DOCSLIB.ORG

Despite the Odds: Young Women Who Persist in Engineering

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Despite the Odds: Young Women Who Persist in Engineering Despite the Odds: Young Women Who Persist in Engineering EXECUTIVE SUMMARY DECEMBER 2019 2 | DiscoverE Executive Summary Executive Summary There are multiple studies looking at the reasons why women leave engineering and technology paths. But what if we looked at these reports and others to identify the common factors that motivate young women to pursue — and then persist in — engineering education and careers? DiscoverE is pleased to provide Despite the Odds: Young Women Who Persist in Engineering, a comprehensive literature review conducted in partnership with Concord Evaluation Group. DiscoverE was the first organization to call to the broad engineering outreach community to make a special effort to reach girls, who are often overlooked or actively discouraged from engineering education and careers. We created Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day (Girl Day) in 2001 as a call-to-action and outreach platform to encourage girls to discover engineering. In 2005, DiscoverE served as the collaborative hub for Engineer Your Life, identifying why academically capable girls were not choosing engineering, and crafting the messages they need and want as they explore their future selves. DiscoverE and partners continue to promote those messages today. Thanks to a grant from the United Engineering Foundation, we have been able to increase our understanding of this complex issue not only through Despite the Odds, but also through an assessment of the value of Girl Day events to participants. This work will inform and refresh the Girl Day platform as we mark its 20th anniversary in 2021. There is much more to do, learn, and explore. This literature review is a starting point for all of us who are working to achieve gender parity in engineering: to build on what is working; to collaborate and improve on what we can do better; to investigate unanswered questions; and, to continue the conversation about girls and women in engineering and technology. At DiscoverE, we believe that the pathway to success lies in stakeholder inclusion and collaboration. No one solution or organization will solve the issue of gender parity. Together, we can make a difference. Despite the Odds: Young Women Who Persist in Engineering | 3 Attendees at DiscoverE’s Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day Capitol Hill Briefing. Who We Are This project represents a collaboration between Concord Evaluation Group’s mission is to use its DiscoverE and Concord Evaluation Group (CEG). evaluation expertise to help improve learning out- DiscoverE’s mission is to sustain and grow comes and enhance the quality of life, especially for a dynamic engineering profession through out- underserved communities. CEG has over 30 years reach, education, celebration, and volunteerism. of experience evaluating programs and initiatives in DiscoverE helps stakeholders expand community the education, engineering, and STEM space. and educational outreach by: • Providing resources and turnkey programs for employees and volunteers • Supporting strong workforce diversity initiatives • Promoting positive visibility within the engineering and technology communities, including college students and the public-at-large 4 | DiscoverE Executive Summary Purpose Over the past few decades, there has been a Why girls choose to pursue growing urgency in efforts to broaden participa- 1 tion in engineering among historically underrepre- engineering in college, and sented groups, including women (National Science Foundation, 2019). Dozens, if not hundreds, of papers, articles, and scholarly works have decried 2 What factors affect whether and sought to explain the imbalance of men and young women persist in women in the field of engineering. Despite all the challenges faced by women in engineering — engineering. the less-than-welcoming climate, unequal pay and harassment — it is remarkable that so many women persist in the field of engineering, and that so many young women even express an interest in becom- We surveyed the peer-reviewed, scholarly research ing engineers. literature. We initially focused our search primarily on literature published within the past ten years, There is abundant research on the reasons that and later expanded our search to include some women choose not to stay in engineering majors earlier papers that were frequently cited in the in college. Some comprehensive literature reviews literature, as well as qualitative or unpublished have focused on issues related to the lack of studies that covered topics that were not women in engineering, and our objective here addressed with empirical research. is not to reinvent the wheel. Many such reviews tend to focus on the reasons why women avoid We found that there is a lack of peer-reviewed, or leave engineering pathways. As Fernando, scholarly research that focuses on the factors Cohen, & Duberley (2018) recently argued, related to (1) girls’ interests in general and (2) their “We have considerable understanding of the interest in studying engineering specifically. obstacles that women engineers