Conference Session

Persistence, Outcomes and Barriers for Women in Engineering

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Lily Skau, Austin Peay State University; Emmabeth Parrish Vaughn, Austin Peay State University; Bobette Bouton; Steven Blake Warth, Austin Peay State University

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Diversity

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Women in Engineering Division (WIED)

Paper ID #46121Retrospective Insights in Choosing a Career in EngineeringLily Skau, Austin Peay State University Lily Skau is an undergraduate student at Austin Peay State University pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Engineering Physics and a minor in Mathematics and Sociology. She plans to graduate with her degree and minors in May of 2026 and enter the industry as a Mechanical Engineer.Emmabeth Parrish Vaughn, Austin Peay State University Dr. Emmabeth Vaughn is an Assistant Professor in the Physics, Engineering, and Astronomy Department at Austin Peay State University. Before join faculty at Austin Peay, she worked in

Conference Session

Persistence, Outcomes and Barriers for Women in Engineering

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Tianjiao Zhao, East Carolina University; Xi Lin, East Carolina University; Xi Wang P.E., Drexel University; Yidan Zhu, Texas State University; Pianpian Huang, East Carolina University; Bingbing Li, University of British Columbia, Vancouver; Qiuhan Ji, University of British Columbia, Vancouver

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Diversity

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Women in Engineering Division (WIED)

Paper ID #46222Breaking Barriers for Women in STEM: Uncovering Career Challenges andTransformative Educational Strategies: A Case Study in Architecture andRelated Engineering FieldsDr. Tianjiao Zhao, East Carolina University Tianjiao Zhao joined the Department of Construction Management at East Carolina University as an assistant professor in Fall 2022. With a robust background in semantic web technologies, intelligent transportation, BIM, green building, Lean Six Sigma, Internet of Things, and water engineering, she brings extensive expertise to her role. Maintaining an active research agenda, her work primarily revolves

Conference Session

Women in Engineering Division (WIED) Poster Session

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Gloria Appiah Nsiah, Arizona State University

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Women in Engineering Division (WIED)

Paper ID #48216BOARD # 220: Engineering Education in Ghana and the USA: Factors Involvedin Successful Career Integration of Female Ghanaian Engineering Studentsinto the USA Engineering FieldMs. Gloria Appiah Nsiah, Arizona State University Gloria is an Environmental Engineering Ph.D. student at Arizona State University whose research involves computational chemical risk assessment of endocrine disruption through wastewater exposure, particularly in developing communities. Originally from Ghana, Gloria is passionate about enhancing the quality of engineering education for a more impactful and effective learning experience

Conference Session

Programmatic Design and Resiliency Among Women Engineers

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Melissa Renee Casner, Purdue University at West Lafayette (PPI); Nancy L Lollar, Purdue University University at West Lafayette (PPI)

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Women in Engineering Division (WIED)

education is no longer traditional. We must engage in civic dialogues to understandwhat keeps students awake at night and provide hands-on experiences that set us apartfrom other institutions. It is not just about the degree they will earn; prospective studentsneed to see the value we offer. As Stephen Covey suggests in Habit 2, we must help them'Begin With the End in Mind' [2] and be there with them to help achieve successes alongthe way. Education is no longer linear; students need to feel a sense of belonging.Index Terms – Engineering technology, technology, gender, women, mentorship,connectedness, innovativeness, belonging, career preparation, recruitment, students,universities.I. INTRODUCTIONPurdue Polytechnic Columbus is more than just an

Conference Session

Programmatic Design and Resiliency Among Women Engineers

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

hongyan miao, Union College; Elsie Mae Lewin Paxton, Union College; Jaqueline Nicole Anderson, Union College; Maia Chapin, Union College; Leza Sorn, Union College

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Diversity

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Women in Engineering Division (WIED)

Schenectady, NY 12308AbstractFemale representation in mechanical engineering remains a critical challenge for academicinstitutions committed to fostering diversity and inclusivity. At Union College, the genderdisparity is evident, with female enrollment in the Mechanical Engineering departmentdeclining from 22.5% in the freshman cohort to only 13.3% by senior year. To address thisgap, the department has introduced initiatives aimed at supporting and retaining femalestudents through structured mentorship, peer support, and career development programs.Key among these efforts is the Female Student Mentor Project, which pairs senior studentswith underclassmen to foster academic confidence and professional growth. Additionally,regular networking events

