennan, Paige Wiggenton, Malik Washington
Monday, Nov. 26
3 pm, Raisler Lounge

Resources for victims of sexual assault, harassment and microaggressions


Penn CSS/WiCS Allies Workshop
Tuesday, Nov. 27
5 pm, Greenberg Lounge


Jeanine Gubler Heck, CIS Alum and Comcast VP
Wednesday, Nov. 28
3 pm, 307 Levine

Talk Title:  Creating Brilliant Products
Abstract:  Jeanine will discuss her approach to product management, with a focus on how products with artificial intelligence are a bit different.  She will also share insights from her career progression and her point of view on the status of women in tech.


Gayle Laakmann McDowell, CIS Alum, CEO of CareerCup and Best Selling Author
Cracking the Coding Interview Thursday, Nov. 29
6 pm, Wu and Chen Auditorium

Gayle Laakmann works on both sides of the hiring table, helping companies learn how to hire more effectively and helping candidates interview more effectively. http://www.gayle.com/contact/


Basima Tewfik, Doctoral Candidate, Wharton School
Monday, Dec. 3, 2018
3 pm, Raisler Lounge

Talk Title: The Unexpected Benefits of Feeling Overestimated by Others: The Relationship between Imposter Thoughts and Performance
Abstract: Recent years have seen a surge in interest in a phenomenon popularly known as the impostor syndrome. The majority of existing theory and empirical work has focused on the drawbacks of the syndrome. Yet, there are hints that the phenomenon may have benefits. These benefits, however, may be obscured due to current conceptualizations of the phenomenon as an individual difference that makes it virtually indistinguishable from neuroticism, low self-efficacy, and maladaptive perfectionism. In this talk, I seek to rebalance the conversation around the phenomenon by introducing the construct of workplace impostor thoughts, which is defined as the temporary belief that others may overestimate one’s talent or abilities at work. Drawing on theories of resource allocation and identity, I hypothesize relationships between impostor thoughts and task performance as well as interpersonal performance. After developing and validating a self-report measure of impostor thoughts using seven lab and field samples, I test my hypotheses across two studies: a field study of physicians-in-training and a field study of employees at an investment solutions firm. I find mixed results regarding the relationship between impostor thoughts and task performance. However, in line with what I hypothesize, I find that having impostor thoughts is positively associated with interpersonal performance, and that this relationship is stronger for males than for females. I further find evidence that impostor thoughts stem from facing unfamiliar role responsibilities. Taken together, my results suggest that entertaining impostor thoughts at work may not necessarily lead to poorer task performance. Instead, such thoughts may sometimes encourage employees to prove themselves interpersonally.