Engineering Identity for Latina Undergraduate Students: Exploring Development and Intersecting Identities

Sarah Rodriguez; Mackenzie Sissel; Ronnia Estes; Erin Doran

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Conference: 2018 CoNECD - The Collaborative Network for Engineering and Computing Diversity Conference
Location: Crystal City, Virginia
Publication Date: April 29, 2018
Start Date: April 29, 2018
End Date: May 2, 2018
Conference Session: Race/Ethnicity Track - Technical Session IV
Tagged Topics: Diversity and Race/Ethnicity
Page Count: 12
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--29529
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/29529
Download Count: 719

Paper Authors

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Sarah Rodriguez Iowa State University orcid.org/0000-0002-3409-7096

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Sarah Rodriguez, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of Higher Education at Iowa State University. Dr. Rodriguez’s research addresses issues of equity, access, and retention for Latina/o students in the higher education pipeline, with a focus on the intersections of gender and race/ethnicity for Latinas in STEM.

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Dr. Erin Doran is an Assistant Professor of Higher Education at Iowa State University.

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Abstract

Latinas are entering higher education at greater rates than before, yet they have disproportionately lower completion rates and engineering career representation than their peers (Excelencia in Education, 2015). In many cases, Latinas may have difficulty envisioning themselves as engineering, being validated by the engineering community, and continuing within the engineering disciplines (Carlone & Johnson, 2007; Lord & Camacho, 2013). Therefore, it is imperative that scholars examine the engineering identity development of Latinas during college.

This study was framed by two research questions: 1. How do Latinas in engineering develop their engineering identities during college? 2. How do other intersectional identities influence the development of an engineering identity during college?

This study utilized role identity theory, which addresses the meanings that individuals attach to the context of their social and cultural roles, to understand the engineering identity development of undergraduate Latinas (Stryker & Burke, 2000). The study utilized a phenomenological approach to examine lived experiences of 5 undergraduate Latinas majoring in engineering at a tier-one predominantly white university. Phenomenology allowed for exploring experiences in depth and providing rich detail of meaning making and “essence” (Moustakas, 1994). Each student participated in two one-hour, semi-structured face-to-face interviews.

This study found that engineering identity for Latina students is formed and supported through interactions and involvement with individuals and groups outside normal classroom and laboratory activities. The five Latina participants named their families and campus organizations focused on women in engineering as important sources of support as they pursued their education. Further, this study found that Latinas in engineering encounter tension between their engineering identities and other identities such as their gender and racial/ethnic identities. By understanding the process of professional identity development and its interactions with other personal identities, researchers, practitioners, and administrators may develop support mechanisms that provide a holistic approach to supporting the present and future success of its engineering students.

Citation
Format

Rodriguez, S., & Sissel, M., & Estes, R., & Doran, E. (2018, April), Engineering Identity for Latina Undergraduate Students: Exploring Development and Intersecting Identities Paper presented at 2018 CoNECD - The Collaborative Network for Engineering and Computing Diversity Conference, Crystal City, Virginia. 10.18260/1-2--29529

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - Latinas are entering higher education at greater rates than before, yet they have disproportionately lower completion rates and engineering career representation than their peers (Excelencia in Education, 2015). In many cases, Latinas may have difficulty envisioning themselves as engineering, being validated by the engineering community, and continuing within the engineering disciplines (Carlone &amp; Johnson, 2007; Lord &amp; Camacho, 2013). Therefore, it is imperative that scholars examine the engineering identity development of Latinas during college. 

This study was framed by two research questions:
1.	How do Latinas in engineering develop their engineering identities during college?
2.	How do other intersectional identities influence the development of an engineering identity during college?

This study utilized role identity theory, which addresses the meanings that individuals attach to the context of their social and cultural roles, to understand the engineering identity development of undergraduate Latinas (Stryker &amp; Burke, 2000). The study utilized a phenomenological approach to examine lived experiences of 5 undergraduate Latinas majoring in engineering at a tier-one predominantly white university. Phenomenology allowed for exploring experiences in depth and providing rich detail of meaning making and “essence” (Moustakas, 1994). Each student participated in two one-hour, semi-structured face-to-face interviews. 

This study found that engineering identity for Latina students is formed and supported through interactions and involvement with individuals and groups outside normal classroom and laboratory activities. The five Latina participants named their families and campus organizations focused on women in engineering as important sources of support as they pursued their education. Further, this study found that Latinas in engineering encounter tension between their engineering identities and other identities such as their gender and racial/ethnic identities. By understanding the process of professional identity development and its interactions with other personal identities, researchers, practitioners, and administrators may develop support mechanisms that provide a holistic approach to supporting the present and future success of its engineering students.  

AU  - Sarah Rodriguez
AU  - Mackenzie Sissel
AU  - Ronnia Estes
AU  - Erin Doran
CY  - Crystal City, Virginia
DA  - 2018/04/29
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Engineering Identity for Latina Undergraduate Students: Exploring Development and Intersecting Identities
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/29529
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--29529
ER  -