Conference Session

Messaging, Motivations and Supports for Women Engineers

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Abiola Olayinka Ajala, Morgan State University; Blessing Isoyiza ADEIKA, Morgan State University; Opeyemi Taiwo Adeniran, Morgan State University; Raymond Deji Olamijulo, Morgan State University; Sarah Halleluyah Adeyemi, Morgan State University; Blessing Omomola, Morgan State University; Ayobami Christianah Dunmoye, Morgan State University; Pelumi Olaitan Abiodun, Morgan State University; Oludare Adegbola Owolabi P.E., Morgan State University

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Diversity

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Women in Engineering Division (WIED)

, adaptation, and academic resilience which she is passionate aboutMr. Pelumi Olaitan Abiodun, Morgan State University Pelumi Abiodun is a current doctoral student and research assistant at the department of Civil Engineering, Morgan State University, Baltimore, Maryland. Pelumi got his BSc and MSc degree in Physics from Obafemi Awolowo University, where he also served as a research assistant at the Environmental Pollution Research unit, in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. As part of his contribution to science and engineering, Pelumi has taught as a teaching assistant both at Morgan State University and Obafemi Awolowo University. With passion to communicate research findings and gleaned from experts in the field as he advances his career

Conference Session

Messaging, Motivations and Supports for Women Engineers

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Barbara E. Marino, Loyola Marymount University; Agnieszka Miguel, Seattle University

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Diversity

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Women in Engineering Division (WIED)

Minorities1 IntroductionDespite numerous efforts to diversify electrical and computer engineering (ECE) faculty, therepresentation of women and underrepresented minority (W/URM) faculty remains critically low.Over the past eight years, the NSF-sponsored iREDEFINE program has hosted 207underrepresented ECE postdoctoral scholars and PhD students in a two-day workshop aimed atmotivating and preparing them to pursue faculty careers. This initiative has proven highlyeffective, with many iREDEFINE Fellows now contributing to academia. To expand its impact,efforts are underway to broaden and deepen the program by aligning its activities with key stagesof participants’ career development. The enhanced structure seeks to engage students earlier intheir

Conference Session

Women in Engineering Division (WIED) Poster Session

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Abas Sabouni, Wilkes University; Mahsa Khamechi, Wilkes University

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Diversity

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Women in Engineering Division (WIED)

Engineering Education, 2025Empowering the Next Generation of Women Engineers: Early Outreach and Mentorship through Targeted STEM ProgramsAbstractThis paper presents a structured outreach initiative designed to address gender disparities inengineering by engaging middle and high school girls through a hybrid model of hands-onlearning, mentorship, and virtual challenges. With participation from 120 students, theprogram featured projects in biomedical, structural, and renewable energy engineering.Evaluation using a mixed-methods approach, including surveys, journals, interviews, andrubric-based project assessments, revealed statistically significant gains in studentconfidence, interest in engineering careers, and STEM-related engagement at home

Conference Session

Messaging, Motivations and Supports for Women Engineers

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Andrea Ramirez-Salgado, University of Florida; Pavlo Antonenko; Swarup Bhunia; Christine Wusylko, University of Florida; Woorin Hwang, University of Florida; Yessy Eka Ambarwati, University of Florida

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Women in Engineering Division (WIED)

Paper ID #48516Voices of Hope: A Phenomenological Study on Women’s Self-Efficacy in ComputerEngineeringDr. Andrea Ramirez-Salgado, University of Florida Andrea Ramirez-Salgado is an Instructional Assistant Professor in Engineering Education at the University of Florida, where she teaches courses in artificial intelligence and data science. Her research examines how instructional practices shape students’ identities in engineering and computer science, and how these identities affect their career goals and persistence. She is particularly committed to creating inclusive, engaging learning environments that support diverse

Conference Session

Informal Education and Outreach Programs for Women Engineering Students

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Elodie Billionniere, Miami Dade College; Lawrence Eric Meyer Jr, Miami Dade College; Yangting Wang, Independent Evaluation Consultant; Eduardo Medina, Independent Evaluation Data Analyst; Jeremiah Pina, Independent Evaluation Consultant

