Women in Science and
Engineering
Anne K. Camper
Associate Professor, Civil Engineering
Associate Dean, College of Engineering
Montana State University–Bozeman
Inspiration
Ann Ulvin, engineering undergrad
Anna Quindlen, Newsweek, Oct. 20, 2003;
“Still Needing the F Word”
Princeton and Duke studies
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Issues – Duke Study
Reading from report, Nannerl O.
Keohane, Chair of Committee
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Undergrad Issues – Duke
Study
Women feel intense pressure to conform to
norms of femininity
Understate the work they do to achieve
academic success
Need supportive mentoring – self
confidence!!
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Alumni Issues – Duke Study
Need for mentoring and role models at
University, more female faculty
Need to hear about work/life balancing
Preparation for entering maledominated careers
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Grad/Professional Student
Issues – Duke Study
Confidence decrease greater than for
males at this stage
Realization that family issues will affect
careers, women with larger burden
Need for faculty mentoring
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Faculty Issues – Duke Study
Not well represented, esp. at Full
Professor rank
Longer time to tenure (6.3 vs 5 yrs)
Child care, partner hires, recognition of
extraordinary service
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Employee Issues – Duke Study
Again, demands of family vs career
Lack of personal and professional
respect
Professional development opportunities
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Percentage of 4th, 8th, and 12th graders agreeing with
the statements “I like mathematics” and “I am
good at mathematics,” by sex: 2000
Bachelor’s degrees awarded in S&E and
non-S&E fields, by sex: 1990-98
S&E graduate students, by sex: 1990-99
Proportion of S&E graduate students who are
women,
by field: 1990 and 1999
Master’s degrees awarded in S&E and
non-S&E fields, by sex: 1990-98
Doctoral degrees awarded in S&E and
non-S&E fields, by sex: 1990-99
Percentage of employed scientists and engineers
in S&E occupations, by sex, race/ethnicity, and
disability status: 1999
Spouse’s employment status of married
scientists and engineers, by sex: 1999
Women in Academia
Earn less than male counterparts,
gap decreasing
Underrepresented at senior ranks
more difficult to achieve tenure,
promotion especially when young, one
study linked with having children (not true
for men)
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Women in Academia
Publish less frequently, but may be
in higher quality journals
Tend to take jobs at teaching vs
research institutions
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Women Undergrads in
Engineering
Most undergrads from suburbia, with AP
credits
Early interest in math, science, technology
40% considered changing majors, mostly
in sophomore year
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Women Undergrads in
Engineering - Retention
Leaving not always grade related
Parents critical for encouragement
Competition in class – first two years
Academic climate (environment, faculty
(female) mentors) – most important later
on
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Women Undergrads in
Engineering - Retention
Persistence correlated with self-confidence
Importance of support activities – social,
study groups, research opportunities
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Women Undergrads in
Engineering Self Perceptions
Lower confidence than males
(understanding concepts, problem solving,
commitment to engineering)
Work better with people than males
Work harder than males on class work
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Women Undergrads in
Engineering Self Perceptions
Lower confidence than males
(understanding concepts, problem solving,
commitment to engineering)
Work better with people than males
Work harder than males on class work
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Faculty at Institutions for
Survey
Predominantly male, white, tenured, >50
yrs old, 14% Female
Advocate recruiting women students, no
consensus on support programs
Male/female student skills similar, males
>laboratory, female > study habits
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Female Faculty at Institutions
for Survey
Perceived that academic climate favored
males, reported more complaints of unfair
treatment of females
Perceived difficulties in engineering
workplace for females
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Female Faculty at Institutions
for Survey
Personal accounts of gender-specific
issues; committees, advisors/mentors for
female students, “need to prove
themselves as women engineers”
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Other engineering statistics
20% B.S. engineering degrees to females
10% of engineering workforce female
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Important issues in childhood
Problem solving related to self confidence
Parental expectations, mother’s employment
High achieving girls receive less attention in
classroom
To be a woman must be feminine, to
succeed, masculine MSU Center for Biofilm Engineering
Important issues in jr. high
Loss of self confidence, attribute success to
luck, not ability
Importance of popularity, uncool to be smart
Loss of affinity for math, science
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Important issues in high
school
Believe that they don’t “get” math and
science
Take fewer classes, less prepared for college
Importance of support from family,
counselors/teachers, role models
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Important issues in employment
Must “prove” themselves – work harder than
male coworkers, are excluded from groups
Concept of reverse discrimination, perception
of preferential treatment
Balance of family and career, flexibility,
societal perception of working women
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Aspirations of an institution
Summary from Duke Survey, relevant to their
school
Has meaning for entire educational system
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Citations
Women, Minorities and Persons with Disabilities in
Science and Engineering: 2002. NSF 03-312 (Arlington,
VA) http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/nsf03312/start.htm
Gender Differences in the Careers of Academic Scientists
and Engineers: A Literature Review NSF 03-322, Project
Officer, Alan I. Rapoport (Arlington, VA) (“Princeton report”)
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Citations
Women’s Initiative, Duke University. Steering Committee
Report, 2003.
http://www.duke.edu/doc/Womens_Initiative_Report
Where are All the Girls? Why Females Shy Away from
Engineering. June 2003. Ann M. Ulvin, Senior Honors
Thesis
Final Report of the Women’s Experiences in College
Engineering (WECE) Project. 2002. Goodman Research
Group, Inc. Cambridge, MA
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