Yesterday, Colorado Governor Jared Polis announced Computer Science Education Week in Colorado.
Computer Science Education Week is an annual call to celebrate the field of Computer Science, draw students to learn the field, and advocate for equity in the industry. Computer science is ingrained in daily life through technology, privacy, security, and accessibility. Students who learn computer science will not only help drive innovative programming but play a critical role in understanding the social, ethical, economic, and environmental impacts of computing.
“Colorado is a national leader in emerging areas of computer science, which is why our state has been designated as a Quantum Hub and leads in many other tech industries. Coding, hardware development, and quantum computing research and development play an important role in our everyday life, and are important economic drivers in our state. We want to ensure that every Colorado student can engage with computer science and explore the many educational and career paths that computer science provides. Opportunity is what Computer Science Education Week is all about,” said Governor Polis.
Computer Science Education Week was launched in 2009 when Governor Polis, joined by Congressman Vernon Ehlers, introduced a Congressional Resolution recognizing the first annual Computer Science Education Week.
During Computer Science Education Week schools across the country, including over 100 events in Colorado, will hold “Hour of Code” events to introduce students and families to the field. Events and more during this week are created to make computer science more accessible to students and remove barriers to the field.
“Computer science is key to innovation and helps create new economic opportunities. When Colorado students of all ages and backgrounds are introduced to computer science, they have the opportunity to join a growing field that contributes to a strong economy that works for everyone and creates good-paying jobs for Coloradans,” said Eve Lieberman, Executive Director of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade.
Earlier this year, Colorado was named a Regional Technology and Innovation Hub by the Federal Government. This designation solidified Colorado as a national quantum leader and positioned Colorado to apply for federal funds from the CHIPs and Science Act to further the growth of the industry. Fostering interest in computer science and related technologies will support the growth of the quantum tech hub and help secure Colorado’s role as a world leader in quantum.
“Quantum will be as important to the next century as integrated circuits and the internet were to the last. Colorado is the best ecosystem in the world for quantum—computer science skills play a central role in enabling that excellence,” said Zachary Yerushalmi, Chief Executive and Regional Innovation Officer at Elevate Quantum.
Lucy Sanders, Founder of the National Center for Women & Informational Technology (NCWIT), a pioneer in computer science education for underserved communities, added, “We have the opportunity to build a diverse and inclusive industry, offering a vast array of employment opportunities across different educational backgrounds, both in quantum and in computer science more broadly. Events like Computer Science Education Week play an important role in helping more Coloradans understand the potential and the possibilities this field opens up.”
Colorado has a long history of leading in the quantum industry. Colorado leads the world in the concentration of quantum jobs and organizations. Colorado is home to two large-scale quantum computing companies and many leading quantum companies including Atom Computing, Infleqtion, Maybell, and Quantinuum. Colorado has produced four Nobel Prize-winning scientists for quantum research.
Colorado is a quantum leader. To ensure the future of the industry and Colorado’s innovative status it is critical that Colorado’s students, the future leaders of quantum and computer science, fall in love with computer science at a young age, and are given the educational tools they need to succeed and continue to lead the nation.
Find an Hour of Code event and celebrate Computer Science Education Week this year by learning.