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Women in Engineering Division (WIED)

orientation, assessment of higher-order thinking, and the development of strengths-based curriculum to support BIPOC students in K-16 STEM learning. ©American Society for Engineering Education, 2025 Insights from a Practice-Based Program: Connecting Women to Technology and Advancing Diversity in ComputingAbstractThe Linking Interested Females to Technology (LIFT) program, led by Miami Dade College(MDC), supports diverse groups of women transitioning into computing careers. These includewomen who are pursuing an Associate of Arts in computer science at MDC with plans to transferto four-year universities to complete their bachelor’s degrees, as well as women who havealready earned an associate degree

Conference Session

Engagement and Participation for Women Engineers

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jennifer Glenn, School of Industrial Engineering and Management, Oklahoma State University; Lenna Abouzahr, Oklahoma State University

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Women in Engineering Division (WIED)

and Systems Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.Lenna Abouzahr, Oklahoma State University Lenna Abouzahr is a junior completing a B.S. in both electrical and computer engineering from Oklahoma State University. She was vice president of her university’s Society of Women Engineers chapter last year, which consists of almost 100 members, and is the current president. She is also a student ambassador for her college. After she graduates next year, she plans to get her master’s degree and pursue a career in the energy and power sector. ©American Society for Engineering Education, 2025 Shifting Perspectives: Motivational Factors for Young Women in Engineering

Conference Session

Systemic and Policy Issues affecting Women Engineers

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Sofía E. Farfán, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile; Isabel Hilliger P.E., Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile; Sofia Nicolai, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile; Izabel Antle, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile; Gabriela García, Pontificia Universidad Catholica de Chile

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Women in Engineering Division (WIED)

according todifferent categories, such as target population and location, findings reveal that most efforts takeplace at university campuses (30 out of 40 initiatives), and participation is not necessarilyrestricted to women students (only 4 out of 40). Concentrating on Latin American universities,this study offers region-specific insights for examining local challenges and creating newopportunities for young women to engage with STEM fields. Furthermore, the study contributesto the existing body of research by illustrating how to classify initiatives aimed at increasingwomen participation in STEM from an empirical perspective.IntroductionThe participation of women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)careers is essential to

Conference Session

Informal Education and Outreach Programs for Women Engineering Students

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Bahareh Goodarzi, Concordia University; Navid Sharifi, Concordia University; Sara Jameel, Concordia University; Anjali Agarwal, Concordia University

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Diversity

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Women in Engineering Division (WIED)

noticed underrepresentation of female students in technology-based fields. To break down thebarriers, GirlSET was designed as a female-centered summer camp, created by women for women. The initiative aimsto introduce and inspire young girls aged 14-17 to engineering and computer science, with the goal of fostering apositive mindset towards STEM careers. Originally conducted in person, GirlSET adapted to an online format duringthe COVID-19 pandemic and returned to an in-person experience in 2024. The camp has successfully run for eightyears, engaging young girls through targeted activities and mentorship. In this paper, we report on the insights gainedfrom implementing GirlSET and the impact it has had on participants’ perceptions of STEM fields

Conference Session

Programmatic Design and Resiliency Among Women Engineers

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jessica Baldis, University of California, San Diego; Alex M. Phan, University of California, San Diego; Jaclyn Duerr, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

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Diversity

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Women in Engineering Division (WIED)

n=253 n=174 N=15 Men you most interested in learning more about at workshops, events, or ongoing programs? Connecting with industry 4.07 3.97 3.80 4.16 4.01 4.22 4.10 4.03 4.13 4.21 4.07 Career development (Ex. resume 3.87 3.71 3.13 3.89 3.83 3.86 3.84 3.96 3.85 3.99 3.80 writing, interviewing, networking, etc.) Technical skill building (Ex. Intro to 3.85 3.67 3.20

Conference Session

First-Year and Experiential Learning for Women Engineers

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Lekshmi Sasidharan, University of Arkansas; Aysa Galbraith, University of Arkansas

