Conference Session

Attitudes, Self-Confidence, and Self-Efficacy of Women Engineering Students

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Moshe Hartman, Retired; Harriet Hartman, Rowan University

Tagged Divisions

Women in Engineering

] The ways in which the genders vary in the respectivedisciplines is of particular interest, as it may give us a clue as to why so few women enter certaindisciplines and are attracted to others disproportionately [1,10]. Further, in at least one study,gender differences in engineering GPA’s (women’s being higher) disappeared when major wascontrolled [7]. In other words, sometimes observed gender differences are artifacts or inflatedbecause of the differential distribution of the genders across engineering disciplines. Weenvisioned writing a paper entitled, “It’s the Major, Stupid!” But it isn’t that simple, as our datashow. Gender matters, and major matters, and year in the program matters, and they eveninteract in instructive ways.The question

Conference Session

Panel: Forming an Interdisciplinary Research Collaboration

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Julie Mills, University of South Australia; Judith Gill, University of South Australia; Suzanne Franzway, University of South Australia; Rhonda Sharp, University of South Australia

Tagged Divisions

Women in Engineering

in researchprojects related to women in engineering, in both the professional workplace and educationcontexts. What is unusual about this particular research group is the widely varying disciplinebackgrounds of the members. The group comprises professors in feminist economics, sociology,education and civil engineering. The collaboration has faced numerous challenges in terms ofgeography, methodology, availability, finding a common language and understanding, differingpractice in the various disciplines with respect to writing for publication and what grants count.This paper identifies four inter-related themes that have emerged from our reflections on ourexperience of gender-based multidisciplinary research.IntroductionMultidisciplinary

Conference Session

Panel: What Funding Agencies Look For

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jane Daniels, Henry Luce Foundation; Kathleen Christensen, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation; Jessie DeAro, National Science Foundation; David Ruth, Elsevier Foundation

Tagged Divisions

Women in Engineering

ofthe Clare Boothe Luce Program to increase the participation of women in the sciences andengineering. The key word is “institutional” commitment. Some institutions write about afemale faculty member, several female faculty members or a student organization whoimplement pre-college, retention or mentoring activities. Such examples describe activitieswhich may be admirable, but are taking faculty and student time away from important teaching,research, or learning responsibilities. True institutional commitment is evident through thesignificant commitment of institutional resources to counteract factors that limit the progress ofwomen; efforts to increase the participation and advancement of women that are proactive andinstitutionally sponsored

Conference Session

Focus on Faculty

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ane Johnson, Virginia Tech; Margaret Layne, Virginia Tech; Janis Terpenny, Virginia Tech

Tagged Divisions

Women in Engineering

variety of ways. The program fundedPh.D. and post-doctoral fellowships for women researchers. Seminars and workshops targetwomen graduate students and faculty members and address skill attainment in writing grantproposals, interviewing for academic jobs, negotiating academic job offers, and obtainingleadership roles within the university. The project also assists university deans, department headsand administrators to identify and address unconscious bias, to institute diverse hiring practices,and to develop mentoring programs for faculty. The program supports faculty recruitment though Page 14.530.4a visiting scholar program and collaboration

Conference Session

Women in Engineering Division Poster Session

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Elizabeth Cady, National Academy of Engineering; Norman Fortenberry, National Academy of Engineering; Catherine Didion, National Academy of Engineering; Karen Peterman, Goodman Research Group, Inc.

Tagged Divisions

Women in Engineering

students also need to have confidence in their own skillsin engineering and a network of peers and mentors who can support them through their studiesand their careers [5]. Another important element, especially for girls, is having a role model towhom they can relate on a personal level, rather that a role model who is perceived as being astar in the field and thus unapproachable [3]. This indicates that undergraduate women inengineering could effectively mentor younger students because they would be able to relate tothem as individuals. Finally, the assessment of one longitudinal program that brought scienceinto elementary schools indicated that parents increased the amount of time spent talking aboutscience with their children over the course of

Conference Session

Panel: Taking a Break from Academia

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Bevlee Watford, Virginia Tech; Lesia Crumpton-Young, University of Central Florida; Susan Davidson, University of Pennsylvania; Leigh McCue, Virginia Tech; Noel Schulz, Mississippi State University

Tagged Divisions

Women in Engineering

interested in serving as a Program Director at NSFbut couldn’t find the right point in my career to do so. After serving as Department Chair andgiven that my children were older and my husband was supportive of me pursuing thisopportunity; it seemed like an ideal time.SCHULZ: The first question you have to ask yourself is why do you think you need a sabbatical?What types of things would help you recharge and regain perspective? Do you want to work in anew research area and learn new skills? Do you want to write a book? Do you want to visitseveral universities and learn about advanced pedagogical trends? Do you want to spend time inindustry to help with classroom and research activities? The answer to some of these questionswill be essential for

Conference Session

Potpourri

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Catherine Pieronek, University of Notre Dame

Tagged Divisions

Women in Engineering

Page 14.629.3contain language that suggests that Energy should address the findings of the GAO report andconduct two Title IX reviews annually, but it neither mandates nor funds such reviews. And noother agency, institute or department received either direct or indirect orders to conduct Title IXreviews, nor the funding to enable the reviews. Nevertheless, all federal funding agencies arerequired by the plain language of the statute to do whatever is necessary to enforce the law.5Reports ReviewedThis paper focuses on the results of Title IX reviews completed by the end of 2008. The authorsubmitted Freedom of Information Act requests to NASA, Energy and NSF for copies of therelevant reports.As of this writing in early 2009, NASA has completed