One Voice in CS Podcast

Host Shawn Patrick Higgins edits the interview between Justine Chavez-Crespin and Evan Shieh, Executive Director of the Young Data Scientist League, whose work centers on data justice and critical AI literacy. Evan shares how his organization's Data Is Power program puts students from underrepresented communities in the driver's seat on AI ethics — analyzing bias in language models, studying unequal tech access, and presenting findings at international conferences. He reflects on his own path into CS, from feeling like an outsider in college to building machine learning models during ACL rehab, and makes the case that the most important skills in the AI era aren't advanced math or coding — they're curiosity, interdisciplinary thinking, and the ability to connect technical work to real human communities.

Inspired by R2-D2 at age 10, Dr. Cynthia Breazeal went on to create Kismet—the world's first social robot—and pioneer the field of social robotics at MIT. Now, she's on a mission to democratize AI literacy for every student and teacher, not just computer science majors. Through MIT's RAISE initiative, Dr. Breazeal has developed hundreds of hours of free, open-source curriculum reaching over 170 countries. Her philosophy? AI isn't about replacing humans—it's about empowering them. From kindergarteners to high schoolers, students need to understand how AI works, think critically about its impact, and use it as a tool for "computational action"—making things that make a difference in their communities. As the U.S. prepares for its 250th anniversary, Dr. Breazeal is launching Day of AI USA, aiming to train 20,000 teachers and reach one million students. Her message is clear: in the age of AI, human creativity, empathy, wisdom, and collaboration matter more than ever. Students still need to learn to code, think critically, and work together—because AI is a powerful tool, but it's humans who shape the future.

What if generative AI isn't the enemy of learning to code — but one of the best tools we can hand our students? In this episode, host Julie York sits down with Dr. Beth Simon and Dr. Kate Lockwood, two CS educators bridging the high school-to-college divide, to talk about a new CSTA professional development course that charts a practical middle path between banning AI and going full vibe-code. They share how focused, free tools and simple sentence frames can help students build stronger debugging, testing, and critical thinking skills — and why the conversation matters now more than ever.

What started with tinkering on an Omega computer with a cousin in rural North Carolina led to a career bridging industry and education. This CS educator spent years in programming, systems administration, and disaster recovery at IBM before realizing their true calling: explaining difficult concepts in ways that make them accessible. Now working at Data Science for Everyone, they're developing K-12 learning progressions for data literacy—because in today's world, working with data and computational tools shouldn't be reserved for CS electives. The vision is bold: integrate data science across all subjects so every teacher can recognize data literacy opportunities in their content area, with CS educators as frontline support. Their teaching philosophy is refreshingly human: normalize problem-solving, celebrate without surprise ("I knew you could do it"), and create spaces like the "Hidden Figures room" where students work together at their own pace. They emphasize academic risk-taking—school is the safe place to take big swings—and learning to internalize feedback as growth, not criticism. On AI, their stance is clear: students need to understand the math, statistics, and algorithms behind the "magic." AI is a tool that elevates existing expertise—like giving a chef better pans—not a replacement for human development, lived experience, or the connections that spark true creativity. In an age where attention is monetized, students need computational literacy paired with self-reflection, relationship-building, and perseverance.

Jake shares his journey from the classroom to leading the world’s largest association for K–12 computer science educators. As Executive Director of CSTA, Jake has played a transformational role in building a thriving, inclusive, and forward-thinking CS community—one that champions teachers and opens doors for every learner. He reflects on what first drew him to computer science education, the early challenges he saw teachers face, and how those experiences inspired him to reimagine what support and opportunity could look like at scale. Under Jake’s leadership, CSTA has expanded access to high-quality professional development, amplified teacher voice, and built a network where educators feel seen, valued, and empowered. Through stories of educator resilience and impact, Jake reminds us that when we invest in teachers, we unlock infinite potential for students. He also shares how CSTA’s growth—from 2 staff members to 20, and from a struggling organization to one reaching tens of thousands—reflects the passion, grit, and brilliance of the CS education community. Jake’s message is clear: behind every confident student is an empowered teacher, and when we lead with equity, connection, and curiosity, we build a future where all students belong in computer science.

This episode of One Voice in CS, hosted by the Computer Science Teachers Association, features a deeply inspiring conversation with Dr. Shuchi Grover, Director of AI and Educational Research at Looking Glass Ventures. She shares her journey from studying computer science in India during the 1980s to becoming a leader bridging technology, education, and culture. Through her story, listeners explore the challenges of being a woman and immigrant in tech, the evolution of computing education, and the vital role of computer science as a foundation for creativity, empowerment, and global connection. Grover emphasizes the importance of foundational skills, cultural perspective, and perseverance—encouraging educators and students alike to “be the bridge” between communities and technology.

