Women Engineers And
Technicians In The Field Of
Clinical And Biomedical
Engineering
Sally Goebel
National Support Manager, Customer Triage
Services
Siemens Medical Solutions
May 18, 2006
Prominent Women in Politics
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Leader of 19 nations
Mayor of 16% of US cities
Current Secretary of State
Currently 14 US Senators are women
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31 women have served as Senators
Currently 67 women in the House of
Representatives or 15.4%
Potentially a Presidential candidate in 2008
For Men Only….Not Anymore
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CEOs of 2.2% of US companies are
women
25% of Doctors in the US are women
17% of Lawyers in the US are women
12% of Armed Forces
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60 women have died serving our country in Iraq
Military experience increases the number of well
qualified female engineering candidates
But…
75% of women work because
they have to… not because they
choose to do so!
 I prefer to think that the women
in our field are among the 25%
that choose to work and make a
difference.
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What Makes Biomedical And Clinical
Engineering an Attractive Field Today?
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Aging population = more medical equipment =
job security
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Advanced system design with diagnostic remote
and central tools
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Analysis to module level
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Increased component and system reliability
What Makes Biomedical And Clinical
Engineering an Attractive Field Today?
More user interface and education
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Educational resources are more easily available
(online)
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More modalities which means more
opportunities (PACS)
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Gratifying and fulfilling career
The Past From My Perspective
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1984: Women in biomedical and clinical
engineering were as scarce as …
1989: Became one of the first women to direct a
medical equipment maintenance program.
1991: First time I hired a female biomedical tech
2001: Promoted a woman to lead Oncology tech
support engineers
2006: Numerous females among my staff and
colleagues
By 2010 ???
The Present from My Perspective
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17% of Siemens 1st level of tech support
are female
23% of Siemens Sr. Managers for technical
support are female
30% of North Carolina Biomedical
Association Board of Directors are female
Up to 40% of applicants for tech support
job openings are female
Key Issues Impacting the Increase
in Female Engineers
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Women’s Right to Vote in 1920
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Title IX of the Education Amendment in 1972
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Military Policies regarding women
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Media Impact
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Nurture Factor
Impact from Legislation – Women’s
Right to Vote
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1788 United States of America (to stand for election)
1893 New Zealand (to vote)
1902 Australia
1906 Finland
1907 Norway (to stand for election)
1913 Norway
1915 Denmark, Iceland
1917 Canada (to vote), Netherlands (to stand for
election)
1918 Austria, Canada (to vote), Estonia, Georgia,
Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia,
Lithuania, Poland, Russian Federation, United Kingdom
Impact from Legislation – Women’s
Right to Vote
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1919 Belarus, Belgium (to vote), Luxembourg,
Netherlands (to vote), New Zealand (to stand for
election), Sweden, Ukraine
1920 Albania, Canada (to stand for election), Czech
Republic, Iceland, Slovakia, United States of America
(to vote)
1921 Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belgium (to stand for
election), Georgia, Sweden
1924 Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Saint Lucia, Tajikistan
1927 Turkmenistan
1928 Ireland, United Kingdom
1929 Ecuador, Romania
Impact from Legislation – Women’s
Right to Vote
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1930 South Africa (Whites), Turkey (to vote)
1931 Chile, Portugal, Spain, Sri Lanka
1932 Brazil, Maldives, Thailand, Uruguay
1934 Cuba, Portugal, Turkey (to stand for election)
1935 Myanmar (to vote)
1937 Philippines
1938 Bolivia, Uzbekistan1939El Salvador (to vote)
1941 Panama
Impact from Legislation – Women’s
Right to Vote
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1942 Dominican Republic
1944 Bulgaria, France, Jamaica
1944 Bulgaria, France, Jamaica
1945 Croatia, Guyana (to stand for election), Indonesia,
Italy, Japan, Senegal, Slovenia, Togo
1946 Cameroon, D.P.R. of Korea, Djibouti (to vote),
Guatemala, Liberia, Myanmar (to stand for election),
Panama, Romania, The F.Y.R. of Macedonia, Trinidad and
Tobago, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yugoslavia
1947 Argentina, Japan, Malta, Mexico (to vote),
Pakistan, Singapore
Impact from Legislation – Women’s
Right to Vote
1948 Belgium, Israel, Niger, Republic of Korea, Seychelles,
Suriname
1949 Bosnia and Herzegovina, Chile, China, Costa Rica,
Syrian Arab Republic (to vote)
1950 Barbados, Canada (to vote), Haiti, India
1951 Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Nepal,
Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
1952 Bolivia, Côte d'Ivoire, Greece, Lebanon
1953 Bhutan, Guyana (to vote), Mexico (to stand for
election), Syrian Arab Republic
1954 Belize, Colombia, Ghana
Impact from Legislation – Women’s
Right to Vote
1955 Cambodia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Honduras, Nicaragua,
Peru
1956 Benin, Comoros, Egypt, Gabon, Mali, Mauritius,
Somalia
1957 Malaysia, Zimbabwe (to vote)
1958 Burkina Faso, Chad, Guinea, Lao P.D.R., Nigeria
(South)
1959 Madagascar, San Marino (to vote), Tunisia, United
Republic of Tanzania
1960 Canada (to stand for election), Cyprus, Gambia,
Tonga
1961 Bahamas, Burundi, El Salvador (to stand for
election), Malawi, Mauritania, Paraguay, Rwanda, Sierra
Leone
Impact from Legislation – Women’s
Right to Vote
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1962 Algeria, Australia, Monaco, Uganda, Zambia
1963 Afghanistan, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Fiji, Iran
(Islamic Republic of), Kenya, Morocco, Papua New
Guinea (to stand for election)
1964 Bahamas, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Papua New
Guinea (to vote), Sudan
1965 Bostwana, Lesotho
1967 Democratic Republic of the Congo (to vote),
Ecuador, Kiribati, Tuvalu, Yemen (D.P. R.)
