Report on Track 1: Girls and Women in Engineering Education

1
Report on Track 1 Girls and Women in Engineering
Education

• Duncan Fraser
• Centre for Research in Engineeringf Education
  (CREE)
• University of Cape Town (UCT)

2
Tackle this at all levels

• Levels
• Early schooling
• Later schooling
• University
• Workplace
• Perceptions/image of engineering
• Predominant male image of engineering
• Stress creativity, innovation, design, problem
  solving
• Critical role of teachers
• Many examples of programmes
• Link young female engineers with adolescents
• Women are good for engineeringEngineering is
  good for womenThe world needs women to be
  engineers

3
Involve all role players

• Role players
• Universities Schools
• Industry
• Governments
• Agencies (Professional Organisations, Development
  Banks)
• Young engineers
• Policies to promote inclusion of women in SET at
  all levels in all organisations
• Promotion of diversity
• Work/life balance
• Flexibility
• Change of attitudes
• Policies not enough
• Hardest challenge

4
Gather data

• Disaggregate by gender
• Use consistent bases
• Establish baselines
• Are we doing any better?
• How far do we still need to go?
• Drive policy change
• Create political will
• Need qualitative data too
• Involve social scientists
• Reveals reasons for what data shows
• Rich picture emerges
• This is hard work, and not glamourous!

5
Barbara Waugh - Introduction

• Mandate
• Not just justice, but economic competitiveness
• Women marginalized without access to IT
• Current State
• Data No global gender equity report card,
  baseline inconsistent, regional information blurs
  differences
• Reality No gender equality in any country
• Education Pipeline
• Filling Physical access, Influence, Perception
  and Reality of opportunities, Career change,
  Informal education
• Leaking Family responsibilities, Influence,
  Perception and Reality of opportunities,
  Government Industry NGOs
• Both across whole pipeline
• Education Track Covering most points above,
  including all continents
• Strategy
• Context WFEO and Multi-stakeholder
• Gender equity and ST, Workshops and Policy
• Change Strategy Triangle Academia, Industry
  Government, plus Development banks and NGOs all
  need each other

6
Raoudha Ben Othman - Images of Engineers and
Engineering among Tunisian Young People

• Portray images
• Perceptions, from family, school, media
• Negative stereotypes ? neg perception ? neg
  attitude
• Primary and secondary students no significant
  differences drawing and discussion (primary)
• No gender bias in desires relative to becoming an
  engineer
• Draw an engineer No females glasses,
  middle-aged, lab coat, tool/bench
• Images design, manufacture, no idea where they
  work
• Teachers ideas naive, stereotype, more attention
  to boys
• Gender issues
• Teachers' roles
• Practical solutions

7
Pamela Alvarez and Carola Alejandra Blazquez
Women Faculty Members in Engineering Departments
across Chilean Universities

• Background
• Chile 40 live in Santiago, 96 literacy rate,
  16 higher education, 1st female president, 15
  women in Congress, 40 of women work, great
  gender pay gap, 21 engineering students female
  (past 20 years), 23 graduate students, 25
  female grant-holders as PIs, 13 engineering
  faculty, 7 deans
• Objective
• Analyze situation by survey, 51/67 replies
• Results
• Sexist comments, included in decision, encouraged
  to publish, workload same, more work to achieve
  promotion, strong support from partner, hiring of
  women not encouraged
• Conclusions Need for mentors
• Recommendations
• Encouragement at all levels
• Need for information and recognition

8
Anntonette Joseph - Gen2Y Gender and
Generational Issues from the Perspective of a
Young Engineer

• Final year student with work experience
• Funded herself to be here passionate carry on
  what was started, product of times, not bound by
  social norms
• Reaping benefits of what was done, awareness of
  issues, cannot measure what has not been done,
  normalize low numbers
• Reaching to Generation Y
• Wanting to make a difference, keeping in parents
  pockets eroding retirement savings (kippers
  risk taking), appeal to sense of style (make
  engineering sexier!)
• Focus on ...
• Target parents and teachers, using and empowering
  young professionals, take credit for work done
• Challenge
• Become a leader - bring along a young women
  engineer to the next relevant event

9
Peggy Layne Using Data to drive Institutional
Change

• What is institutional change?
• Changes in structures policies, procedures that
  disadvantage women (e.g. Meeting times,
  recruiting from old boy network, lack of private
  space
• Why is it important?
• Low proportion of engineering an academic
  workforce
• NSF ADVANCE Programme need for changing
  institutions rather than just helping individuals
• Create awareness, prioritize, track progress,
  quantitative and qualitative data
• What kinds of data are useful?
• Attitudinal indicators
• Numerical information National data trends,
  differences (disciplines, degrees, levels)
• Virginia Tech 25 engineering students, 13
  faculty, survey of faculty, aspiration for
  leadership vs family commitments, policy changes
  to help work-life issues

