CREATING EQUITABLE SPACES: HARNESSING DYNAMIC MODELING FOR GENDER BALANCE IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION Academic Article in Scopus uri icon

abstract

  • Gender equality in engineering is crucial for several reasons: The equal participation of men and women in engineering ensures a greater diversity of perspectives, ideas, and approaches. This enriches the design, development, and problem-solving process by considering a variety of experiences and knowledge. Gender diversity in engineering encourages innovation and creativity, as different points of view can lead to more complete and effective solutions. The lack of gender diversity in engineering can lead to the creation of products and services that do not meet the needs of all people. By having an equal representation of men and women in the field of engineering, more inclusive and appropriate solutions can be designed for all users, regardless of gender. This applies to fields like technology, infrastructure, healthcare, energy, and many others. This paper aims to explore the use of dynamic modeling as a pathway to achieving gender equality in engineering education. By addressing the gaps in current approaches, it seeks to provide insights and guidance for educational institutions, policymakers, and stakeholders to effectively advance gender equality and create a more inclusive and diverse engineering education ecosystem. A dynamic model that describes the enrollment of women in an engineering academic program can have several uses and applications. This would provide an understanding of historical trends and patterns and allow estimates of the number of women who will enroll in a specific program in the future. Early results of the model demonstrate that women have a very different scheme in making decisions about the academic program to choose. While the male gender decides more based on what they know can be successful in the future, the female gender goes further and takes into account aspects such as the sense of fulfillment and belonging. The model also shows that if, during the student recruitment stage, activities designed specifically for what women are most attracted to in engineering were used, more women would enroll in said academic programs. © 2024 by ASME.

publication date

  • January 1, 2024