A new study from DiscoverE looked at the women who thrive in engineering-technology education and career, despite the odds.
“As a leading nonprofit committed to leveling the playing field for girls and women looking to pursue engineering careers, DiscoverE has published this study as a call to action to help to foster collaboration and explore further,” said Leslie Collins, executive director, DiscoverE.
According to the nonprofit, instead of asking why women are discouraged, DiscoverE asked:
The study between DiscoverE and Concord Evaluation Group, entitled Despite the Odds: Young Women Who Persist In Engineering, has uncovered a number of key factors young women consider when choosing and persisting in pursuing engineering careers. They include:
“We recognize this is only the start of a long investigative journey," Collins said. "Much more research needs to be done. We hope the success stories uncovered through this study can serve as a template so that young women looking at potential engineering careers can more easily make their way forward.”
In 1990, DiscoverE issued the first nationwide call to engineers to visit a classroom and introduce K-12 students to engineering. This year, DiscoverE's Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day (IGED) falls on February 20. Girl Day helps focus a growing movement to inspire girls' futures so they learn they have a place in engineering a better world.
DiscoverE's network of volunteers share their knowledge, experience, and some fun. Volunteers at IGED events are drawn from the DiscoverE coalition of more than 100 professional societies, major corporations, and government agencies. Together they meet a vital need: introducing students, parents, and educators to engineering, engaging them in hands-on engineering experiences and making science and math relevant.