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Diversity

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Women in Engineering Division (WIED)

study [9]found that family plans do not affect female students’ attrition from engineering majors.However, the study reported that the lack of professional role confidence in females reduces thechance of persisting in the engineering major and profession.Despite these challenges, some studies show that appropriate intervention and supportivemeasures can help to improve retention rates of women students. It can be improved byincorporating several social factors such as warmth, flexibility, more feminine nature of theprogram and career opportunities to draw more women to engineering [10]. [11], [12] found thatfostering a sense of belonging and providing support networks such as women in engineeringgroups, peer mentoring, female role models and

Conference Session

Programmatic Design and Resiliency Among Women Engineers

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Bill Williams, TUDublin, Ireland; Shannon Chance, University College London

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Women in Engineering Division (WIED)

fourgenerated themes along with their implications.The findings suggest that further research is warranted on the role of short-cycleprograms within the Portuguese polytechnic sector in providing routes to help youngwomen overcome obstacles and be successful on STEM degree programs.In a broader context, they also suggest that outreach initiatives geared towardsschoolgirls and their families could benefit from emphasizing how STEM degrees canprovide a wide range of career options and are a good alternative for those still unsurewhat future career to pursue.IntroductionWhen the Carnation Revolution in 1974 ended 48 years of dictatorship in Portugal,higher education was the preserve of an urban elite minority and predominantly servedmale students

Conference Session

First-Year and Experiential Learning for Women Engineers

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jiahui Song, Wentworth Institute of Technology; Gloria Guohua Ma, Wentworth Institute of Technology; Federica Aveta; Douglas Eric Dow, Wentworth Institute of Technology; Mary Machado; Xiu Zhai, Wentworth Institute of Technology

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Women in Engineering Division (WIED)

focused on how natural sounds and their structural regularities are encoded by the brain and how these contribute to sound recognition. ©American Society for Engineering Education, 2025 Girl Scouts: Students That Engineer MagicCareers in engineering help a person to both contribute toward solving problems in society andenvironment and live independently with available work. Nevertheless, a disproportionate numberof females have not entered careers in engineering. One factor for the low participation may beinsufficient exposure to compelling engineering activities at an early age. As a response, manyeducators and activists have initiated STEM activities for younger women to engage in

Conference Session

Informal Education and Outreach Programs for Women Engineering Students

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Lillian Clark Jeznach, Roger Williams University; Maija A Benitz, Roger Williams University

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Women in Engineering Division (WIED)

% Custom 6% 1% 15%LAESE (Longitudinal Assessment of Engineering Self-Efficacy)The Longitudinal Assessment of Engineering Self-Efficacy (LAESE) is a tool for measuring theengineering-specific self-efficacy of undergraduate and graduate students [14, 15, 16]. It hasbeen normed and validated with engineering students and is employed by researchers examiningself-efficacy in a variety of engineering programs from large public universities to small privatecolleges [10, 11, 14, 17, 18]. The thirty-one survey items encompass several dimensions of self-efficacy, including outcome expectations, workload management, major selection, copingstrategies, career exploration, and the influence of role models. Additionally

Conference Session

Messaging, Motivations and Supports for Women Engineers

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Matilde Luz Sanchez-Pena, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York; Juan M Cruz, Rowan University; Corey T Schimpf, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York; Muhammad Ali Sajjad, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York; Melanie Gabriela Valladares, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York; Brianna Mateus, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York

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Women in Engineering Division (WIED)

the aspectsthat make broadening participation initiatives effective as well as to identify persistent barriers totheir successes. This requires exploration of complex systems tools and methods andconsideration of the theories explaining the systems where these problems are located.This full research paper describes the ongoing data collection stage of a larger project evaluatingthe effectiveness of the NSF-ADVANCE program as an exemplary broadening participationinitiative. As the ADVANCE program has now supported more than one-hundred US institutionwith the goal of expanding women representation in STEM careers, it offers a uniqueopportunity to explore the intricacies of enacting positive change for gender equity withinexisting complex

Conference Session

Programmatic Design and Resiliency Among Women Engineers

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jing Zhang, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Hou Xie; Rosie Ruoci Shen, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Valeri Werpetinski, University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign; Lawrence Angrave, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Yuting W. Chen, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

