Women of the World Chat with Carol Bartz
December 9, 1997

[ Ms.Morell/ParkCollege - 30 - 10:06:50 ]
Hello. I am very fortunate to be able to participate here today. I appreciate Carol Bartz and NASA putting on a chat like this. I wonder why you feel it is so important for women to be recognized in science - I have my own feelings on this - I think it is great because women can contribute so many positive aspects for the future.

[ Tish/NASAChatHost - 32 - 10:12:44 ]
Carol is here and we are ready to begin. Welcome Carol.

[ CarolBartz - 33 - 10:13:28 ]
RE: [FranklinWI] I read about something you are doing for girls called Design Your Future. What is it and why are you doing it?
I am very interested in making sure that girls do well in math, science and technology. It bothers me that we don't encourage our young women in these areas because most of the important jobs in the next century will be founded on information they learn from these subjects. Autodesk has a program that encourages girls to do interesting science and technology activities so they can become aware of careers and opportunities and how much fun these areas really are.

[ CarolBartz - 34 - 10:17:27 ]
RE: [Vera/SaukValleyComtyCollege] I enjoyed your interview in the San Jose Mercury. Very personal, honest and informative. Appreciate your insight that greatest learning from computer technolgies is the access to the wider greater world at an earlier age. 1st Question: Could you expand on that with applications for instruction or curriculum...say, a computer language for designing Web pages as fulfilling foriegn language requirement or...? 2nd Question: What type of projects, give an example or two of the projects your staff members work on at local California schools. Are they hardware or software intensive? or are they the simple addition of an innovative adult with ideals and heart who will listen to kids? Thank you. I learn a lot from the Women of NASA online.
Computer programming language is not a foreign language. I still believe there's a place for learning languages in our educational system. However, I also think that the earlier people learn to communicate with computers with the use of programming languages, the sooner the mystery will disappear. I think it's important, for instance, that as many young people as possible learn how to design pages on the Web using html so they have a real basic understanding of how the system really operates. We have lots of projects in local schools. In fact, I would like to point you to our Autodesk Foundation web site.

[ CarolBartz - 38 - 10:20:30 ]
RE: [Julie/ESD101] Carol, I appreciate being able to participate in this chat. I am very interested in technology in education. Do you have a recommendation for some basics we can give our students so they are not limited as they get older.
I think it's really important to have students learn not only how to use packages such as Word to, for instance, compose papers but to also learn how systems are networked together. For instance, have a class assemble and disassemble an entire network lab so they get very comfortable with the hardware and networking aspects of the system. The point of the matter is that technology changes very rapidly and what we need to do in the education process is just make sure the students are not afraid to approach whatever the latest technology advancement is. And I think the only way to accomplish that is to get them hands on in a fairly unstructured way. In other words, let them make a lot of mistakes around technology so that they understand that nothing bad can really happen.

[ CarolBartz - 39 - 10:21:53 ]
RE: [Mrs.Simmons/HarpethHall] I teach 8th grade algebra at an all-girls school in Nashville. Given your experience with gender equity and other gender-related issues, what suggestions do you have for project or ideas I can use to inspire my girls in math and science.
Why don't you just go up and take a look at the Design Your Future Web site for some ideas. This site is still under construction and we are trying to work with young girls to help us figure out what other resources we can offer that would be of interest.

[ CarolBartz - 40 - 10:22:53 ]
RE: [Julie/ESD101] I read that your background was in computer science. Did you also take business classes to enable to run AutoDesk
Yes, I took business classes in college and I've also taken continuing education business classes early in my career because I thought it was very important to be able to balance my technology background and interest with the different skills necessary to function inside a company.

[ Ms.Morell/ParkCollege - 44 - 10:23:13 ]
Hi Everybody! Carol it sounds so wonderful to me - your idea of work entitled "Design Your Future" - because... that is what I am doing :) ... as a child I always saw nature in patterns and colors and have since pulled myself up by the bootstraps (bookstraps!) and have literally created a path for myself - I designed it in science - I teach Human Ecology On Line for Park College! I am very excited about it - it is a creative work in science with information in emerging technology. Maybe I can make a contribution.

