Why Are There Still Underrepresented Groups in Engineering ...
28
Why Are There Still Underrepresented Groups in Engineering? .. Understanding the Issues Susan Staffin Metz Stevens Institute of Technology Center for Innovation in Engineering & Science Education ******** Co-Founder and Past President Women in Engineering Programs & Advocates Network (WEPAN)
Transcript of Why Are There Still Underrepresented Groups in Engineering ...
Why
Are
The
re S
till
Und
erre
pres
ente
d G
roup
s in
Engi
neer
ing?
�..
Und
erst
andi
ng th
e Is
sues
Susa
n St
affin
Met
zS
teve
ns In
stitu
te o
f Tec
hnol
ogy
Cen
ter f
or In
nova
tion
in E
ngin
eerin
g &
Sci
ence
Edu
catio
n**
****
**C
o-Fo
unde
r and
Pas
t Pre
side
ntW
omen
in E
ngin
eerin
g P
rogr
ams
& A
dvoc
ates
Net
wor
k (W
EPA
N)
So W
hy D
o W
e C
are
if W
omen
and
M
inor
ities
Bec
ome
Engi
neer
s?♦
As a
con
sequ
ence
of a
lack
of d
iver
sity
[in
engi
neer
ing]
, w
e pa
y an
opp
ortu
nity
cos
t in
desi
gns n
ot th
ough
t of,
in
solu
tions
not
cre
ated
.D
r. W
illia
m W
ulf,
Pres
iden
t, N
atio
nal A
cade
my
of E
ngin
eeri
ng
♦B
y th
e ye
ar 2
050,
85%
of t
he e
ntra
nts i
nto
the
US
wor
kfor
ce w
ill b
e w
omen
and
und
erre
pres
ente
d m
inor
ities
.Bo
ston
wor
ks.c
om
♦If
we
do n
ot e
ngag
e w
omen
and
min
oriti
es in
the
engi
neer
ing
ente
rpris
e, w
e ar
e ig
norin
g m
ore
than
50%
of
Am
eric
a�s i
ntel
lect
ual t
alen
t.
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yrig
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200
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Sus
an M
etz.
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Sour
ce: E
nsur
ing
A S
tron
g U
S Sc
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Tec
hnic
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ngin
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orkf
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e 21
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tury
Nat
iona
l Sci
ence
and
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hnol
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Cou
ncil,
Apr
il 20
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etz.
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etz.
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an M
etz.
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etz.
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s
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yrig
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200
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an M
etz.
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hts R
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Tota
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. Eng
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llmen
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kfor
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issi
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yrig
ht ©
200
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an M
etz.
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hts R
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ved.
U.S
. Und
ergr
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te E
ngin
eerin
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rollm
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y G
ende
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ale
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ic A
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sian
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pani
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ativ
e A
m
Sour
ce: C
PST,
dat
a de
rived
from
Eng
inee
ring
and
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nolo
gy E
nrol
lmen
ts: E
ngin
eerin
g W
orkf
orce
Com
mis
sion
Cop
yrig
ht ©
200
6 by
Sus
an M
etz.
All
Rig
hts R
eser
ved.
Bac
helo
r�s D
egre
es G
rant
ed b
y En
gine
erin
g D
isci
plin
e 20
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Mec
hCh
emCi
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pIn
dust
Elec
All
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ale
Afri
c. A
mH
ispan
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Asia
n Am
Sour
ce: C
PST,
dat
a de
rived
from
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inee
ring
and
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nolo
gy E
nrol
lmen
ts: E
ngin
eerin
g W
orkf
orce
C
omm
issi
on N
OTE
: N
ativ
e A
mer
ican
s le
ss th
an 1
% in
all
cate
gorie
s.
Cop
yrig
ht ©
200
6 by
Sus
an M
etz.
All
Rig
hts R
eser
ved.
Why
Are
The
re U
nder
repr
esen
ted
Gro
ups i
n En
gine
erin
g?
