Women in engineering in the United States

Historically, women in the United States have been represented at lower rates than men in both science and engineering college programs and careers.

[1][2] Some Feminist theorists suggest that these social and historical factors have perpetuated women's low participation rates in engineering over time.

[citation needed] Two forms of activism tasked with raising awareness include both organizations on college campuses and those geared towards society at large.

[1] For example, in a study of over 440 college campuses nationwide throughout 1971–72, approximately 17% of polled Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) majors were women.

[citation needed] The percentages of minority women with engineering doctoral degrees were much lower, however, barely increasing from 1% throughout this period.

Asian women actually accounted for a lower rate of engineering bachelor's degree during this time period, from approximately 2.5% to 5%.

[1][2][13][14] One of the reasons used to explain this trend has been a supposed overemphasis on the traditional "male breadwinner" household model when it comes to organizing families today.

Instead, some scholars feel that the media is guilty of perpetuating gender stereotypes by representing women in traditional "female occupations" such as nurses, school teachers, and housewives.

This is not necessarily to suggest, with Lawrence Summers, that women are incapable or less fundamentally capable than men at engineering, but rather that they tend to be less interested in the subject in general.

[21] The principle strength of this argument is that it explains the phenomenon without drawing tenuous links with difficult-to-measure influences such as 'culture' and 'role-models', but it is also to some degree reinforced by academic consensus, which was identified in the 'Social and Political views of American Professors' paper as 75% in favor of the claim that differing interests between men and women caused the disparity, rather than discrimination.

[15][16][23] Thus, generally speaking, it is likely that women engineers will remain largely discriminated against and have inadequate resources at improving their outlook unless substantial social changes are made to society.

It has been suggested that, due to the social and environmental factors described above, high school and college women tend to have lower confidence levels in their mathematical ability compared to men.

[14] Goldman later discovered that positive math assessments played an important role in women's choices to enroll in engineering.

[24] Further studies have also shown that a lack of pre-degree training in high school did not sufficiently explain women engineer's dropout rates later in college.

[27][28][29] This reason, family and child obligations, and layoffs combined to account for a drop-out rate of approximately 20% among all female engineers from 1982 to 1990—a statistic over twice of that of men.

[3][7][27] Moreover, it has also been stated that traditionally stereotypical images of engineering as "dirty", "rugged", or "manly" jobs are gradually being eroded—opening employment opportunities for prospective women nationwide.

[28][30][31] However, recent evidence suggests that gender discrimination is still a significant issue affecting women's confidence and performance in STEM careers.

[2][13][30][31] "Social coping" has thus been a mechanism which has been cited to help women deal with the challenges and stress associated with engineering's rigorous coursework and careers.

[30] Multiple regression analysis has revealed that high levels of social coping were a stronger predictor of commitment to staying in engineering studies for women than men.

Put more simply, women who used social coping were less likely than men (who were actually found to be more likely) to drop out of college engineering programs.

[31] surveys collected among 141 female engineering students across the country have shown that many women who placed high confidence levels in their math and science ability also had parents who modeled less traditional gender roles.

Thus, to increase women's enrollment and retention rates in engineering, scholars have suggested that a de-emphasis away from the highly popularized "nuclear family" model is crucial.

[citation needed] In 1989, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers formed the Board on Minorities and Women, in response to the increasing importance of diversity.

The board focuses on targeting women and minorities with leadership programs, diversity action grants, conferences, presentations, and training.