SwampFox

Inspiring female engineers

Submitted by: John Warner on Jun 11, 2007 at 8:48 am Tagged with: Academia, Featured Articles Source:

The older I get, the more I understand that success is all about people. Especially inspired, passionate people who have a vision for how to make the world a better place and who can pull people together who see life from as many different perspectives as possible to get the best answers.

We have a problem. According to the National Science Board, women comprise only 10.6% of the engineering workforce in the U.S. The U.S. Department of Education’s latest figures show women received only 18 percent of the 78,000 engineering degrees awarded by the nations’ colleges and universities. Not only are women less likely to pursue engineering disciplines, but those who do are more likely to leave them in favor of non-engineering majors.

Reasons for the lack of women in engineering classrooms throughout the country vary. A study from the Engineering and Technology Department of the Advancement of Women and Minorities in Science attributes them to “lack of role models, stereotyping of science and engineering as ‘male only’ fields, experiences of gender bias, distaste for the competitive nature of science and engineering education, and psychological alienation.”

Catalyst, an organization that studies women in a variety of fields, notes that experiences faced by women engineering students at the collegiate level are also prevalent at the professional level. Their report states that women engineers “often find themselves the sole woman in their group during both academic training and their professional careers making it hard for them to tap into informal networks that could lend them support. It can be difficult also for women to find mentors through the same informal mechanisms used by men, especially since individuals tend to mentor people who are very much like them. Because having a mentor is critical to advancing into just about any professional role, women are at a disadvantage in predominantly male environments.”

So what do we do to change that dynamic?

Dr. Betsy Fleming, the relatively new President at Converse College, is awesome and on a mission. Betsy has a vision for giving young women a model of inspired feminine leadership so they can fulfill their potential in whatever role they choose, be that a CEO, or working in a not-for-profit, or a mom or an engineer.

Betsy observed, “Engineers are by their nature problem solvers. In today’s world, we need now more than ever before individuals with the ability to think critically and creatively, the capacity to collaborate and communicate, sensitivity for the problems of others and a strong sense of ethical principles.”

Clemson has an active Women in Engineering and Science program, which provides mentoring and services to assist young women in their pursuit of an engineering career. Now Converse is partnering with Clemson in an innovative program to turn more women onto engineering. Students will earn two degrees upon completion of the program: a bachelor of science from Converse and a bachelor of science from Clemson in one of their nine engineering disciplines (bioengineering, biosystems, chemical, ceramic and materials, civil, computer, electrical, industrial and mechanical). Participants will complete studies in one of Converse’s science and math programs for three years (a minimum of 90 credit hours), then relocate to Clemson to complete the additional credits (approximately 60) required for an engineering degree.

Dr. Stephen Melsheimer, associate dean of Clemson’s undergraduate studies in the College of Engineering and Science, said, “I've seen many Converse graduates come through our program in the past and they have always distinguished themselves as coming from a very good college with solid academics. We need more such outstanding students, regardless of gender.”

The engineering community needs to get ready. Some inspired young Converse women are on the way!