♦St
ereo
type
s♦
Lack
of a
war
enes
s♦
Pres
ence
of i
nacc
urat
e in
form
atio
n♦
Lack
of i
nteg
ratio
n in
to K
-12
educ
atio
n♦
Lack
of r
ole
mod
els
♦M
edia
influ
ence
♦Pe
er p
ress
ure
♦R
igid
and
nar
row
col
lege
cur
ricul
um♦
Poor
col
lege
leve
l ins
truct
ion
♦�C
hilly
� ac
adem
ic c
limat
e♦
Com
petin
g in
tere
sts:
law
, med
icin
e, b
usin
ess
Cop
yrig
ht ©
200
6 by
Sus
an M
etz.
All
Rig
hts R
eser
ved.
Wha
t is E
ngin
eerin
g?
Wha
t Do
Engi
neer
s Do?
♦42
% A
mer
ican
s fee
l the
y ar
e �n
ot v
ery
wel
lin
form
ed a
bout
eng
inee
ring
and
engi
neer
s�.
♦24
% A
mer
ican
s fee
l the
y ar
e �n
ot a
t all
wel
l inf
orm
ed a
bout
eng
inee
ring
and
engi
neer
s�.
Sour
ce:
Har
ris P
oll C
omm
issi
oned
by
Am
eric
an A
ssoc
iatio
n of
Eng
inee
ring
Soc
ietie
s, A
AE
S 20
03
Cop
yrig
ht ©
200
6 by
Sus
an M
etz.
All
Rig
hts R
eser
ved.
Chr
onic
le o
f Hig
her
Edu
catio
nFe
brua
ry 1
7, 2
006
Full
Page
Ad:
CD
W-G
The
Rig
ht T
echn
olog
y R
ight
Aw
ay
Cop
yrig
ht ©
200
6 by
Sus
an M
etz.
All
Rig
hts R
eser
ved.
Tim
e M
agaz
ine
Feb.
06,
200
6Lo
okin
g fo
r a L
ab-C
oat I
dol
♦In
the
U.S
., ab
out 5
0,00
0 ta
ke p
art i
n th
e fa
irs. S
tanf
ord
Uni
vers
ity p
resi
dent
John
H
enne
ssy
is w
orrie
d ab
out a
lack
of r
ole
mod
els,
amon
g ot
her t
hing
s. "W
e ha
ve [T
V]
show
s abo
ut d
octo
rs, l
awye
rs, p
oliti
cian
s. W
here
are
our
role
mod
els o
f sci
entif
ic
inno
vatio
n?" a
sks H
enne
ssy.
"W
e ne
ed
Eddi
e th
e En
gine
er o
r Sam
the
Scie
ntis
t."
Cop
yrig
ht ©
200
6 by
Sus
an M
etz.
All
Rig
hts R
eser
ved.
Eval
uate
you
r pot
entia
l fut
ure
as a
m
echa
nica
l eng
inee
ring
maj
or b
y as
king
yo
urse
lf th
ese
ques
tions
:(Wor
ldW
ideL
earn
.com
)
♦H
ow a
re y
our g
rade
s in
mat
h an
d sc
ienc
e? If
you
st
rugg
le, c
hoos
e an
othe
r spe
cial
ty. I
f you
do
wel
l and
as
k fo
r mor
e, m
echa
nica
l eng
inee
ring
mig
ht b
e th
e rig
ht c
hoic
e.
♦D
o yo
u ha
ve a
cur
iosi
ty a
bout
how
thin
gs w
ork?
H
ave
you
foun
d yo
urse
lf ta
king
thin
gs a
part
and
putti
ng th
em b
ack
toge
ther
? Th
is c
urio
sity
is a
nat
ural
at
tribu
te o
f the
mec
hani
cal e
ngin
eer.
♦If
you
live
to d
isco
ver n
ew o
r bet
ter w
ays t
o do
th
ings
, you
are
def
inite
ly in
the
right
trac
k.C
opyr
ight
© 2
006
by S
usan
Met
z. A
ll R
ight
s Res
erve
d.