encounter and Despite this, we did find several high-quality the reasons that they leave the field, but we know studies that explored the factors related to young less about what enables them to remain (p. 479).” people’s interest (males and females) in STEM, more generally. So, the majority of the papers We wanted to know more about these women summarized in this chapter focus on STEM, with who persisted to become engineers. Our objective just a couple focused specifically on engineering in writing this paper was to summarize what the or on women. engineering education literature says about... This literature review is only a starting point. As explained at the end of this executive summary, there are several gaps in the literature that need to be filled so we can develop a better understanding of why young women choose engineering and why they persist in the area of study in college. Doing so may enable us to better support young women and entice them to consider engineering as a viable and attractive future pathway. Despite the Odds: Young Women Who Persist in Engineering | 5 Key Factors Recent studies have identified numerous factors • Embrace aSTEMidentity – Embracing the that have been linked to whether young women idea that they are, or will someday become, choose engineering and/or whether they persist engineers or other STEM professionals… in engineering. We’ve collapsed them into several for example, an engineer is “who I am.” key factors and defined them below. • Have a strong support network – Having Young women who choose engineering and/or the support of friends, family, peers, and/or persist in engineering… role models. • Demonstrate an interest in and positive • Draw uponsocialandculturalcapital – attitudes about engineering – Holding Having the ability to draw strength from favorable views of engineers and seeing the personal or cultural experiences of struggle field in a positive light. to overcome obstacles. • Seevalueinthefieldofengineering – • Feel asenseofbelonging– Feeling as Believing that engineers work to solve if one has found a place where they belong important problems and that becoming in the community of engineers/engineer an engineer can enable them to contribute students. to society and help people. The table below summarizes the factors that • Demonstrateengineering-relatedself- we identified in the recent literature as being efficacy– Believing, with confidence, that they relevant to young women choosing engineering have the skills and knowledge to do the work and/or persisting in engineering: of engineers. Interest & Self- STEM Support Social Value Belonging Attitudes Efficacy Identity Networks Capital Girls Choosing ~ ~ Women Persisting * ~ ~ ~ Strong empirical evidence from the literature ~ Emerging evidence with some gaps in the literature, suggesting a need for more empirical research * Implied (i.e., although there is no empirical evidence per se, the connection between this factor and choice or persistence is implied. In this case, it’s implied that women stay in fields they are interested in) As this table makes clear, there are separate but overlapping factors that influence young women’s decision to choose engineering as an area to study, and their determination to persist in the field during undergraduate study and early in their careers. To address these distinct sets of factors in this review, we have summarized relevant findings under the headings of “Choosing engineering” and “Persisting in engineering.” 6 | DiscoverE Executive Summary Girl Day role models and participants at the 2019 Lipstick Engineering Lab Camp in Woodstock, GA. INTERESTSANDATTITUDES Maltese (2008) examined how high school course-taking influenced students’ decisions about college majors and their pursuit of degrees, and Girls who choose engineering found that academic performance differences hold favorable views of engineers did not appear to have an influence on students’ and see the field in a positive light. persistence. The most important factor related to STEM persistence was positive attitude. And how do middle schoolers develop an interest Choosing engineering in STEM? Aschbacher, Ing, & Tsai (2014) found that girls in 7th, 8th, and 9th grades who were highly Researchers have demonstrated a connection interested in science and engineering careers between early interest in STEM (as early as middle were more likely to have participated in formal and school) and subsequent choices to major in STEM informal science and
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Solving the Equation