10
Questions

• Dorothy Get young professionals to meetings
• Male/female learning differences (boys reading,
  girls maths)?
• Claudine Cultural rather than mental
• Andre Beraud Girls in France outperform boys in
  maths and science at 18
• Steve Castille Voluntary withdrawals?
• Peggy Still analyzing information
• Another lady Culture influence of teachers
  bias due to ignorance what are active women
  engineers doing?
• Raoudha Teachers giving hidden signals
• French WIE president Work of their organization,
  kit developed for teachers/scholars
• Spanish lady Bias in Raoudha's sample?
• Middle class mothers used to want their daughters
  to marry engineers!
• Survey of adolescents boys mainly
  professionals, many girls prof and mothers
• Dubai lady ?
• Industrialist What can industry do to help
  today?
• Peggy Don't drive away those we already have,
  Outreach to young women
• Anntonette Take on students, give real-life
  examples in classes
• Raoudha What do you expect from an engineer?
• Pamela Show women working and what they do
• Carola come to Chile and ask your question there!

11
Gender stereotypes about technology and
technological fields Margarita Artal (for
Milagros Sainz)

• Starting points low rates in Comp Sci and IT
  despite good opportunities
• Method used range of factors affecting choice
• Aims study gender stereotypes
• Sample 500 adolescents, range of ages and
  backgrounds
• Findings Masculine role models
• Conclusionssocializers conveying different
  expectations, which have an impact on attitude
  towards technologies and discourage women from
  entering ICT fields

12
Promoting Technological Studies in Higher
Education Veronica Hisado

• Experience as engineering student and current
  activity
• Family poor immigrants, rural area, parents only
  primary schooling
• Only one to study engineering from her school
• Liked mathematics, wanted to use her ability,
  told she could do engineering, parents tried to
  discourage her
• Went to study in Barcelona mainly boys in
  classes
• Have same technical skills, but women don't think
  so
• Technology abstract for girls need to know what
  it is
• Also how technology can help in rural areas (e.g.
  water supply)

13
WOMENG Recommended steps for action Creating
Cultures of Success for Women Engineers Andre
Beraud

• WOMENG Consortium Why not more women in
  engineering careers?
• Fields of investigation Image of engineering,
  Engineering studies, Professional sphere
• Recommended steps for action (Synthesis Report)
• Image of engineering
• Develop programmes to build a softer image, in
  all media (showing women, teams)
• Social importance and meaning of technology
• Females and males as role models meeting children
  to promote engineering
• Building links with communities, schools,
  universities
• Help script writers to meet engineers
• Better information about engineering careers
• Show caring aspects
• Company open days
• Engineers supporting ST at school
• Mentors for girls
• Engineering studies
• School-university transition
• Gender sensitisation of all lecturers
• Analyse drop-out statistics
• Exit interviews/questionnaires standard practice

14
Gender and ICT Margarita Artal

• What is the digital divide? Indicators
• Why this programme? Gaps in access and intensity
  of usage
• Diagnoses of needs Multiple methodologies
• Main objectives Facts, trends, attitudes and
  opinions
• Research questions on educational issues
  reasons, success of programmes, meeting
  professional criteria
• Research questions in the area of investigation
• Research questions on women participation in
  labour market
• Methodological procedures

15
Promoting women in SET through policies and
politics Capitolina Diaz

• Women's studies in Spain none in engineering
• Four main lines of action
• Measures favouring equality
• Women and Science Unit
• Women participation in research projects a
  criterion
• Incentives for research and innovation
• Equality Bill
• Representivity on all boards in universities
• Reform of University Law
• Legislation needs to be backed up by appropriate
  action

16
Yvette Ramos Actions to Encourage Female
Students to Become Engineers

• Problems related to scientific studies in France
• General, but worse with women, especially in
  areas like mechanical engineering
• 3 types of actions
• Ingenieur au Feminin seminars for girls in
  secondary schools change ideas, create interest
  in career
• Ingenieur-e Demain engineer (female) tomorrow
  OPE (Objectif Premier Emploi) visit 100 classes
  for 2 hours team of 4 senior pilot (retired),
  woman engineer, 2 engineering students (at least
  1 girl)
• GPS scientific project group 8 boys 8
  girls, from modest social class 18 month
  mentoring 8 modules
• Success of these actions
• Concrete, coaching, experience from women
  engineers, diversity of jobs
• Improvements Larger sample of students

17
Valerie Agberagba Gender Dimensions of
Engineering Education

• Introduction
• Development needs and Engineering and Technology
• Engineering education more than technical, teach
  to think, broaden understanding of business
  aspects
• Myths about female engineers
• Men in high heels, social misfits, can't work in
  industry, engineering is masculine rather
  problem solving, and women good at solutions to
  problems
• What you need to know
• Engineering about creating, innovation and
  design, not just maths science and technical
  stuff, women equally endowed for engineering
  functions, no data for Nigeria
• Challenges
• Social/cultural perceptions, teaching
  approaches, approach to work, gender
  discrimination, no startup capital
• Psychological fear, lack of role models
• What can we do
• Start from us, early exposure, gender friendly
  environment, and teaching
• Role of women organisations
• Conclusion Learn from one another, get others to
  help you