Eval
uate
you
r pot
entia
l fut
ure
as a
m
echa
nica
l eng
inee
ring
maj
or b
y as
king
yo
urse
lf th
ese
ques
tions
:(Wor
ldW
ideL
earn
.com
)
♦A
re c
ompu
ter g
ames
, maz
es, a
nd ji
gsaw
puz
zles
fu
n fo
r you
? W
hat c
ould
be
bette
r tha
n do
ing
wor
k yo
u en
joy?
♦D
o pe
ople
turn
to y
ou fo
r adv
ice
or tr
ust y
our
deci
sion
s? T
hat m
eans
you
thin
k cl
early
and
hav
e de
mon
stra
ted
deci
sion
-mak
ing
abili
ties i
n th
e pa
st. I
t is
an
impo
rtant
requ
irem
ent f
or a
mec
hani
cal
engi
neer
.
Cop
yrig
ht ©
200
6 by
Sus
an M
etz.
All
Rig
hts R
eser
ved.
CO
LLEG
E B
OA
RD
WEB
SITE
Se
arch
for M
ajor
s:El
ectri
cal E
ngin
eerin
g
♦A
s an
elec
trica
l eng
inee
ring
maj
or, y
ou�ll
st
udy
elec
trici
ty: h
ow it
wor
ks, h
ow it
�s
gene
rate
d, a
nd h
ow it
�s u
sed
to p
ower
ev
eryt
hing
from
ligh
t bul
bs a
nd ra
dios
to
cell
phon
es a
nd ro
bots
. You
�ll a
lso
lear
n ho
w to
des
ign
your
ow
n el
ectri
c-po
wer
ed
proj
ects
.
Cop
yrig
ht ©
200
6 by
Sus
an M
etz.
All
Rig
hts R
eser
ved.
Sour
ce:
http
://w
ww
.col
lege
boar
d.co
m/c
sear
ch/m
ajor
s_ca
reer
s/pr
ofile
s/
CO
LLEG
E B
OA
RD
WEB
SITE
Se
arch
for M
ajor
s:El
ectri
cal E
ngin
eerin
g
Are
You
Rea
dy T
o...?
�Ju
ggle
pro
ject
s, la
b ex
erci
ses,
and
read
ing
assi
gnm
ents
�
Spen
d ho
urs b
uild
ing
deta
iled,
com
plic
ated
syst
ems
�D
esig
n yo
ur o
wn
gadg
ets o
r sof
twar
e �
Try,
try,
and
try
agai
n w
hen
at fi
rst a
pro
ject
doe
sn�t
succ
eed
�W
ork
as p
art o
f a te
am
�W
rite
repo
rts a
nd g
ive
oral
pre
sent
atio
ns
�D
o an
inte
rnsh
ipin
whi
chyo
u�ll
have
real
job
resp
onsi
bilit
ies
Cop
yrig
ht ©
200
6 by
Sus
an M
etz.
All
Rig
hts R
eser
ved.
Sour
ce:
http
://w
ww
.col
lege
boar
d.co
m/c
sear
ch/m
ajor
s_ca
reer
s/pr
ofile
s/
Dra
w-a
n-En
gine
er, a
dapt
ed fr
om D
raw
-A
-Sci
entis
t Tes
t (D
AST
) firs
t dev
elop
ed
by D
.W.C
ham
bers
, 198
3.
Arti
st:
4thgr
ade
girl,
200
2
Cop
yrig
ht ©
200
6 by
Sus
an M
etz.
All
Rig
hts R
eser
ved.
Hig
h Sc
hool
Girl
s�
Perc
eptio
n of
Eng
inee
ring
Acc
ordi
ng to
a r
ecen
t stu
dy c
ondu
cted
by
WG
BH
in
Bos
ton
for
the
Am
eric
an S
ocie
ty o
f Civ
il E
ngin
eers
��
♦H
igh
scho
ol g
irls b
elie
ve th
at e
ngin
eerin
g is
for
peop
le w
ho lo
ve m
ath
and
scie
nce.
The
y do
n�t h
ave
an u
nder
stan
ding
of e
ngin
eerin
g, sh
ow a
n in
tere
st o
r th
ink
it is
for t
hem
. The
y pe
rcei
ve e
ngin
eerin
g as
a
prof
essi
on fo
r men
.