[ CarolBartz - 47 - 10:26:13 ]
RE: [Julie/ESD101] what can an elementary teacher do to help encourage girls in math and technology?
Thank you for asking this question. I have such strong beliefs in this area that I could probably turn the whole chat into a commentary on this subject. The first thing I would please ask you to do is call on the girls so they feel that their ideas and their answers matter. It absolutely has been proven that the girls lose confidence quickly because they don't get to participate in the class discussions regarding these subjects. I happen to be a big proponent of having individual gender classroom for science and math while I understand that might be hard to do inside most school systems. I think it would be very exciting if teachers could pull groups of girls together and have them talk about these subjects because I truly do believe that we learn differently, and as a teacher if you could experience that first hand you could do a huge service to the girls in your school. Please help make a difference in this area.

[ CarolBartz - 48 - 10:27:19 ]
RE: [Teven/WhitwellMiddleSchool] How did you become interested in science and math? Have they always been a favorite subject of yours?
I always loved math and science. I thought it was so much fun to be able to solve math problems or do experiments in chemistry because you really could see direct results of your work. I was never quite as satisfied doing the English term papers on liberty. It never seemed quite as important to me. That just shows my bias.

[ CarolBartz - 50 - 10:29:02 ]
RE: [Richard/LewisCountyAdventistSchool] How have you managed to be so successful?
I don't think there's any simple answer here. I was lucky enough to be in a field that has become very important. Yes, I have worked hard and perhaps made some right choices. One of the biggest pieces of advice that I can give someone thinking about a career is to make sure you move around and learn all aspects of the company. Too many people worry about promotions and therefore would never consider taking a lateral move into another area, say from sales to marketing or into manufacturing. But if you approach business like school and think about learning all the subjects, then you have a chance to be the big cheese.

[ CarolBartz - 51 - 10:29:47 ]
RE: [Ms.Morell/ParkCollege] Hi Everybody! Carol it sounds so wonderful to me - your idea or work entitled "Design Your Future" - because... that is what I am doing :) ... as a child I always saw nature in patterns and colors and have since pulled myself up by the bootstraps (bookstraps!) and have literally created a path for myself - I designed it in science - I teach Human Ecology On Line for Park College! I am very excited about it - it is a creative work in science with information in emerging technology. Maybe I can make a contribution.
Great comment. You sound like an inspiration to those around you. Congratulations.

[ CarolBartz - 55 - 10:30:54 ]
RE: [Teven/WhitwellMiddleSchool] What gave you the idea to create AutoDesk
I didn't create Autodesk. Autodesk actually started ten years before I came to the company. But I came here because I thought the world of design was so interesting. Our software products help engineers and architects all over the world build and manufacture everything you see around us. That really excites me.

[ CarolBartz - 57 - 10:33:33 ]
RE: [FranklinWI] Is it harder for girls to get jobs in the high tech industry?
Hi again, Franklin, Wisconsin. I actually grew up in Wisconsin. I do think it's harder for women to get jobs in technology but that can change. It can change if young girls will get excited about learning technology and math and science in school. By the time you get to college, if you are not good at the basics it's too late to jump into an engineering or computer science program. So, please, work on it through grade school and high school. We are just as smart as the boys. We shouldn't let them get ahead of us!!

[ CarolBartz - 61 - 10:35:26 ]
RE: [Mrs.Simmons/HarpethHall] What exactly does AutoCad do?
AutoCAD is our flagship product. It helps engineers and architects create 2-D drawings of the buildings or products that they want to build. For example, if you have ever seen a blueprint of a building, it could have been created with our software. It's sold in a 150 countries around the world, in more than 19 different languages, and almost 2 million people use it in their daily jobs.

[ CarolBartz - 62 - 10:37:17 ]
RE: [Teven/WhitwellMiddleSchool] Do you Find it diffucult or confusing at times to keep up with the rapid changing technology?
I am a big reader. I always make it a point to read business magazines and technology journals as well as daily publications like the Wall Street Journal because it's very important to keep track of what's happening in the business and technology world. Because I have a good foundation it's pretty easy for me as long as I keep active with my reading to stay abreast with what's happening. If you are going to have this kind of job you have to make that commitment. The only time I get to read novels is during my summer vacation.

[ CarolBartz - 68 - 10:40:06 ]
RE: [Mrs.Bush/ShalimarElementarySchool] What are some software that you designed for children?
In general we don't have software targeted at children. But in the next few months we will be shipping "The White House is Our House: A CD-ROM Visit." This is a product that we did in conjunction with the White House Historical Association and American Architectural Foundation. It is really an exciting product that lets you see the White House and rooms not included in the public tour sitting right at your own PC. I am hoping that a lot of classrooms will use this product as a base for curriculum.