1968 Nauru, Swaziland
1970 Andorra (to vote), Democratic Republic of the
Congo (to stand for election), Yemen (Arab Republic)
Impact from Legislation – Women’s
Right to Vote
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1971 Switzerland
1972 Bangladesh
1973 Andorra (to stand for election), Bahrain,
San Marino (to stand for election)
1974 Jordan, Solomon Islands
1975 Angola, Cape Verde, Mozambique, Sao
Tome and Principe, Vanuatu1
1976 Portugal
1977 Guinea Bissau
1978 Nigeria (North), Republic of Moldova,
Zimbabwe (to stand for election)
Impact from Legislation – Women’s
Right to Vote
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1979 Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Fed. States),
Palau 1980 Iraq, Vanuatul
1984 Liechtenstein, South Africa (Coloureds +
Indians)
1986 Central African Republic, Djibouti (to
stand for election)
1989 Namibia
1990 Samoa
1993 Kazakhstan, Republic of Moldova
1994 South Africa (Blacks)
2005 Kuwait
Impact from Legislation – Title IX
of the Education Amendment
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Radically increased opportunities for
females to participate in team sports
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More scholarship opportunities for
females
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Definite improvement in teamwork
mentality for females
Impact from Military Policies
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Radically increased opportunities for
females to participate in team sports
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More scholarship opportunities for
females
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Definite improvement in teamwork
mentality for females
Impact of US Military Policies
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1947
Congress passes the Army-Navy Nurse Act
which:
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Establishes the Army Nurse Corps and the Navy Nurse
Corps as permanent staff corps of the regular Army
and Navy.
Integrates nurses into the officer ranks of the regular
Army and Navy with Lieutenant Colonel/Commander
as the highest permanent ranks. Nurse Corps
directors are authorized to hold the temporary rank of
Colonel/Captain.
Impact of US Military Policies
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1948
Congress passes the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act.
Women are eligible to serve in the regular active peacetime forces under the
following conditions:
 Women can constitute no more than 2 percent of the total force.
 The number of women officers can total no more than 10 percent of the 2
percent.
 Promotion of women officers is capped above paygrade 0-3
(Captain/Lieutenant).
 Pay grade 0-5 (Lieutenant Colonel/ Commander) is the highest permanent rank
women can obtain. Women serving as directors of WACs, WAVES, WAFs, and
 Women Marines are temporarily promoted to paygrade 0-6 (Colonel/Captain).
 Women are barred from serving aboard Navy vessels (except hospital ships and
certain transports) and from duty in combat aircraft engaged in combat missions.
 Women are denied spousal benefits for their husbands unless they depend on
their wives for over 50 percent of their support. over men.
The Coast Guard is not included in this legislation, but a few SPARS remain in
Women's Coast Guard Reserve.
Impact of US Military Policies
1951
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The Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (DACOWITS) is created.
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Executive Order 10240 authorizes the services to discharge any woman who becomes
pregnant or a parent by adoption, or who has a minor child/stepchild at home at
least thirty days a year.
1967
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The Women’s Armed Services Integration Act is modified by P.L. 90-130:
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1971
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The 2-percent ceiling on women’s numbers is lifted.
The caps on officer promotions above pay grade 0-3 are removed and women become
eligible for permanent promotion to pay grade 0-6.
Women become eligible for Flag/General Officer rank. Women's Coast Guard Reserve.
The Air Force allows pregnant women to request a waiver of the automatic discharge
policy. The Air Force also changes recruiting rules to allow the enlistment of women
with children—the first service to do so.
Impact of US Military Policies
1969
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The Air Force opens ROTC to women.
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capped above pay grade 0-3 (Captain/Lieutenant).
