NAE Committee on Diversity in the Engineering Workforce (CDEW) Innovation Initiative, 2003-2005.
In November 2002, the Committee on Diversity in the Engineering Workforce initiated a fresh effort to develop a set of maximum-impact activities that the NAE could uniquely contribute to the resolution of engineering’s diversity problem, through leveraging the authority and influence of the organization and its members. This Innovation Initiative was completed in February 2005. Read more about the study.
Enhancing the Community College Pathway to Engineering Careers Consensus Study
The important role of community colleges in educating engineers is not well known to the public, or even to the engineering community. In fact, 20 percent of engineering degree holders began their academic careers with at least 10 credits from community colleges, and 40 percent of the recipients of engineering bachelor and master degrees in 1999 and 2000 attended community colleges.
Community colleges have long been recognized as providing opportunities to advance the goal of diversifying the U.S. engineering workforce, especially racial and ethnic diversity. Although the makeup of community colleges’ student bodies varies by geographic location, a larger percentage of students from some minority groups, notably Hispanics and American Indians, attend community colleges than white students. Concomitantly, community colleges have become an educational pipeline for underrepresented minorities entering the higher education system. Read the full report.
Engineering Studies at Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) Consensus Study
This study was designed to provide expert, objective, independent advice to 11 tribal colleges that are working together to offer engineering programs. The chief data-gathering activity was a one and one-half day workshop.
Reasons for establishing a four-year engineering program at a TCU were outlined in the workshop—making it possible for American Indian students to complete a four-year engineering degree entirely within the tribal college system; reducing the high attrition rate of American Indian students who attend mainstream educational institutions; and providing an engineering program that is culturally relevant to tribal students. Read the full report.
EngineerGirl! Website
In 2001, the NAE challenged the conventional perception of engineers and engineering by creating EngineerGirl! (http://www.engineergirl.org). NAE’s goals in creating the website were to interest girls (or keep them interested) in engineering, science, math, and technology and, ultimately, to increase the number of young women who pursue careers in engineering. Features of the site include the “Gallery of Women Engineers,” “Hot Projects,” and “Fun Facts.” The site targets middle school girls but is used by a wide array of age groups and by boys and young men.
Extraordinary Women Engineers Project
The Extraordinary Women Engineers project is a national initiative to encourage girls to consider pursuing a degree and subsequent career in engineering. The project is led by a coalition of the country’s engineering associations, the American Association of Engineering Societies, the American Society of Civil Engineers, the NAE, and the WGBH Foundation. Formed in Spring 2004, the coalition conducted qualitative consumer research with high school girls, science and math teachers, and school counselors; male and female college-level engineering students; and engineers.
In February 2005, the coalition released a book Changing Our World: True Stories of Women Engineers which is designed to acquaint high school girls and other audiences with a diverse group of women engineers and the influence they have had on making the world a better place.
The coalition is planning a number of activities in the future with which the NAE will be involved. To learn more go to http://www.engineeringwomen.org/.
CASEE Engineering Equity Extension Project
This project provides national extension services to the pre-engineering and engineering communities that bring together expertise in gender studies, the research base on science and engineering education, and practical skills in project management to a) academic preparation for engineering study for students at the middle school (grade 6) through collegiate sophomore levels, b) the out-of-class social environment, c) the in-class social environment, c) curricular content, d) curricular scope and sequence design, e) curriculum delivery and instructional style.
Emphasis will be placed on reaching those teachers and faculty who may not be actively engaged in gender equity activities and are not actively pursuing such activities. We will do this by influencing the core professional activities of those teachers and faculty responsible for the development of formal and informal curricula as well as those influencing the social environment through mentoring and programmatic activities. Project objectives are to increase teacher and faculty familiarity with the current and emerging knowledge bases on gender equity, engineering education, and project management in such a manner they are inextricably linked in the minds of our target audiences. To reach the broadest array of teachers and faculty we will work in collaboration with professional societies, school-based groups, and community-based groups that have frequent interaction with large numbers of teachers and faculty.