    SOLVING THE EQUATION The Variables for Women’s Success in Engineering and Computing EXECUTIVE SUMMARY To download a free copy of the full report, Solving the Equation: The Variables for Women’s Success in Engineering and Computing, go to www.aauw.org/what-we-do/research. More than ever before in history, girls are studying and excelling in science and mathematics. Yet the dramatic increase in girls’ educational achieve- ments in scientific and mathematical subjects has not been matched by similar increases in the representation of women working as engineers and computing professionals. Women made up just 26 percent of computing professionals in 2013, a substantially smaller portion than 25 years ago and about the same percentage as in 1960. In engineering, women are even less well represented, making up just 12 percent of working engineers in 2013. The representation of women in engineering and computing occupations matters. Diversity in the workforce contributes to creativity, productivity, and innovation. Women’s experiences—along with men’s experiences— should inform and guide the direction of engineering and technical innova- tion. We simply can’t afford to ignore the perspectives of half the population in future engineering and technical designs. Advocates have long extolled the importance of advancing girls and women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). WOMEN IN SELECTED STEM OCCUPATIONS, 1960–2013 60 53% 50 46% 44% 42% 39% 40 35% 35% 34% 33% 32% 28% 30 26% 27% 26% 30% 27% 20% 26% 20 20% Percentage of women of Percentage 12% 11% 11% 12% 9% 10 8% 5% 1% 2% 0 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2013 Engineers Chemists and Computer and mathematical Biological scientists material scientists occupations Sources: AAUW analysis of data from U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • Women in Engineering Fixing the Talent Pipeline
    REPORT WOMEN IN ENGINEERING FIXING THE TALENT PIPELINE Amna Silim and Cait Crosse September 2014 © IPPR 2014 Institute for Public Policy Research ABOUT IPPR IPPR, the Institute for Public Policy Research, is the UK’s leading progressive thinktank. We are an independent charitable organisation with more than 40 staff members, paid interns and visiting fellows. Our main office is in London, with IPPR North, IPPR’s dedicated thinktank for the North of England, operating out of offices in Newcastle and Manchester. The purpose of our work is to conduct and publish the results of research into and promote public education in the economic, social and political sciences, and in science and technology, including the effect of moral, social, political and scientific factors on public policy and on the living standards of all sections of the community. IPPR 4th Floor 14 Buckingham Street London WC2N 6DF T: +44 (0)20 7470 6100 E: [email protected] www.ippr.org Registered charity no. 800065 This paper was first published in September 2014. © 2014 The contents and opinions in this paper are the authors’ only. NEW IDEAS for CHANGE CONTENTS Summary ............................................................................................................1 Introduction: Why should we care about the lack of women in engineering? .....2 1. The scale of the challenge in the UK .............................................................3 2. The choices girls make in education ..............................................................5 2.1 Choices at school ............................................................................................ 5 2.2 Choices in higher education ............................................................................. 6 2.3 Choices in employment.................................................................................... 7 3. Why do girls reject the idea of a career in engineering?..............................10 3.1 Perception of STEM subjects and engineering careers ..................................
    [Show full text]
  • Empowering Women in Engineering
    Paper ID #17543 Empowering Women in Engineering Dr. Saud A Ghani, Qatar University •Associate Professor •Associate Dean for development and industrial relations. •Ph.D., in Mechanical Engineering, School of Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Nottingham (UK), 2002.••Research: Thermofluids, CFD, Experimental Fluid Mechanics and Flow Visualization, Biomedical Engineering, Airflow Through Human Airways, and CSF flow. Engineering Education c American Society for Engineering Education, 2016 Women and Engineering in Qatar Foteini Bakochristou, Esmail ElBialy, Waled Mukahal, Saud Ghani Introduction Engineering is a STEM subject (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) offering to young students the equipment, skills and knowledge to evaluate evidence, make sense of information and solve problems [1]. Therefore the ability to solve problems creatively has been identified as one of the imperative competencies for graduating students. The need to engage more female students to study STEM subjects is a worldwide concern and was also highlighted by US President Barak Obama [2]. By providing knowledge platforms, regardless gender differentiations, helps scientific society to broadness its achievements and consequently improve the industry outcomes. Gender discriminations in educational and occupational field though, have always been under question and investigation. This paper is an attempt to present efforts, motives and incentives that help Qatari female students to excel in their overall engineering studies and career through promoting participation in events, conferences and external competitions. Educating and Inspiring Female Engineers Primary education and school policies targeting in promoting females’ interest in engineering followed by further innovative university education will assist future Qatari female engineering students to reveal and apply more qualification and abilities.
