With all the emphasis on the importance of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degrees, how do we make sense out of a recent report from the Economic Policy Institute?

As covered last week by The Seattle Times, The Washington Post, and others, the report argued that there is no shortage of graduates in STEM fields overall, and that this applies to all of the various subfields of STEM, including computer science.

Ed Lazowska, Bill & Melinda Gates Chair in Computer Science & Engineering at the University of Washington, pointed out in his opinion editorial in yesterday’s Seattle Times that the original report, and the subsequent national media coverage, confused the issue when it comes to computer sciences.

While there may be no overall shortage of STEM graduates, Professor Lazowska observed that it is incorrect to assume that all of these graduates are interchangeable. He concludes that the Washington State economy continues to exhibit a large and unfulfilled demand for computer science graduates. In Lazowska’s words: “Computer science: it’s where the jobs are. It’s where the future is.”

Read Professor Ed Lazowska’s full Seattle Times piece here.