Dr. Wen-Ling HongDirector, Center for Science, Technology and Society (STS) Research Assistant Professor, Department of Naval Architecture College of Ocean Engineering, National Kaohsiung Marine University Kaohsiung , Taiwan

Kaohsiung Location

Taipei

Kaohsiung

Baseline of Taiwan Research SetupFindingsSummary and Future Work

Under Students by Discipline Total of 1.3 million, (2010)

90% of high school grad. Go to college

Female Under Students by Discipline Total of 662,549 (2010)

1 of out 14 female college students is in engineering.

Figure of Female Students in Eng.

1 out of 7 students in engineering school is female.

Female Faculty Percentagein Engineering

Year GrandTotal

Female %

overall

Female % in

Prof.

Female % in

Asso.

Female % in

Assis. 2005 10296 8% 4% 6% 7%2006 10433 9% 4% 6% 9%2007 10587 8% 4% 6% 9%2008 10563 8% 4% 7% 10%2009 10442 8% 4% 7% 11%2010 10296 8% 4% 8% 11%

In primary and secondary schools, there are consistently 20% female principles. In college level, only 4 %.

Big Questions:Caught in double segregation as women and engineer, received male-centered engineering education , what will happen to female engineering graduates’ professional and personal development?

Do female students go on to have a career in engineering?Can they thrive? How do they thrive? advance?How can we as educators do better?

What is it really like out there? Lack of Stat. and research!

ResearchInspired by Miller, G. E. (2003) Frontier Masculinity in the Oil Industry: The Experience of Women Engineers. Gender, Work & Organization,

1 Yr Grant from National Science Council, Division of Humanity and Literature - Gender study,Research Questions: understand the working experiences of female engineers by investigating the courses of their educational and professional development. Are their courses different from their male colleague’s? What kind of challenges and difficulties they faced? What resources they use to advance professionally? How do they get rewarded from their work? What networks do they established professionally and personally ?

Research DesignFemale Interviewees (total of 9, so far):

Shipbuilding: 3 / Civil: 3 / Mechanical: 3Field (practical) work: 4 / Office (design, consulting, PM): 5Junior/Senior/Executive : 2 / 6 / 1

B.S.E: 1 / M.S.E.: 8 Single: 1 / Married with Children: 8

Male Interviewees:Shipbuilding / Field work / Senior / B.S.E. / Married with Children

We used in-depth semi-structured interview, for 90-120 min.each. The interviews were transcribed, coded and analyzed.

Interview QuestionsReason to choose engineering when entering

collegeFamily attitudeExperience in college working with M/F studentsReason to enter engineering professionExperience working with M/F colleagues in the

industry, technical and non-technical (events)Self-image as engineer and other identitiesResources, networks

Experience with male colleaguesCollege:“It took a while to get used to the all-male environment. I felt lonely. You have to support yourself. ” (executive)“ I grew up with boys, I don’t do well with girls. ” “ I have never felt the gender difference, other than hard, labor intensive work, like tightening the screw. ”Work:“ He was very difficult to communicate. Because I am a woman. He discriminated me, because I am a woman. ”

“ I think there is a section not suitable for women, but others are good. Research, review, and design are very suitable. ” (executive) “ Many senior friends would talked about the situation in the construction site, the interaction and languages. You would star thinking, Can I do it? Am I suitable for the job? ” “In general, if you are a girl, he would not send you to the shop, you would do drawing ” “ The manager wanted to transfer me to an office job, saying because I am a woman, I would get married and pregnant eventually, office work will be good for me. I was very upset. ”

Attitude towards field/office work

Adjustment at worksite“the worker didn’t know I was the fore(wo)man,

he walked by and told me I have nice butts. ”“They (the workers) would address me like ‘that

girlie’, but my supervisor kept telling them that I am engineer Hsu, it went on for 6 months.”

“He (manager) felt as a good manager, he should do the same thing as the previous one, grant me the maternity leave . ”

“ The worksite is different after she joined. She would share her life with us, like what happen during engagement, wedding. ” (male)

“ When I was pregnant, I got very sick and vomited. One time on a field trip, they had to stop the car and let me vomited at the road side. I felt awful. Because I felt this is very unprofessional. ” (took 6 yrs off and returned to work now)

“ There is a female colleague, she would pump milk at work and asked for part-time work with cut pay. I kept hearing people (female, non-tech) complaining that how can this be a norm now? Why can she do this but no one else can? ”

“Since I know my shop so well, I don’t anticipate any problem if I am pregnant. ”

Attitude toward childbirth

Maternity Leave(cont.)“ My manager told me he would find replacement

if I apply for maternity leave. If I insist, I can take 3 mo. off without pay, and not as the maternity leave. ”

“ He (the CEO) was furious when I brought out in a meeting that I am taking half-year maternity leave. Which HR told me there is not any problem because our company comply with the law. ”

“When I told him (manager) that I am taking maternity leave in 7 months, he was relived that I wasn’t taking about leaving. ”

8 wks childbirth leave w/ pay. 3 days for spouse After 1 yr of employment, can apply for 2 yrs

of maternity leave w/o pay. Employer can refuse resumption of

employment, when: organization changed, Business decline, lack of proper position,

Work Policy and Law -Gender Equality Work Act

Summery and Future WorkFemale engineers felt very natural about going

into the engineering industry at graduation. Their past experience had not sprout much awareness of gender issues. (especially for younger generation)

While there is clearly the “men engineering, women others” segregation in the industry, the entrances of female engineers challenge/ change the situation/atmosphere. And that bring the necessity of change for the management.

The male-dominated workplace can be (surprisingly) open to female colleagues’ needs and styles, as the society changes. with process.

Female engineers are often seen with the master status as woman. Family responsibility is the most impacting event to their work, which may lead to serious jeopardy of their career.

Work, interpersonal interactions and life-changing events like marriage, childbirth and promotion change their viewpoints and self-images.

Attitude towards dealing with field practical work is one of the key factors about “ women in engineering ”.

The result can be used to design a greater scale study of the engineering community, statistics, survey etc.

Summery and Future Work

Thank you Dr. Lisa Frehill for recommending ICWES15.