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Women in Engineering Division (WIED)

medium groups andorganizations), and macro (encompassing broader systemic and institutional environments). Eachecosystem level provides different types of resources and assistance, with support across alllevels often necessary for women to flourish in engineering environments. As a result, someresearch effort, though still limited, has begun to focus on the contextual support systems forwomen engineering interns [13], [15].The most frequently discussed form of support for women is interpersonal interactions, usuallycoming from teammates and supervisors, with mentorship receiving the most attention inresearch. For example, mentors in cooperative education programs provided both social supportand career-related support to engineering interns, and

Conference Session

Systemic and Policy Issues affecting Women Engineers

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Monica Quezada-Espinoza, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile; Angeles Dominguez, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey, Mexico (ITESM); Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile (UNAB); Genaro Zavala, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey, Mexico; Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile

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Women in Engineering Division (WIED)

influencing women’s participation and advancement in engineering. It addresses systemic challenges such as gender bias, workplace climate, stereotypes, work-life balance, and the role of role models and institutional policies, offering a comprehensive lens on the barriers and opportunities that shape women’s experiences in technical fields. • Socio-cognitive Factors. This category focuses on psychological and social processes affecting women in engineering, including identity development, self-efficacy, motivation, and sense of belonging. It highlights the critical role of these factors in shaping women’s experiences and outcomes in STEM education and careers. • Persistence. This category explores factors that

Conference Session

Systemic and Policy Issues affecting Women Engineers

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mayari I. Serrano, Purdue University at West Lafayette (PPI); Suzanne Zurn-Birkhimer, Purdue University at West Lafayette (COE); Elyse K. Zurawski, Purdue University at West Lafayette (COE); Lavanya Swaminathan, Purdue University at West Lafayette (COE)

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Women in Engineering Division (WIED)

Purdue University and is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics, for which her research focuses on fracture mechanics models for composite materials. She hopes to pursue a career in developing cutting-edge composite materials for aerospace applications. ©American Society for Engineering Education, 2025 Understanding Participant Engagement in a Large-Scale Mentoring Program for Women Undergraduate Engineering StudentsAbstractThere is a lack of representation of women in engineering throughout all academic levels, with lessthan 30% of women earning bachelor’s degrees, and in the workforce, where less than 20% ofworking

Conference Session

Persistence, Outcomes and Barriers for Women in Engineering

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Anna Keune, Technical University of Munich; Daniela Villarreal Bermúdez; Kylie Peppler, University of California, Irvine

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Women in Engineering Division (WIED)

students (Halpern, 2000; Case& Ganley, 2021). This phenomenon has profound implications for gender representation andsuccess in STEM careers, where spatial skills play a fundamental role in professional practice. Gender differences in spatial ability emerge as early as age 4 (Levine et al, 1999) andappear to be significantly influenced by early childhood experiences. For example, differentialexposure to construction toys and spatial play activities between genders can create an initialskills gap (Utta et. al, 2012) that is further shaped by interactions with caregivers (Reilly &Neumann, 2013). This disparity typically intensifies during adolescence and becomes morepronounced in adulthood, particularly after age 18 (Linn &

Conference Session

Systemic and Policy Issues affecting Women Engineers

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Angela R Bielefeldt, University of Colorado Boulder

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Diversity

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Women in Engineering Division (WIED)

MicroaggressionsAbstractThis full research paper draws attention to challenges faced by women of color in their academicjourneys in STEM. Within the stories shared by minoritized women, many were recentlyexploited during their time as doctoral students, research scientists, postdoctoral scholars, and asearly career faculty within STEM fields in academia. Many of these incidents could becharacterized as hierarchical microaggressions. Listening to their stories we can consider theextent to which individual bad actors were responsible for these harms, versus exploring thesystem-level conditions and cultures that enable these situations. This work encourages faculty tolean into the power, positionality, and agency they possess to work toward creating a culture

Conference Session

Engagement and Participation for Women Engineers

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Andrea Lidia (Lili) Castillo, Arizona State University

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Diversity

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Women in Engineering Division (WIED)

this study is to understand the factors undergraduate women consider when choosingan ESO membership and how their membership impacted their engineering identitydevelopment. This paper will focus on the following research questions: 1.​ Which factors motivated women to join gender identity-based engineering student organizations? 2.​ In what ways does involvement in gender identity-based engineering student organizations (GI ESOs) uniquely impact women’s engineering identity development?Engineering student organizations serve a purpose beyond networking and career developmentby providing a sense of community among peers with shared backgrounds, experiences, and/orinterests. Institutional support systems, like engineering student