Pay grade 0-5 (Lieutenant Colonel/ Commander) is the highest permanent rank
women can obtain. Women serving as directors of WACs, WAVES, WAFs, and
Women Marines are temporarily promoted to pay grade 0-6
(Colonel/Captain).
Women are barred from serving aboard Navy vessels (except hospital ships and
certain transports) and from duty in combat aircraft engaged in combat missions.
 Women are denied spousal benefits for their husbands unless they depend on
their wives for over 50 percent of their support. over men.
The Coast Guard is not included in this legislation, but a few SPARS remain in
Women's Coast Guard Reserve.
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The Joint Armed Forces Staff College admits women. Promotion of women officers is
Impact of US Military Policies
1972
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Frontiero v. Richardson—This Supreme Court decision strikes down the differences
between men and women with respect to dependent’s benefits.
The Army opens ROTC to women.
Chief of Naval Operations Elmo Zumwalt issues a directive, Z-116, which:
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Suspends restrictions on women succeeding to command ashore.
Authorizes limited entry of women into all enlisted ratings.
Opens assignment aboard the hospital ship USS Sanctuary to all women.
Allows women officers into additional occupational fields such as intelligence, cryptology,
public affairs, and maintenance.
Opens the Chaplain Corps and Civil Engineering Corps to women.
Opens Navy ROTC to women.
Allows women to be selected for war college.
1973
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The draft ends with the expiration of the Selective Service Act. As the era of the AllVolunteer Force starts, recruiting goals for women begin to increase.
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Navy women become eligible for aviation duty in noncombat aircraft.
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The Coast Guard begins accepting women for regular active duty.
1974
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Army women become eligible for aviation duty in noncombat aircraft.
Impact of US Military Policies
2002
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The Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) allows the DACOWITS charter to expire
and issues a new charter which reduces by over half the number of committee
members and modifies the committee’s mission. Among the changes is the addition
of family matters to the list of issues within the purview of DACOWITS.
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2003
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The Army decides to remove all eight women soldiers from its first Reconnaissance,
Surveillance,
Target Acquisition (RSTA) squadron. RSTA squadrons are expected to be part of the Army’s
planned fast-deploying combat brigades.
A woman Marine is the first American military woman killed in theater in Afghanistan. She
was one of several Marines killed in the crash of a military aircraft.
The FY 2003 Defense Authorizations Act forbids military commanders from requiring (or
strongly suggesting) the wearing of the abaya by military women serving in Saudi Arabia.
The Act also requires the Department of Defense to submit an annual report on the status of
women in the services.
Schwartz v. Rascon filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts
challenges the males-only provision for Selective Service registration.
Over 25,400 women deploy in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. One woman
iskilled and two are taken as prisoners of war.
Media Impact
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Editor of 24 X 7
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President of ACCE
The Nurture Factor
Characteristics of a successful biomedical or
clinical engineer:
 Sensitivity and empathy with the ultimate
customer
 Ability to see the Ceiling View
 Great Sense of Urgency
 Good technical and mechanical analysis
skills
The Pace
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The times, they are a changing, but not
fast enough
In 1979, My first electronics class
contained 30% women which did not
prove to be typical
The industry overall is at best 10%
Keep the faith
Climate Control
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The workplace is much more diverse today
Sexual harassment laws have truly
changed the environment for technicians
and engineers.
Women are exposed to technology at an
earlier age
Old assumptions, such as “girls are not
good at math”, have all but disappeared.
Customer Service/ Tech
Knowledge
50/50 ?
Low Success Rate
Excellent
Technical
Skills
Good
Fair
Low Success Rate
Poor
Fair
Poor
Technical Skills
x
Customer
Service
Skills
Mid Success Rate
Good
Technical
Skills
Customer
Service
Skills
Good
x
x
Excellent
Excellent
Fair
x
x
Customer
Service
Skills
x
Mid Success Rate
Poor
Excellent
Technical Skills
Customer
Service
Skills
Good
Fair
x
x
Poor
Customer Service/ Tech
Knowledge
50/50 ?
Mid-High Success Rate
Excellent
Technical
Skills
Customer
Service
Skills
Good
Fair
Poor
Technical
Skills
Customer
Service
Skills
Excellent
x
Technical Skills
x
Customer
Service
Skills
Higher Success Rate
Excellent
Mid-High Success Rate
Good
x
x
Fair
Good
Fair
Poor
x
x
Excellent Success Rate
Poor
Excellent
Technical Skills
x
Customer
Service
Skills
x
Good
Fair
Poor
Looking Forward
Looking Forward
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Girl’s scholastic performance
has steadily improved in the last few
decades, particularly in math and science.
There is an increased interest in math and
engineering among schoolgirls
More female engineers graduate each year
The aging population will create more
demand and opportunities in the field
Thank you all for listening!
Questions?