Engineering outreach programs often portray outreach educators as role models for youth. It is widely believed that introducing youth, especially girls, to potential engineering role models will broaden participation in engineering majors and careers. Based on interviews with and surveys of fourth- and fifth-grade girls participating in an…

Background: Women are underrepresented in the field of engineering within academic and professional settings. Based upon premises outlined by social role theory and goal congruity theory, a key factor that contributes to this underrepresentation is a gendered societal belief that there is a disconnect between engineering (seen as more agentic, or…

There is a considerable lack of women in the engineering disciplines at tertiary level in New Zealand. This is an economic issue because innovation and creativity in engineering are supported by diversity which directly and indirectly supports the New Zealand economy. Improving diversity in engineering will also improve equity. Literature suggests…

Women are increasingly present in the field of engineering, but despite a significant female presence, it has been found that the programs continue to make no reference to women scientists. In chemical engineering, for example, all the names of scientists mentioned in the programs belong to men only. To test this hypothesis of over-representation…

Evidence demonstrates that women in Bangladesh are underrepresented both in engineering education and relevant career domains. This study explores the comprehensive experiences of women in their pursuit of engineering, both as a subject of study and as a career in teaching in Bangladesh. Based on in-depth interviews with 15 female undergraduate…

The purpose of this study was to examine the lived experiences of women engineering students through socialization processes during their cooperative education, co-op, experience., in which students gain work experience in their chose industries. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with female engineering students who have completed at least…

Although there is an extensive amount of research focusing on women in engineering, the engineering field continues to experience the most gender disparity of any workforce disparities within the United States (National Science Foundation, 2018). Engineering has been labeled "the least gender-equitable profession in the United States,"…

The purpose of this study was to address issues of potential gender bias in pre-service elementary teachers' conceptions of engineers and engineering using Freire's (2018) "Critical Consciousness" perspective. By identifying the biasness as causal and structural attributions, the study also aimed to construct a critical pedagogy…

Although the effects of COVID-19 were felt by all students, the pandemic exacerbated the barriers to belonging for women in engineering. Little work to date has investigated women's experiences during the pandemic in disciplines that are hallmarked by masculinity. What scholarship has been completed on pandemic-necessitated virtual instruction has…

A "leaky pipeline" exists for women to obtain a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) leadership position in the United States (U.S.). A deeper dive into what was holding women back from an engineering leadership position is imperative in today's technology-driven world. Utilizing feminist theory as a theoretical lens,…

A "leaky pipeline" exists for women to obtain a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) leadership position in the United States (U.S.). A deeper dive into what was holding women back from an engineering leadership position is imperative in today's technology-driven world. Utilizing feminist theory as a theoretical lens,…

Formation of professional identity is a process where individuals attempt to bring together the social expectations set for them as professionals and their own interests and values. The cultural landscape of engineering is masculine in various ways, which can be challenging especially for female engineers who need to match the cultural…

This paper describes a grassroots outreach program at Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS), organized by women chemists and chemical engineers, for women studying chemistry and chemical engineering. This effort supports the company's belief that excellence in creativity and innovation is enhanced when its scientists and engineers bring diverse experiences…

Purpose: Science museums provide a context for developing and testing engineering activities that support visitors in creating personally meaningful objects. This study aims to propose that narrative design elements in such engineering activities can foster empathy to support engineering engagement among girls ages 7-14.…

This dissertation investigates the issue of gender stratification within engineering and other STEM-related fields. The dissertation is divided into three articles that address different aspects of the problem and propose potential solutions. Article 1 explores the persistent gender imbalance within STEM fields, particularly in engineering and…