18
Sandhya Prabhakaran Are you a Successful
Engineer?

• Who is an Engineer?
• Use scientific knowledge to solve problems
  design, development and research for better
  living standards
• Women community in Engineering
• Low numbers societal position, competition,
  shyness, work-life balance
• Recipe to Success
• Ingredients Technical education (keep basics
  strong, learn beyond what is taught), Technical
  magazines (Subscriptions, e-Newsletters),
  Technical forums (online, global networking),
  Competitions, Conferences, meetings and debates,
  Certifications, Mentoring (Stepping stone towards
  a bright career, Powered by yourself),
  Publications, Soft skills
• Method of preparation Keen eyes, alert mind,
  post-its, reminders, daily to-do list
• Ready to serve
• Wrap-up Explore more, Seek help, Use
  ingredients to create successful you

19
Anupama Saxena Malathi Subramanian Women in
Engineering Education and Employment Prospects
for Rural Women in India

• Equity dimensions of gender disparity in
  engineering education
• Affects human resource development
• Low participation techical divide
• Digital divide (gender as well)
• Current position
• Engineering traditionally for men, Enrolment up
  to 15 women
• Status of women engineers
• Gender factors restricting women (education,
  jobs)
• Difficulty being accepted as equals, rising to
  top
• Discrimination often subtle
• Data from study
• Largest proportion in electronic engineering
  (37)
• Also in teaching (32)
• Upper management only 4
• Dearth in professional body leadership,
  prestigious awards
• Prospects for rural women
• 70 of population
• Low enrolment rate in education, worse for girls,
  high drop out
• Problems distance, no hostels, safety

20
Questions

• Dorothy Need for public presentation skills
• Carola Rural situation survival ?schemes
• Malathi Scholarships, but JEE test a barrier,
  increasing intake doesn't discriminate

21
Lisa Frehill and Steve Castillo Effective
Strategies to Diversify STEM Faculty

• Review of diversity data in USA
• US also interested in under-represented
  minorities growing proportion of population
• Dissemination grant from NSF slow change in
  faculty relative to pool social science based
  research peer-to-peer communication
• Rising above the gathering storm
• 18 female faculty in engineering (cf 49)
• 7 URMs (cf 31)
• Asian immigrants filling faculty posts, but
  competition greater
• Pipeline only leaks badly from junior to senior
  faculty
• Process
• Consortium of universities
• Teams recruited (not usual suspects), education
  of teams through workshops, reading and homework,
  working retreat (different groupings gt trust,
  past experiences, reflection), review process
• Hiring a shared responsibility (tendency to
  preserve status quo)
• How to effect change and promote diversity
• Results
• Faculty actions that promote diversity in
  recruitment Recruit all the time, invite diverse
  speakers to department, be proactive in
  recruiting (develop contacts with women and
  URMs), equitable review of dossiers (concrete
  evidence in a matrix, look at multiple dimensions
  of job), avoid ranking too early
• Department chair actions verbalise importance of
  diversity, construction of search committee,
  inform them, involve all faculty, maintain timely
  search
• Dean's actions meet with search committees, post
  work/family policies on web page, incorporate
  diversity into strategic goals
• Collegial work environment Develop code of
  conduct (departmental restreat, using external
  moderator), AAUYP statement, senior faculty see
  things differently to junior faculty, review
• Best Practices Retention Value diversity,
  resolve conflict rapidly, be transparent
  (including fair and open PT guidelines), mentor,
  dual-career hires, flexible work/family
  practices, annual reviews an opportunity to plan
  and support

22
Discussion

• Dorothy How to balance need for women on
  committees and their own career development
• Lisa Use women from other schools, universities
• Julie Criteria for promotion should include
  management administration
• Steve Need for balance, teaching and research
  are core, also need outreach and leadership,
  encourage junior faculty to say no
• Australian lady Just teaching or just research?
• Steve Can you allow this? Depends on size, type
  of institution
• Duncan Institutional climate
• Steve Mentoring by right people, collegial
  environment, building sense of community
• Irish lady Reducing load for junior faculty
• Steve One course per semester
• Cisco lady Pipeline recruitment of students
• Steve Start from first grade (collaborate with
  education school to improve mathematics), middle
  school, high school, promotion of your university
  and programmes, and engineering
• Lisa Culturally diverse area, 45 hispanics
• Ruth Computer science study difference between
  male and female faculty (how can women invite
  dean to dinner?)
• Steve Women find it hard to say no
• Malitha Women perceive they need to work harder
  than men, difficulty found in networking with men
• Lisa Swedish study of grant awards women did
  have to work harder