Conference Session

Engagement and Participation for Women Engineers

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mollie Petersen, University of Nebraska - Lincoln; Emily Fitzpatrick, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Jessica Deters, University of Nebraska - Lincoln

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Women in Engineering Division (WIED)

- Lincoln. She holds her Ph.D. in Engineering Education and M.S. in Systems Engineering from Virginia Tech and a B.S. in Applied Mathematics and Statistics from Colorado School of Mines. Her research focuses on engineering culture, workplace preparedness and career trajectories of undergraduate and graduate students, and student well-being. She is the 2025 recipient of the Harold and Esther Edgerton Junior Faculty Award and the Henry Y. Kleinkauf Family Distinguished New Faculty Teaching Award. ©American Society for Engineering Education, 2025 Pioneering a Society for Women in Mechanical Engineering Student OrganizationAbstractThis full practice paper discusses

Conference Session

Persistence, Outcomes and Barriers for Women in Engineering

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Gail Baura, Loyola University Chicago; Matthew J Miller, Loyola University Chicago; Leanne Kallemeyn, Loyola University Chicago; Andrea Hércules, Loyola University Chicago; Erika Esmeralda de la Riva, Loyola University Chicago

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Women in Engineering Division (WIED)

semester, are described that mitigate the chilly climate of engineering as anunwelcome space for women. A new theoretical framework, the BELONG (BecomingEngineers Leading Our Next Generation) Conceptual Model of Engineering Persistence, isproposed that describes the program. The model is based on social cognitive career theory andincorporates program structural supports as model inputs and the sense of belonging constructas a precursor to engineering persistence.As a first step towards model validation, six structured interviews with self-identified womenof Color in the Class of 2028 were conducted to gain a nuanced understanding of their programexperiences during their first semester. Researchers used emergent, focused, and thematiccoding to

Conference Session

Informal Education and Outreach Programs for Women Engineering Students

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Wynn Tranfield, University of California, Santa Cruz; Shelby Hallman, University of California, Los Angeles; Emily Halan Dovan, University of California, Los Angeles

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Women in Engineering Division (WIED)

that both participation in formal campus groupsand peer relationships positively impacted persistence when the groups provided a counterspace(Appendix I). Student groups, mentorship programs, and peer-to-peer relationships were mostfrequently cited as helpful to students' persistence [15]. In another study, the importance formentors near the beginning of a program was highlighted, with the caveat that same genderfaculty and mentors were preferred by students [16]. Women identified students noted thatsame-gender faculty and mentors were more approachable and made them believe they couldaccomplish more in their chosen field. Studies indicate that the undergraduate experience can influence the decision of studentsto enter a career as an

Conference Session

Engagement and Participation for Women Engineers

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Lydia Prendergast, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey; Lorne S. Joseph, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey; Hayet Bensetti-Benbader, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

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Women in Engineering Division (WIED)

Rutgers School of Engineering (M.S. and Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering). Lorne is an ardent steward of STEM with a passion for supporting and mentoring Women in Science and Engineering.Dr. Hayet Bensetti-Benbader, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Dr. Hayet Bensetti-Benbader is the Director of Computing and STEM Career Initiatives and the Computer Science LLC. She is known for her international, multi-cultural background. She has several years of experience in finance and 10 years of teaching experience. She is a technology steward with a mission to improve learning experiences through instructional design. ©American Society for Engineering Education, 2025

Conference Session

First-Year and Experiential Learning for Women Engineers

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Miranda Brown, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Cassie Wallwey, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

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Women in Engineering Division (WIED)

focus in efforts to broaden participationwithin undergraduate engineering programs, the next issue is retaining the underrepresentedstudents that enter these programs [1], [2]. Harmful stereotypes against women contribute to theunderrepresentation of women in the field of engineering [3]. Stereotypes that frame women asbad at math or as lacking technical skills are detrimental to the recruitment and retention ofwomen within the field [1], [4], [5]. Women are often stereotyped as excelling in jobs thatinvolve utilizing social skills; however, engineering is seen as a technical career path for thosethat are good with computers and tinkering [2], [6]. This causes many women and others withaspects of their identities being underrepresented in STEM