    [Show full text]
  • Promoting Women in the Media: the Role of SET Organisations and Their Science Media Communicators Research Report Series For
    Research Report Series for UKRC No.4 Promoting Women in the Media: The Role of SET Organisations and their Science Media Communicators Tammy Boyce and Jenny Kitzinger Cardiff School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies Cardiff University March 2008 Promoting Women in the Media: The Role of SET Organisations and their Science Media Communicators Tammy Boyce and Jenny Kitzinger Cardiff School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies Cardiff University © UK Resource Centre for Women in Science, Engineering and Technology (UKRC) and Cardiff University 2008 First Published March 2008 ISBN: 978-1-905831-19-7 About the UK Resource Centre for Women in SET Established in 2004 and funded by DIUS, to support the Government's ten-year strategy for Science and Innovation, the UKRC works to improve the participation and position of women in SET across industry, academia and public services in the UK. The UKRC provides advice and consultancy on gender equality to employers in industry and academia, professional institutes, education and Research Councils. The UKRC also helps women entering into and progressing within SET careers, through advice and support at all career stages, training, mentoring and networking opportunities. UKRC Research Report Series The UKRC Research Report Series provides an outlet for discussion and dissemination of research carried out by the UKRC, UKRC Partners, and externally commissioned researchers. The views expressed in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the UKRC. You can download a copy of this report as a PDF from our website. Please contact our UKRC Helpline for further information about this and other UKRC reports, or visit our website: UK Resource Centre for Women in Science, Engineering and Technology Listerhills Park of Science and Commerce 40 - 42 Campus Road Bradford, BD7 1HR Tel: 01274 436485 Fax: 01274 436471 Web: www.ukrc4setwomen.org Email: [email protected] Contents Acknowledgements.........................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Sensemaking of Female Entrepreneurial Role Models in Technology Field
    Universiteit van Amsterdam and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam MSc in Entrepreneurship Master Thesis Sensemaking of female entrepreneurial role models in technology field Author: João Dutra da Silva Oliveira UvA Student Number: 11373717 VU Student Number: 2607899 Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Karen Verduijn Application date: July 1st 2017 Submission date: July 1st 2017 The copyright rests with the author. The author is solely responsible for the content of the thesis, including mistakes. The university cannot be held liable for the content of the author’s thesis. 1 ABSTRACT Despite advances within a wide range of professional roles, women remain a minority in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degrees and occupations. In the entrepreneurship field, this gender gap limits the number of technologic-based startups founded by women. An often-cited cause for the perpetuation of this gender gap is the absence of female role models, that can inspire new generations of women. To understand the stories told by female entrepreneurial role models, it was adopted a narrative analysis of blog posts, to explore the sensemaking process of those successful female entrepreneurs in a male-dominated field. It was found that female entrepreneurial role models make use of fours dimensions of the organizing process to make sense of their journeys: embracing multiple identities empower entrepreneuring processes of female entrepreneurial role models; communal motivation is a source of value through multiple inclusions of female entrepreneurial role models; female entrepreneurial role models embed themselves in supportive networks to intensify the reduction of equivocality in entrepreneuring process; and female entrepreneurial role models overcompensate to state the need of environments with diversity of actors.
    [Show full text]
  • Statistics on Women in Engineering
    Statistics on Women in Engineering “We must challenge the stereotyping and bias that can still pervade our culture, particularly within the male dominated engineering and technology sectors. Attracting and retaining a more diverse workforce will maximize innovation, creativity and competitiveness.” (Success through STEM, STEM Business Group November 2013) “..some of the statistics highlighted in the IET’s report have not changed significantly since 2005… For example, the number of women in engineering has remained under 10 per cent of the total engineering workforce in the UK; the gender balance in the profession remains one of the worst in Europe.” (Skills & Demands from Industry - 2015 Survey, IET) “Retention of women in science, engineering and technology (SET) is an important issue, with economic and social justice implications.[…] The situation… is sometimes described as “the leaky pipeline”; as scientists and engineers flow along the science career pipeline … they ‘leak out’ and are lost to science.” (Diversity in Engineering, Women’s Engineering Society, September 2014 ) About this document There is much data and information out there on gender, diversity, STEM and engineering in particular. The Women’s Engineering Society does not try to replicate the good work carried out by others. Instead this document tries to pull together a few pieces of data and statistics with the intention to help WES members and others to understand what the issues might be. In case of errors & omissions, suggestions for additions, or queries & requests for further information, please let me know (email [email protected], please set the subject to WES Statistics, and mark it FAO Sarah Peers).
