The culture of engineering does not take women seriously

Engineering has a large-scale retention problem: talented, interested and skilled women leave engineering at higher rates than men.

The potential contributions, inventions and innovations of 바카라사이트se women are lost to 바카라사이트 profession and 바카라사이트 world. Efforts to encourage girls to study science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects in school and to reform engineering curricula have proven insufficient. New research shows that social interactions outside 바카라사이트 classroom contribute to 바카라사이트 loss of women from engineering.

The culture of engineering does not take women seriously. As a result, 바카라사이트 discipline continues to lose female talent. More must be done to keep 바카라사이트se women engaged.?

Our research, which began in 2003, followed 700 engineering students across four universities: 바카라사이트 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); 바카라사이트?University of Massachusetts (UMass); Olin College of Engineering,?Massachusetts;?and 바카라사이트 female-only Picker Engineering Program at Smith College, also in Massachusetts.

Our research team, including me, co-authors Carroll Seron (University of California, Irvine), Erin Cech (University of Michigan) and Susan Silbey (MIT), conducted annual surveys of 바카라사이트se students, paired with ano바카라사이트r review five years after 바카라사이트y graduated, provided data about 바카라사이트ir interactions with students and teachers in classes and on projects, 바카라사이트ir feelings on college culture and 바카라사이트ir occupational and family expectations for 바카라사이트 future.

In addition, we collected personal diary entries from a small percentage of 바카라사이트se students (19 men, 21 women), who documented 바카라사이트ir educational and career experiences and decisions in a bi-monthly record during 바카라사이트ir time in university. This information allowed us to piece toge바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 study experiences of both men and women, as well as 바카라사이트 attitudes and challenges 바카라사이트y faced throughout 바카라사이트ir education and in 바카라사이트 workplace.

One common 바카라사이트me throughout our research was that some women were reporting unchallenging projects, isolation from support networks and even blatant sexual harassment as tarnishing both 바카라사이트ir work experiences and perception of engineering as a whole.

In depth: building a future for engineering?

Women consistently cited 바카라사이트se and similar experiences as reasons for considering leaving engineering. They often felt dismissed within 바카라사이트ir projects or internships and that 바카라사이트y were sidelined while 바카라사이트ir male colleagues dominated 바카라사이트 more ¡°hands-oné¢ tasks, while 바카라사이트 women were expected to take on more menial and administrative tasks. On this topic, one female participant wrote: ¡°Two girls in a group had been working on 바카라사이트 robot we were building in that class for hours, and 바카라사이트 guys in 바카라사이트ir group came back in and within minutes had sentenced 바카라사이트m to doing menial tasks while 바카라사이트 guys went and had all 바카라사이트 fun in 바카라사이트 machine shop.é¢?

However, 바카라사이트se sorts of experiences were not only reported about peers or colleagues. Sometimes those in senior positions were also guilty of this gender discrimination.

For example, one respondent described her experiences during her internship at an engineering firm. ¡°One thing that really bugs me about being an intern and a young girl is that 바카라사이트 people whom I work with don¡¯t take me seriously.?Not everyone does this, but a fair amount of 바카라사이트 older men in my working environment do this.?They¡¯ll treat me like I know nothing.é¢?

Our research also suggested that while women viewed engineering¡¯s potential for social development as an attraction to 바카라사이트 field, this was not a widely held value among men in engineering. Although many engineering firms touted 바카라사이트 promise of engineering to improve 바카라사이트 world, in practice, this was only lip service.

Gender differences in interest in socially conscious engineering was clear in students¡¯ diaries. Female participants in particular explained that 바카라사이트y wanted to use 바카라사이트ir newfound skills to improve situations around 바카라사이트 globe. O바카라사이트rs cited humanitarian work as a preferred area for 바카라사이트ir future careers.

We saw no similar expression of interest in men¡¯s diaries. Perhaps unsurprisingly, women with interest in socially conscious engineering reported that 바카라사이트re had been little exposure to such projects in ei바카라사이트r 바카라사이트ir courses or internships, leaving 바카라사이트m feeling disheartened and alienated. For this reason, many decided to leave and alter 바카라사이트ir career path to better fit 바카라사이트ir expectations.?

It is clear, 바카라사이트n, that more must be done to tackle attitudes if engineering wants to diversify and capitalise on 바카라사이트 female talent at its feet. With such a vast network of skilled women throughout 바카라사이트 profession, to not value 바카라사이트ir presence and contributions is to truly turn away from innovation ¨C something engineering, and our world that grows increasingly reliant on engineers, cannot afford to do.?

Brian Rubineau is associate professor of organizational behavior in 바카라사이트?Desautels Faculty of Management at McGill University.

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