The Computer Science for English Learners (CS for EL) project began as a CSTA initiative focused on creating equitable access to computer science for multilingual learners. Its mission was to provide teachers with practical strategies to support both computational thinking and language development, ensuring that every student could thrive in the CS classroom. As the work expanded, educators recognized that the strategies designed for English learners had a broader impact—elevating student voice, fostering collaboration, and building inclusive learning spaces for all. This natural growth led to the creation of Beyond Code, a CSTA course rooted in real classrooms.

Learn about the CSHS, Computer Science Honor Society, from two advisory committee members who have spent years running their own chapters and working on the national program themselves. They share advice, thoughts about the program, and ideas for interested advisors and teachers.

Various CSTA teachers from around the country and the world of the community's opinions regarding AI in Education. Live interviews from CSTA 2025.

Live from Vegas at CSTA 2024! In this special episode of One Voice in CS, panel discussion host Tori Watlington leads a heartfelt and energizing conversation centered on Unearthing Joy by Dr. Gholdy Muhammad. Joined by educators Dan Jones, Sarah Ciras Rousseau, Sandy Hartman, Ebonie Campbell, and more, the panel dives into what it truly means to center joy, healing, and student brilliance in computer science classrooms—especially for students with disabilities and those who’ve been historically underestimated. Full of real stories, reflective takeaways, and practical ways to bring more joy into teaching, this episode is a celebration of connection, creativity, and community.

More from CSTA Equity Fellows Cohort 5- interviews with Leah Aiwohi, Coach Hicks, and Michelle Pierce!

Interviews with the Cohort 5 CSTA Equity Fellows discussing why they care about creating more access for computer science and why they applied for the program.

Jigar Patel, director for Innovation TIU 11 Pennsylvania and rural CS advocate, talks about the challenges of CS in rural settings, his experiences in CSTA, and why he volunteers for the organization.

Current CSTA Equity Fellow Verna Hiser joins us for a discussion about twice exceptional students and why computer science is a great tool for them to use when learning.

Interview with visionary founder of coding with culture and CSTA Equity Fellow alumni who is passionate about diversifying the tech sector and welcoming all people into computer science. Through this interview he shares helpful tips and advice for how to reach all students and broaden the representation in CS.

Gail Chapman, co-creator of ECS (exploring computer science) curriculum, discusses the value of ECS and her role in creating and running PD for the program.

Art Lopez, prior CSTA Board Member and current LatinX Affinity Group Member, discusses the importance of fellowship and affinity groups for CS teachers.

An Interview with CSTA Volunteer Professor Daniel Moix- from Drexel University.

Why join a CSTA Infinity Group? Dan Blier talks about the CSTA Pride Affinity group and why finding your people can strengthen your feeling of belonging in CS Education!

Interview with Dr. Sabba Quidwai- a leading expert in education, AI, technology, and design thinking. Founder of Designing Schools.

12 [Interview] One Voice in CS- Dr. Gholdy Muhammad by CSTA Equity Fellows

CSTA Vegas 2024 Live Interview with CSTA New York's Jocelyn Humpries!

Part 2 of the interview with Dr. Tiffani L. Williams for the One Voice in CS Equity Fellows podcast!

Tiffani L. Williams is a Teaching Professor, Associate of Broadening Participation in Computing, and iCAN Director in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She has been on the faculty at Northeastern University-Charlotte and Texas A&M. At Illinois, she is the director of the Illinois Computing Accelerator for Non-specialists (iCAN) program, which is an innovative one-year (fall, spring, summer) graduate certificate degree program in computing fundamentals (programming, algorithms, data structures) for college graduates without a computing background. She has received several awards for teaching excellence. Outside of computing, she enjoys sports, reading, writing, and traveling.

8 [Interview] One Voice in CS - Dr. Sepehr Vakil by CSTA Equity Fellows

This episode is entirely in Spanish. Our mission is to inspire and encourage Spanish speakers by fostering their active participation in Computer Science (CS), breaking down language barriers, and engaging in conversations about the significance of inclusivity within the CS field.

6 [Topic] One Voice in CS - Maine CSTA Equity Thoughts by CSTA Equity Fellows

5 [Interview] One Voice in CS - Jean Ryoo and Jane Margolis by CSTA Equity Fellows

4 [Interview] One Voice in CS - Dr. Joshua Childs by CSTA Equity Fellows

3 [Interview] One Voice in CS - Dr. Roxanna Hadad by CSTA Equity Fellows

2 [Interview] One Voice in CS - Shaina Glass by CSTA Equity Fellows

Equity Fellows from 2023 share their views of CS Equity.