Cop
yrig
ht ©
200
6 by
Sus
an M
etz.
All
Rig
hts R
eser
ved.
Sour
ce:
Ext
raor
dina
ry W
omen
Eng
inee
rs F
inal
Rep
ort,
2005
Key
Car
eer I
nflu
ence
rs
of H
igh
Scho
ol G
irls
♦Pa
rent
s♦
Peer
s♦
Educ
ator
s (te
ache
rs a
nd g
uida
nce
coun
selo
rs)
♦M
edia
Find
ing:
Key
car
eer i
nflu
ence
rs a
re n
ot fa
mili
ar
with
how
to g
uide
stud
ents
tow
ard
engi
neer
ing.
Po
sitiv
e st
orie
s abo
ut e
ngin
eeri
ng a
re n
ot b
eing
co
nvey
ed.
Sour
ce:
Ext
raor
dina
ry W
omen
Eng
inee
rs F
inal
Rep
ort,
2005
Cop
yrig
ht ©
200
6 by
Sus
an M
etz.
All
Rig
hts R
eser
ved.
Hig
h Sc
hool
Girl
s and
Eng
inee
ring
Key
Issu
es a
nd F
indi
ngs
♦En
gine
erin
g is
por
traye
d as
ver
y ch
alle
ngin
g an
d st
ress
im
porta
nce
of su
perio
r mat
h an
d sc
ienc
e sk
ills.
Mes
sage
s do
not
incl
ude
bene
fits a
nd re
war
ds o
f bei
ng a
n en
gine
er.
♦Pr
ofes
sion
al in
tere
sts f
or g
irls h
inge
on
rele
vanc
e -t
he jo
b is
rew
ardi
ng a
nd th
e pr
ofes
sion
is fo
r som
eone
�lik
e m
e.�
♦C
aree
r mot
ivat
ors f
or h
igh
scho
ol g
irls:
enj
oy th
eir j
ob,
have
a g
ood
wor
k en
viro
nmen
t, m
ake
a di
ffer
ence
, ear
n a
good
sala
ry, a
nd h
ave
flexi
bilit
y.
♦H
igh
scho
ol g
irls r
eact
pos
itive
ly to
per
sona
l and
in
form
atio
nal s
torie
s. H
ow d
oes e
ngin
eerin
g al
ign
with
th
eir c
aree
r mot
ivat
ors?
Sour
ce:
Ext
raor
dina
ry W
omen
Eng
inee
rs F
inal
Rep
ort,
2005
Cop
yrig
ht ©
200
6 by
Sus
an M
etz.
All
Rig
hts R
eser
ved.
Key
Mes
sage
s to
Con
vey
Hig
h Sc
hool
Gir
ls T
ell U
s To:
♦
Shar
e m
ore
stor
ies o
f how
peo
ple�
s liv
es h
ave
been
af
fect
ed b
y en
gine
ers.
♦H
ow e
ngin
eerin
g is
not
just
abo
ut d
rafti
ng a
nd c
ars..
it ca
n be
abo
ut so
cial
issu
es, a
nd th
ird-w
orld
cou
ntrie
s bec
omin
g be
tter a
nd c
itize
ns h
appi
er.
♦Ta
lk a
bout
han
ds-o
n fu
n, th
at it
�s n
ot si
tting
in a
cub
icle
al
l day
, but
it�s
trav
elin
g th
e w
orld
, mak
ing
a di
ffer
ence
, se
eing
you
r cre
atio
ns c
ome
to li
fe.
♦Te
ll us
that
eng
inee
rs n
ot o
nly
mak
e go
od m
oney
, but
co
ntrib
ute
to th
e w
ell-b
eing
of t
he h
uman
race
.
Sour
ce:
Ext
raor
dina
ry W
omen
Eng
inee
rs F
inal
Rep
ort,
2005
Cop
yrig
ht ©
200
6 by
Sus
an M
etz.
All
Rig
hts R
eser
ved.