    [Show full text]
  • Everyday Experiences of Women Engineers in Sri Lanka Deborah Menezes
    Journal of International Women's Studies Volume 19 | Issue 2 Article 8 Jan-2018 Of Struggles, Truces and Persistence: Everyday Experiences of Women Engineers in Sri Lanka Deborah Menezes Follow this and additional works at: http://vc.bridgew.edu/jiws Part of the Women's Studies Commons Recommended Citation Menezes, Deborah (2018). Of Struggles, Truces and Persistence: Everyday Experiences of Women Engineers in Sri Lanka. Journal of International Women's Studies, 19(2), 123-139. Available at: http://vc.bridgew.edu/jiws/vol19/iss2/8 This item is available as part of Virtual Commons, the open-access institutional repository of Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, Massachusetts. This journal and its contents may be used for research, teaching and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, re-distribution, re-selling, loan or sub-licensing, systematic supply or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. ©2018 Journal of International Women’s Studies. Of Struggles, Truces and Persistence: Everyday Experiences of Women Engineers in Sri Lanka By Deborah Menezes1 Abstract There are more women engineers in road development today then there were two decades ago. This recognition, however, does not necessarily translate into palpable qualitative experiences for women engineers in the sector. Additionally, any problem of discrimination and sexism is hardly acknowledged in the face of numerical justifications. In this paper, the author writes a story about women in road planning and building by developing the importance of their everyday lived experiences. This paper takes as its focus women engineers involved in road development in Sri Lanka. Data used in this paper was gathered through field observations and in-depth interviews with 18 women engineers over a period of 7 months.
    [Show full text]
  • Social Sciences $€ £ ¥
    social sciences $€ £ ¥ Article Segregation, Stereotypes, and STEM Sarah Thébaud and Maria Charles * Department of Sociology, University of California—Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-9430, USA; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected] Received: 10 May 2018; Accepted: 4 July 2018; Published: 9 July 2018 Abstract: Scientific, technical, engineering, and mathematical (STEM) occupations are strongholds of gender segregation in the contemporary United States. While many Americans regard this segregation as natural and inevitable, closer examination reveals a great deal of variability in the gendering of STEM fields across time, space, and demographic groups. This article assesses how different theoretical accounts accord with the available evidence on the gender composition of scientific and technical fields. We find most support for accounts that allow for a dynamic interplay between individual-level traits and the broader sociocultural environments in which they develop. The existing evidence suggests, in particular, that Western cultural stereotypes about the nature of STEM work and STEM workers and about the intrinsic qualities of men and women can be powerful drivers of individual aptitudes, aspirations, and affinities. We offer an illustrative catalog of stereotypes that support women’s STEM-avoidance and men’s STEM-affinity, and we conclude with some thoughts on policy implications. Keywords: gender; STEM; segregation; stereotypes; culture; work; occupations; science; inequality For more than three decades, American educators, policy makers, activists, and business leaders have engaged in research and policy initiatives to increase the presence of women and other underrepresented groups in scientific, technical, engineering, and mathematical (STEM) occupations and fields of study. These efforts have been motivated by interests in broadening opportunities in lucrative, high-status occupations and in ameliorating acute STEM labor shortages that are believed to threaten national prosperity, private profits and the public welfare.
    [Show full text]
  • A History of American Engineering Education for Women Amy Bix Iowa State University, [email protected]
    History Books History 1-2014 Girls Coming to Tech: A History of American Engineering Education for Women Amy Bix Iowa State University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/history_books Part of the Engineering Education Commons, and the Women's History Commons Recommended Citation Bix, Amy, "Girls Coming to Tech: A History of American Engineering Education for Women" (2014). History Books. 4. http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/history_books/4 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the History at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in History Books by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. CONTENTS SERIES FOREWORD IX ACKNOWLEDGMENTS XI INTRODUCTION RARE INVADERS: THE PRE-WORLD WAR II HISTORY OF WOMEN IN AMERICAN ENGINEERING 29 2 WORLD WAR II: EMERGENCY ENGINEERING EMPLOYMENT TRAINING 55 3 NEW WARTIME AND POSIWAR ENGINEERING MAJORS: PURDUE, RPI. COLUMBIA 95 4 COEDUCATION VIA LAWSUIT: GEORGIA TECH I 3 I 5 COEDUCATION FOR SOCIAL LIFE: CALTECH I 9 I 6 A SPECIAL CASE: WOMEN AT MIT 223 7 CHANGING THE CLIMATE 255 NOTES 299 INDEX 353 WLEDGMENTS .1cJimsey, as INTRODUCTION nee in help­ my mistakes >ssible with­ ler scholarly :he National nia Institute : University, rersity, Uni­ :y ofMichi­ versity. I am •ant to offer Engineering education in the United States has a gendered history that until relatively a State Uni­ recently prevented women from finding a comfortable place in the predominantly on multiple male technical world. Throughout the nineteenth century and most of the twentieth, American observers treated the professional study of technology as men's territory.
