arXiv subjects

Sonja M. Hyrynsalmi

Publications and source records attributed to Sonja M. Hyrynsalmi.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Political and Ideological Pressure in Software Engineering Research: The Case of DEI Backlash

Political and ideological pressures shape global research. Recently, these pressures have become particularly visible in research related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Drastic changes in national funding and governmental guidance, especially in the US, have affected the global software engineering research ecosystem. The impacts of these pressures on research are not always direct, as they operate at multiple levels. However, what is clear is that these pressures affect every field, including software engineering (SE), despite the belief that our field is politically and ideologically neutral. In this position paper, we examine cases of political and ideological pressures on the SE research ecosystem. We investigate the community's perceptions of political and ideological pressures by analyzing community survey responses and outlining case examples of DEI backlash in SE research across three levels: macro, meso, and micro. Our research shows how recent political and ideological pressures have affected SE research across these levels, and, as a result, we propose actionable steps for the community to address these issues at different levels.

cs.SE↗

arXiv2025

The Digital Mirror: Gender Bias and Occupational Stereotypes in AI-Generated Images

Generative AI offers vast opportunities for creating visualisations, such as graphics, videos, and images. However, recent studies around AI-generated visualisations have primarily focused on the creation process and image quality, overlooking representational biases. This study addresses this gap by testing representation biases in AI-generated pictures in an occupational setting and evaluating how two AI image generator tools, DALL-E 3 and Ideogram, compare. Additionally, the study discusses topics such as ageing and emotions in AI-generated images. As AI image tools are becoming more widely used, addressing and mitigating harmful gender biases becomes essential to ensure diverse representation in media and professional settings. In this study, over 750 AI-generated images of occupations were prompted. The thematic analysis results revealed that both DALL-E 3 and Ideogram reinforce traditional gender stereotypes in AI-generated images, although to varying degrees. These findings emphasise that AI visualisation tools risk reinforcing narrow representations. In our discussion section, we propose suggestions for practitioners, individuals and researchers to increase representation when generating images with visible genders.

cs.CV↗

arXiv2025

The Tech DEI Backlash -- The Changing Landscape of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Software Engineering

Not long ago, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives were a top priority for leading software companies. However, in a short period, a wave of backlash has led many firms to re-assess their DEI strategies. Responding to this DEI backlash is crucial in academic research, especially because, currently, little scholarly research has been done on it. In this paper, therefore, we have set forth the following research question (RQ): "How have leading software companies changed their DEI strategies in recent years?" Given the novelty of the RQ and, consequently, the lack of scholarly research on it, we are conducting a grey literature study, examining the current state of DEI initiatives in 10 leading software companies. Based on our analysis, we have classified companies into categories based on their shift in commitment to DEI. We can identify that companies are indeed responding to the backlash by rethinking their strategy, either by reducing, increasing, or renaming their DEI initiatives. In contrast, some companies keep on with their DEI strategy, at least so far, despite the challenging political climate. To illustrate these changes, we introduce the DEI Universe Map, a visual representation of software industry trends in DEI commitment and actions.

cs.SE↗

arXiv2025

Making Software Development More Diverse and Inclusive: Key Themes, Challenges, and Future Directions

Introduction: Digital products increasingly reshape industries, influencing human behavior and decision-making. However, the software development teams developing these systems often lack diversity, which may lead to designs that overlook the needs, equal treatment or safety of diverse user groups. These risks highlight the need for fostering diversity and inclusion in software development to create safer, more equitable technology. Method: This research is based on insights from an academic meeting in June 2023 involving 23 software engineering researchers and practitioners. We used the collaborative discussion method 1-2-4-ALL as a systematic research approach and identified six themes around the theme challenges and opportunities to improve Software Developer Diversity and Inclusion (SDDI). We identified benefits, harms, and future research directions for the four main themes. Then, we discuss the remaining two themes, Artificial Intelligence & SDDI and AI & Computer Science education, which have a cross-cutting effect on the other themes. Results: This research explores the key challenges and research opportunities for promoting SDDI, providing a roadmap to guide both researchers and practitioners. We underline that research around SDDI requires a constant focus on maximizing benefits while minimizing harms, especially to vulnerable groups. As a research community, we must strike this balance in a responsible way.

cs.SE↗

arXiv2025

Not real or too soft? On the challenges of publishing interdisciplinary software engineering research

The discipline of software engineering (SE) combines social and technological dimensions. It is an interdisciplinary research field. However, interdisciplinary research submitted to software engineering venues may not receive the same level of recognition as more traditional or technical topics such as software testing. For this paper, we conducted an online survey of 73 SE researchers and used a mixed-method data analysis approach to investigate their challenges and recommendations when publishing interdisciplinary research in SE. We found that the challenges of publishing interdisciplinary research in SE can be divided into topic-related and reviewing-related challenges. Furthermore, while our initial focus was on publishing interdisciplinary research, the impact of current reviewing practices on marginalized groups emerged from our data, as we found that marginalized groups are more likely to receive negative feedback. In addition, we found that experienced researchers are less likely to change their research direction due to feedback they receive. To address the identified challenges, our participants emphasize the importance of highlighting the impact and value of interdisciplinary work for SE, collaborating with experienced researchers, and establishing clearer submission guidelines and new interdisciplinary SE publication venues. Our findings contribute to the understanding of the current state of the SE research community and how we could better support interdisciplinary research in our field.

cs.SE↗

arXiv2024

Challenges and Opportunities: Implementing Diversity and Inclusion in Software Engineering University Level Education in Finland

Considerable efforts have been made at the high school level to encourage girls to pursue software engineering careers and raise awareness about diversity within the field. Similarly, software companies have become more active in diversity and inclusion (D&I) topics, aiming to create more inclusive work environments. However, the way diversity and inclusion are approached inside software engineering university education remains less clear. This study investigates the current state of D&I in software engineering education and faculties in Finland. An online survey (N=30) was conducted among Finnish software engineering university teachers to investigate which approaches and case examples of D&I are most commonly used by software engineering teachers in Finland. In addition, it was researched how software engineering teachers perceive the importance of D&I in their courses. As a result of the quantitative and thematic analysis, a framework to identify attitudes, approaches, challenges and pedagogical strategies when implementing D&I themes in software engineering education is presented. This framework also offers a process for integrating D&I themes for the curriculum or at the faculty level. The findings of this study emphasize that there is a continuing need for diverse-aware education and training. The results underline the responsibility of universities to ensure that future professionals are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to promote D&I in the field of software engineering.

cs.CY↗