Cha
lleng
e: T
o En
gage
Stu
dent
s C
onve
rt P
erce
ptio
n of
Eng
inee
ring
FRO
M T
HIS
��
.♦
Ner
d♦
Mat
h an
d sc
ienc
e ge
ek♦
Mus
t be
brill
iant
♦W
hite
mal
e♦
Prim
arily
wor
ks w
ith
mac
hine
s♦
Com
mun
icat
es p
oorly
♦B
orin
g♦
Rig
id
TO T
HIS
��
♦C
reat
ive
♦En
joys
and
doe
s wel
l in
mat
h an
d sc
ienc
e♦
Like
s to
solv
e pr
oble
ms
♦W
orks
in te
ams
♦H
elps
peo
ple
♦Im
prov
es th
e qu
ality
of
life
♦C
urio
us
Cop
yrig
ht ©
200
6 by
Sus
an M
etz.
All
Rig
hts R
eser
ved.
Wom
en a
nd M
en o
n th
e En
gine
erin
g Pa
th(A
delm
an, 1
998)
♦N
eith
er w
omen
nor
men
will
cho
ose
engi
neer
ing
for t
he ri
ght r
easo
ns u
nles
s bot
h th
e pr
ofes
sion
an
d en
gine
erin
g ed
ucat
ors c
an re
ach
out t
o a
broa
d po
pula
tion
with
a fu
ll po
rtra
it of
the
rich
ness
of c
ultu
re a
nd p
ract
ice�
. ♦
[Stu
dent
s nee
d to
exp
erie
nce]
pro
ject
des
igns
that
ha
ve c
ultu
ral,
econ
omic
, and
pol
itica
l dim
ensi
ons
in a
dditi
on to
eng
inee
ring
task
s and
cal
cula
tions
an
d sc
ient
ific
know
ledg
e.
Cop
yrig
ht ©
200
6 by
Sus
an M
etz.
All
Rig
hts R
eser
ved.
Educ
atio
nal P
athw
ay fo
r Eng
inee
ring
Engi
neer
ing-
Rea
dy H
.S.
Seni
ors
Fres
hman
En
gine
erin
g St
uden
ts
Engi
neer
ing
Bac
cala
urea
tes
Engi
neer
ing
PhD
s61%
of M
ales
57%
of F
emal
es
84%
Mal
e16
%
Fem
ale
80%
Mal
e20
%
Fem
ale
83%
M
ale
17%
Fe
mal
e
Sour
ce: C
PST
deriv
ed fr
om N
atio
nal C
ente
r for
Edu
catio
n St
atist
ics
Cop
yrig
ht ©
200
6 by
Sus
an M
etz.
All
Rig
hts R
eser
ved.
Teac
hers
M
ake
a B
ig D
iffer
ence
!!♦
My
lab
part
ner n
ever
let m
e do
thin
gs w
ith th
e eq
uipm
ent.
H
e to
ld m
e I w
as b
ette
r at w
ritin
g th
an h
e w
as w
hich
was
tr
ue.
But,
my
teac
her m
ade
us sw
itch
(rol
es).
That
was
goo
d be
caus
e I w
ould
n�t h
ave
aske
d ev
en th
ough
I w
ante
d to
.10
thgr
ade
fem
ale
♦I w
ould
hav
e ne
ver t
houg
ht a
bout
maj
orin
g in
eng
inee
ring
if
my
teac
her d
idn�
t giv
e m
e th
is b
roch
ure
abou
t a sp
ecia
l su
mm
er p
rogr
am. M
y pa
rent
s can
�t be
lieve
it, b
ut I�
m g
oing
to
maj
or in
eng
inee
ring
in c
olle
ge. 11
thgr
ade
fem
ale
♦I a
lway
s wor
ked
hard
and
did
pre
tty w
ell i
n m
ath
and
scie
nce
but n
ever
thou
ght I
was
smar
t eno
ugh
to b
e an
en
gine
er. I
�m a
n en
gine
erin
g m
ajor
bec
ause
my
scie
nce
teac
her t
old
me
that
he
thou
ght I
cou
ld d
o it
and
I�m
doi
ng
amaz
ingl
y w
ell!
colle
ge fe
mal
e so
phom
ore