    [Show full text]
  • GETTING GIRLS INTO ENGINEERING: a PRACTICAL GUIDE Contents
    GETTING GIRLS INTO ENGINEERING: A PRACTICAL GUIDE www.thelep.org.uk Contents Introduction • The problem • The LEP • The UKRC Approach • Workshops and training • In practice – environment and materials • The role of the ambassadors LEP/UKRC Guidelines • Introduction to the guidelines • Gender Inclusion & Cultural Diversity Guidelines Introduction The Problem Although on average girls outperform boys in all subject areas at key stages of assessment, proportionally fewer girls than boys progress to do SET (science, engineering and technology) subjects at A level and in higher education. Currently, girls make up under half (42.4%) of A level students in STEM (science technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects, women make up approximately a third (33.5%) of all higher education students in SET disciplines and only 14% of engineering undergraduates. Of those women who acquire any SET discipline at degree level, only 27% pursue a SET career compared to 54% of male SET graduates. The UK and the wider world are facing a shortage of engineers and scientists; the very people needed to preserve and improve our planet and our well-being. According to the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), the number of UK students graduating in SET subjects needs to increase by 97,000 by 2014 in order to keep up with demand. However, even though the number of young people opting to take degrees has increased by an encouraging 60%, the number of UK engineering students has not changed in the last ten years. To increase the number of home-grown engineers and scientists we need to look for potential students among populations not historically known for providing them; groups such as women and non-white UK populations.
    [Show full text]
  • Solving the Equation: the Variables for Women's Success
    SOLVING THE EQUATION The Variables for Women’s Success in Engineering and Computing SOLVING THE EQUATION The Variables for Women’s Success in Engineering and Computing Christianne Corbett, M.A., AAUW Senior Researcher Catherine Hill, Ph.D., AAUW Vice President of Research Published by AAUW 1111 Sixteenth St. NW Washington, DC 20036 202.785.7700 [email protected] www.aauw.org Copyright © 2015 AAUW All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America First printing: March 2015 Library of Congress Control Number: 2015933064 ISBN: 978-1-879922-45-7 082-15 05M 03/15 AAUW deeply appreciates the following generous contributors for their support of this research report. AAUW gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the National Science Foundation, Research on Gender in Science and Engineering award 1420214, for the production and dissemination of this report. Any opinions, findings, and con- clusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. AAUW gratefully acknowledges AT&T, the exclusive Information and Communications Technology Member of AAUW’s STEM Workforce Coalition. AT&T’s leadership support will help the report inspire maximum impact among the broadest audience possible. The views expressed in this report do not necessarily reflect the views of AT&T. AAUW gratefully acknowledges the members of the Mooneen Lecce Giving Circle for their generous support and encouragement of AAUW’s research for the past eight years. Their work honors the legacy of Mooneen Lecce, whose passion for AAUW’s mission continues to inspire volunteerism and charitable giving dedicated to improving the lives of women and girls.
    [Show full text]
  • (STEM) Within Higher Education: a Regional Case Study
    Understanding why women are under-represented in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) within Higher Education: a regional case study Michael Christiea*, Maureen O’Neilla, Kerry Ruttera, Graham Younga, Angeline Medlanda aUniversidade de Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Austrália *[email protected] Abstract Participation rates of women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) is comparatively low and their attrition rates high. An obvious solution is to attract more women to study such subjects. In 2016 the authors undertook research to find out why so few women enrolled in STEM subjects and investigate ways of increasing their recruitment and retention in this area. The informants in our study were enrolled in a tertiary preparation course as well as nursing and education programs. A critique of the literature was used to develop a survey that informed focus group and interview schedules which were used in collecting data. Our study found that many of the factors that hindered women from applying for STEM courses twenty years ago still apply today and recommends actions that can help increase recruitment of women into STEM and assist their retention and graduation in those areas of tertiary education. Keywords Diversity in STEM. Sustainability in STEM. Gender Balance. How to cite this article: Christie, M., O’Neill, M., Rutter, K., Young, G., & Medland, A. (2017). Understanding why women are under-represented in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) within Higher Education: a regional case study. Production, 27(spe), e20162205. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/0103-6513.220516 1. Introduction Twenty years ago Hanson (1996) argued that although female students have demonstrated interest and aptitude in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), they were under represented in STEM subjects at both secondary and tertiary levels of education.
    [Show full text]