BOARD # 479: Empowering the Next Generation of Women Engineers: Early Outreach and Mentorship through Targeted STEM Programs

Abas Sabouni; Mahsa Khamechi

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Conference: 2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Publication Date: June 22, 2025
Start Date: June 22, 2025
End Date: August 15, 2025
Conference Session: Women in Engineering Division (WIED) Poster Session
Tagged Division: Women in Engineering Division (WIED)
Tagged Topic: Diversity
Page Count: 9
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/55860

Paper Authors

biography

Abas Sabouni Wilkes University orcid.org/0000-0001-9922-8002

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Professor Abas Sabouni joined the Department of Electrical Engineering at Wilkes University in 2013. He received his Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada, in 2011. From 2011 to 2013, he served as a postdoctoral fellow in the Biomedical Engineering Department at École Polytechnique de Montréal and the Montreal Neurology Institute, and as a research associate in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Additionally, he held visiting scholar positions at the University of California, San Diego in 2014, and Harvard University in Boston in 2017. He is currently a Professor of Electrical Engineering and Chair of the Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Department at Wilkes University. He also serves as Director of the graduate program in Electrical Engineering and Co-Director of the Bioengineering master’s program.

Dr. Sabouni is a Senior Member of IEEE and serves on the Board of Directors for the Applied Computational Electromagnetics Society (ACES). He is a highly esteemed educator who has been recognized multiple times for his outstanding contributions to undergraduate teaching and research. His numerous honors include the 2021 Carpenter Award for Teaching and Student-Centered Research, the 2020 Alumni Mentoring Award, the 2020 Wilkes University President's Award, the 2017 Outstanding Scholarship Award, the 2017 Outstanding Adviser Award, the 2017 and 2025 O’Hop Last Lecture Awards, the 2016 Outstanding New Faculty Award, the 2014 Outstanding Interdisciplinary Teaching Award, the 2013 Postdoctoral Fellowship Award, the 2013 Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Award, and the 2008 IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society Honorable Mention Award.

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Mahsa Khamechi Wilkes University

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Abstract

While women perform at parity with men in high school mathematics and science courses, they remain underrepresented in engineering fields, particularly in electrical engineering. This disparity suggests that factors beyond academic preparation contribute to the gender gap in engineering. To address these challenges, early and sustained intervention is critical. This paper explores strategies to encourage women to pursue and persist in engineering education, with a focus on middle and high school outreach programs that align with the mission of the American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE) Women in Engineering Division (WIED) to increase participation and retention of women in STEM.

We present two initiatives aimed at engaging young women in engineering: the Young Engineers Club and the Women Empowered by Engineering (WEBE) initiative. Both programs use hands-on, inquiry-based learning to inspire female middle and high school students. The Young Engineers Club encourages participants to explore engineering through creative projects and problem-solving activities, while the WEBE initiative offers additional mentoring and exposure to engineering careers by emphasizing the societal impact of engineering fields such as health, communication, and sustainability. Both initiatives are supported by female engineering students and professionals, who act as role models and mentors, addressing key barriers such as lack of visibility and societal stereotypes.

Evaluation of both programs is based on participant journaling and project-based assessments, which track problem-solving skills and growth in STEM interest. These programs also link participants to further opportunities through residential summer camps and other outreach efforts, contributing to long-term retention in STEM fields. This paper highlights the effectiveness of early outreach, mentorship, and the creation of gender-inclusive learning environments in attracting more women to engineering and sustaining their engagement throughout their educational journeys.

This study contributes to the conversation on transformative approaches for improving recruitment and retention of women in engineering education, demonstrating how targeted initiatives at an early age can help bridge the gender gap and empower young women to pursue fulfilling careers in engineering.

Citation
Format

Sabouni, A., & Khamechi, M. (2025, June), BOARD # 479: Empowering the Next Generation of Women Engineers: Early Outreach and Mentorship through Targeted STEM Programs Paper presented at 2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition , Montreal, Quebec, Canada . https://peer.asee.org/55860

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - While women perform at parity with men in high school mathematics and science courses, they remain underrepresented in engineering fields, particularly in electrical engineering. This disparity suggests that factors beyond academic preparation contribute to the gender gap in engineering. To address these challenges, early and sustained intervention is critical. This paper explores strategies to encourage women to pursue and persist in engineering education, with a focus on middle and high school outreach programs that align with the mission of the American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE) Women in Engineering Division (WIED) to increase participation and retention of women in STEM.

We present two initiatives aimed at engaging young women in engineering: the Young Engineers Club and the Women Empowered by Engineering (WEBE) initiative. Both programs use hands-on, inquiry-based learning to inspire female middle and high school students. The Young Engineers Club encourages participants to explore engineering through creative projects and problem-solving activities, while the WEBE initiative offers additional mentoring and exposure to engineering careers by emphasizing the societal impact of engineering fields such as health, communication, and sustainability. Both initiatives are supported by female engineering students and professionals, who act as role models and mentors, addressing key barriers such as lack of visibility and societal stereotypes.

Evaluation of both programs is based on participant journaling and project-based assessments, which track problem-solving skills and growth in STEM interest. These programs also link participants to further opportunities through residential summer camps and other outreach efforts, contributing to long-term retention in STEM fields. This paper highlights the effectiveness of early outreach, mentorship, and the creation of gender-inclusive learning environments in attracting more women to engineering and sustaining their engagement throughout their educational journeys.

This study contributes to the conversation on transformative approaches for improving recruitment and retention of women in engineering education, demonstrating how targeted initiatives at an early age can help bridge the gender gap and empower young women to pursue fulfilling careers in engineering.
AU  - Abas Sabouni
AU  - Mahsa Khamechi
CY  - Montreal, Quebec, Canada 
DA  - 2025/06/22
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - BOARD # 479: Empowering the Next Generation of Women Engineers: Early Outreach and Mentorship through Targeted STEM Programs
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/55860
ER  -