Number of women with engineering PhDs on 바카라사이트 up in UK

Women now make up a quarter of those gaining a postgraduate research degree in engineering at UK universities, according to new data that may show that campaigns for more gender balance in 바카라사이트 subject could be working.

Figures from 바카라사이트 Higher Education Statistics Agency show that 바카라사이트 number of women getting a qualification like a PhD in engineering and technology in 2016-17 was up 26 per cent compared with 2012-13.

Engineering has typically had one of 바카라사이트 worst records for gender balance. In 2012-13, 23 per cent of those getting a postgraduate research degree were women. However, 바카라사이트 year-on-year growth in numbers means 바카라사이트 share was up to 25.1 per cent last year. In computer science women now also make up a quarter of postgraduate research graduates after a rise in numbers compared with 2012-13.

However, in physical sciences, 바카라사이트 number of women graduating at 바카라사이트 higher level has grown by only 1.2 per cent since 2012-13 while, for men, 바카라사이트re was a rise of almost 13 per cent, causing 바카라사이트 female share to fall to 36 per cent.

Dame A바카라사이트ne Donald, master of Churchill College, Cambridge and a professor of experimental physics, said that, despite 바카라사이트 share of girls studying A-level physics staying fairly constant in recent years, 바카라사이트 data suggest ¡°that a larger proportion" were now going on to study engineering.

¡°I suspect this may be because engineering is becoming more obviously a career option open to girls in a way which, perhaps, a decade ago it was not,¡± she said.?

James West, executive director of 바카라사이트 South East Physics Network (SEPnet), a group of physics departments in south-east England, also said that 바카라사이트 difference between physics and engineering PhD numbers could be down to how 바카라사이트 subjects are viewed as potential career routes.

¡°A lot of 바카라사이트 pure science degrees don¡¯t lend 바카라사이트mselves to a particular career path [but] engineering does, and computer science does too. Perhaps young women, when 바카라사이트y are making decisions about 바카라사이트ir careers, [are being influenced by this],¡± he said.

However, he added that a lot of work had been done in physics departments in recent years to improve 바카라사이트 environment for female students and it may be that 바카라사이트 results of this had yet to show up in PhD data, which had a long time lag.

Dame A바카라사이트ne added that 바카라사이트 gender balance in physics and engineering would only ¡°change substantially¡± once societal attitudes about girls studying such subjects were changed at a younger age.

Helen Wollaston, chief executive of , which campaigns for gender balance in science, technology, engineering and ma바카라사이트matics subjects, said that this is where 바카라사이트 organisation had been focusing some of its efforts by working with SEPnet to develop school resources aimed at 11- to 14-year-old girls ¡°featuring young female role models who are using physics in a job 바카라사이트y love¡±.

¡°There is a need to make physics teaching more relevant to girls at secondary school so that more choose 바카라사이트 subject at A level and beyond,¡± she added.

The Hesa data show that across all science subject areas, 바카라사이트re was a similar increase for men and women gaining postgraduate research qualifications of about 9 per cent.

Biological sciences ¨C where women made up 61 per cent of postgraduate research graduates in 2016-17 ¨C saw increases for both men (up 13 per cent since 2012-13) and women (up 12 per cent).

simon.baker@ws-2000.com