Wei Wang

Research Fellow

“We feel and know that we are eternal”

Baruch Spinoza

Easy Read Mode Off

Improving Inclusion and Retention of Neurodivergent Women in the IT Industry through Evidence-Based Socio-Technical Practices

1

Investigators

  • Isma Farah Siddiqui, Faculty of Information Technology, Monash University
  • Dulaji Hidellaarachchi, School of Computing Technologies, RMIT University
  • Munazza Zaib, Western Sydney University
  • Wei Wang, Opportunity Tech Lab, Monash University
  • Christina Burke Broderick, University of Melbourne
2

Funding details

This project is supported by the 2026 FIT EDI Research Fund at Monash University.

Funding amount AU$3,000
3

Project summary

This project studies what helps neurodivergent women feel included, remain in their roles, and progress in software engineering and IT workplaces.

The team will examine how communication, workplace culture, team relationships, software tools, and engineering processes shape people's experiences at work.

The findings will be turned into practical recommendations for more inclusive workplace policies, team practices, and engineering cultures.

Workplace experiences Engineering practices Inclusion Better workplaces
4

How the funding will be used

  • Research Assistant support for interview analysis.
  • Socio-technical grounded-theory coding and analytical documentation.
  • Preparation of evidence for reporting and publication.
  • Publication and dissemination activities.
5

Status

Funding will be used during 2026. Project outcomes may continue into 2027, including a planned ICSE 2027 paper submission.

Current research status

👤 Investigators

  • Isma Farah Siddiqui, Faculty of Information Technology, Monash University
  • Dulaji Hidellaarachchi, School of Computing Technologies, RMIT University
  • Munazza Zaib, Western Sydney University
  • Wei Wang, Opportunity Tech Lab, Monash University
  • Christina Burke Broderick, University of Melbourne

💲 Funding details

  • 2026 FIT EDI Research Fund, Monash University
  • AU$3,000

🎓 Project summary

This project builds on the Invisible Coders research to deepen understanding of the experiences of neurodivergent women in software engineering and IT workplaces. Using a socio-technical grounded theory approach, the team will examine how communication practices, workplace culture, team interactions, software-development tools, and engineering workflows interact to shape inclusion, participation, retention, and career progression.

The research will translate these findings into practical recommendations for more inclusive workplace policies, team practices, and engineering cultures.

🔍 Funding-supported activities

  • Research Assistant support for interview-data analysis
  • Socio-technical grounded-theory coding and analytical documentation
  • Preparation of evidence for reporting and publication
  • Publication and dissemination activities

📌 Status

Funding will be used during 2026. Project outcomes may continue into 2027, including a planned submission to ICSE 2027.