[ CarolBartz - 69 - 10:41:44 ]
RE: [Mrs.Bush/ShalimarElementarySchool] How can I work on math, science, and technology more quickly?
Well, this is a little hard to answer because I don't know exactly what you are doing today. I guess I could always recommend that you don't sleep, but more realistically work on getting the basics. The basics in math, including calculus and geometry, the basics in biology and chemistry and basic understandings of how computers work. Maybe this sounds like a lot but it gives you a great foundation on how to think and solve problems. Plus, it's a lot of fun to understand how the world around us works. These subjects are real world subjects.

[ Vera/SaukValleyComtyCollege - 72 - 10:43:07 ]
Your belief that mistakes are a major part of learning and it is important to feel comfortable by making mistakes with network systems computer is excellent. Getting comfortable with constant change was the topic of Margaret Mead's writings when I was in college. (Univ of Illinois, Urbana Univ of California 1970s) As a teacher I try very hard to call on girls. It would be hard to have an all-girl's science class in our public school, but I can see how it would be advantageous. Some of the things I see girls go through are awful. I will work on it.

[ CarolBartz - 74 - 10:43:27 ]
RE: [Teven/WhitwellMiddleSchool] When you first began in your line of work did you find it hard because you were a woman? Did anyone every tell you that you couldn't do what you wanted? Were you treated differently because of this fact?
Yes, it has been harder being a woman. In most of the jobs I have had since college I was either the only woman at my level or one of just a few. I guess I have had a lot of people along the way tell me that I couldn't do things, but my grandmother who raised me always took the opposite tact and told me I could do anything I worked hard enough for. I think it's important not to listen to some of the outside messages we get but to have enough confidence in ourselves to push ahead. Nobody knows you better than yourself, just remember that.

[ CarolBartz - 75 - 10:44:33 ]
RE: [Judith/EckertIntermediateSchool] Do you think girls need more help in math than boys?
I don't think girls need more help in math than boys but I do think girls need to speak up more in class and to speak up and tell their friends how much they really like math. I'm afraid that some girls think it's not cool to like these subjects or to be good at them. I say that's nuts. So be very loud about how good you are in math, and the more you say that and the more you believe it, the better you will be.

[ CarolBartz - 76 - 10:45:30 ]
RE: [Mrs.Bush/ShalimarElementarySchool] Where did you work before you started working for this design company?
I worked for Sun Microsystems, a company that designs engineering workstations. Before that Digital Equipment in Boston and before that for the 3M Corporation.

[ CarolBartz - 77 - 10:48:59 ]
RE: [Eve/NotreDameHighSchool] I'm a high school student, and I am deeply devoted to science and math, and I'm excited about college and my future just because of the possibilities in these two fields. I go to an all-girl's high school, and that's helped me build confidence and envision dreams, but I don't know what sorts of applications are actually out there in the real world. For example, currently I want to pursue chemical engineering, but I don't know what type of a career I would develop with that. How can I learn more about jobs relating to that, and how can all students be exposed to the various exciting job opportunities that are available?
This is a very good question. Unfortunately there's not an easy answer. Hopefully your high school counselor should know some information. I should tell you that I am somewhat curious that you have chosen a field and you don't know anything about it. One of the things that we are working on at Autodesk is to try to get some links to hot career sites. There is also an organization called WITI, Women in Technology International, that is comprised of thousands of women in all kinds of science and technology fields. There's a link from the NASA page to that Web site. That might be an idea. I'm hoping that more and more we are going to be able to get information in front of people like you so you can have a chance to make a well-rounded decision.

[ Ms.Morell/ParkCollege - 78 - 10:49:03 ]
Once women begin to form a creation in science, it is still a piece of work to add to it... women must continue to make the design work and grow.... women succeeding through excellence, including in technology, can make significant contributions to the world as we know it .. and - for the future. What is the best way to support females in this effort?

[ CarolBartz - 80 - 10:50:17 ]
RE: [Vera/SaukValleyComtyCollege] Your belief that mistakes are a major part of learning and it is important to feel comfortable by making mistakes with network systems computer is excellent. Getting comforatble with constant change was the topic of Margaret Mead's writings when I was in college. (Univ of Illinois, Urbana Univ of California 1970s) As a teacher I try very hard to call on girls. It would be hard to have an all girl's science class in our public school, but I can see how it would be advantageous. Some of the things I see girls go through are awful. I will work on it.
Yes, yes, yes!! Thank you for working on this and being aware. I realize that changing the public school system would be pretty hard. But maybe you could think about some clubs for the girls. There has got to be a way to get girls to collect together to be in a safe place to learn about these subjects. Keep pushing.

[ CarolBartz - 84 - 10:51:54 ]
RE: [Eve/NotreDameHighSchool] I got to use AutoCAD at an engineering seminar at SCU earlier this year. It was a little confusing to catch on -- is there a less complicated version of the software for high school students to work with so that they can make an easy transition?
Yes, it is a very complex piece of software. We have a product called AutoCAD LT 97 that is a more approachable version. There is also a product available at your retail computer stores called "Picture This Home! Kitchen and Bath" which gives you an idea about how you would do architectural layout. Both of these might be a good idea. Thanks for using our product.

[ CarolBartz - 85 - 10:53:16 ]
RE: [Richard/LewisCountyAdventistSchool] I'm really sorry if you have responded to our question about how much you make a year we missed it. Can you repeat again how much you make for your salary on the average?
I make a lot of money (however, the men still seem to make more). Just so you can get a perspective, since it is public information, there are years when I make more than a million dollars. Does that blow your mind? Does that give you a good reason to study your math and science? I hope so.

[ CarolBartz - 87 - 10:55:40 ]
RE: [Eve/NotreDameHighSchool] Because my school is so small, our options are a little more limited in terms of educating students about technology. What can be done to help smaller, private schools?
What I would say is no matter how small your school is or the fact that it is private, you still have the same access to the worldwide Web. I believe one of the things the adminstration could consider is working with the parents to help sponsor more technology in the school. I think parents are starting to wake up and realize that their kids are going to be left behind if they are not able to use current technology. I think the students could be a great help in this by demonstrating as a group to their parents some of the really cool and interesting projects that they can do using the Web and computers because maybe they don't understand :)

[ CarolBartz - 88 - 10:57:24 ]
RE: [Teven/WhitwellMiddleSchool] How long have you been working at your current job? How long did it take before your co-workers started accepting you?
I have been working at Autodesk six years. I don't think it took too long to get accepted here. I had a fairly good reputation from my last position and that kind of news travels. That doesn't mean that every employee is happy all the time. I'm sure many of them think that I make mistakes just like many citizens think President Clinton makes mistakes. That's one of the "opportunities" you always face as a leader.

[ CarolBartz - 89 - 10:57:58 ]
RE: [Judith/EckertIntermediateSchool] How large is your company, and how many people work for you? Are a lot of them women?
Autodesk will be about $600 million in revenues this year. We have 2500 people working for us. And nearly half of them are women.

[ Julie/ESD101 - 91 - 11:01:32 ]
Thank you for your imput! I am looking forward to implementing some of your ideas and looking at your Web site.

[ CarolBartz - 92 - 11:02:13 ]
Thank you for posting such interesting questions. I get so excited when I think about the fact that I could talk to so many of you around the country this way. How could anybody think technology is not interesting! I hope that you got my message to pay attention to math and science. I really believe that one of the biggest issues holding women back from leadership in this country is the fact that they get pigeon holed into pretty narrow career fields and therefore don't have a chance to run the large industrial companies in our country. Women are doing a great job starting their own businesses and running their own businesses which is a wonderful new trend. But to be able to have the power to change the rules we have to step into more prominent positions. You can only do this if you have a well-rounded background. If you look at most of the Fortune 500 CEOs, they have an engineering degree somewhere in their background. You can do it. Good luck.

[ Teven/WhitwellMiddleSchool - 94 - 11:04:38 ]
It is almost time for me to leave. I would like to take this time to thank you for allowing me to participate in this chat. I found this discussion very inspiring. I learned a lot. Carol, I would like to thank you for taking time out of your schedule to talk to us. Thank you.

[ Vera/SaukValleyComtyCollege - 95 - 11:04:38 ]
To Eve: Read. I to went to a very small, remote school in a farming community. I trained to be an architect and city planner when I knew nothing of the field. It was an adventure and learning. The hardest part to get along with was the business world. It is different and Carol's comment about learning how to work in a company is very well taken. Internet is great source for what jobs and careers are like ask questions. Ask, ask, ask. Bye, and thanks again for this chat opportunity.

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