Exploring Equity and Resilience Perceptions of Marginalized Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) Students in Infrastructure Projects

Rubaya Rahat; Mohamed ElZomor

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Conference: 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Portland, Oregon
Publication Date: June 23, 2024
Start Date: June 23, 2024
End Date: July 12, 2024
Conference Session: Empowering Marginalized Voices in STEM: Perspectives and Initiatives
Tagged Division: Minorities in Engineering Division(MIND)
Tagged Topic: Diversity
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/47411

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Paper Authors

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Rubaya Rahat Florida International University orcid.org/0000-0002-0524-5619

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Rubaya Rahat grew up in Bangladesh, where she pursued her Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET). After graduating she worked for two years in a construction management company in Dhaka, Bangladesh. She was involved in various residential and infrastructure projects. Rubaya now is a Ph.D. student at Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Teaching/Research Assistant at Moss School of Construction, Sustainability and Infrastructure, Florida International University. Her research interest includes Sustainable and resilient infrastructure, Engineering Education, and Sustainable transportation system.

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Mohamed ElZomor P.E. Florida International University orcid.org/0000-0002-7734-9601

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Dr. Mohamed ElZomor is an Assistant Professor at Florida International University (FIU), College of Engineering and Computing and teaches at the Moss School of Construction, Infrastructure and Sustainability. Dr. ElZomor completed his doctorate at Arizona

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Abstract

Natural catastrophes brought on by extreme weather events and other natural hazards are causing communities throughout the United States to face increasing levels of financial losses and human suffering. To ensure community safety and well-being in the face of these challenges, infrastructure must be equipped with climate-resilient features. However, marginalized groups disproportionately endure the social, economic, health, and environmental effects of these disasters due to decades of discriminatory policies and biases embedded in infrastructure planning. This study focuses on investigating the perceptions of marginalized architecture/engineering/construction (AEC) students about incorporating equity considerations while developing sustainable and resilient infrastructures. For this study, the relevant underrepresented populations are African American, Hispanic American, and Native American. It is imperative to investigate how engineering graduate students including students from marginalized communities understand the connections between social justice and the infrastructure systems, given the growing importance of these concerns in our society. The study aims to address the following research objectives: (1) Understand the level of awareness of AEC marginalized students about societal inequalities within resilient infrastructure systems; (2) Highlight the perceptions regarding infrastructure resilience inequality among AEC students from various socio-demographic backgrounds; and (3) Understand the interest of marginalized students about promote systemic change as future engineering professionals. Surveys measuring students’ awareness of inequity in infrastructure systems, their motivation to promote equity and relevant demographics were used to gather data for the study in a minority-serving institution. The study included 19 marginalized AEC students who were enrolled in a sustainable approach to construction course in the Fall 2023 semester. The results showed that the majority of the students were aware of infrastructure disparities. Moreover, the student demonstrated a moderate to high level of agreement on various infrastructure inequity issues as well as indicated a higher motivation to work toward systemic change. The findings of this study would motivate educators to develop tailored educational strategies for increasing awareness of infrastructure inequality and preparing the forthcoming construction workforce including marginalized construction professionals with the skills required to ensure an equitable, sustainable, and resilient infrastructure system.

Citation
Format

Rahat, R., & ElZomor, M. (2024, June), Exploring Equity and Resilience Perceptions of Marginalized Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) Students in Infrastructure Projects Paper presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon. https://peer.asee.org/47411

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - Natural catastrophes brought on by extreme weather events and other natural hazards are causing communities throughout the United States to face increasing levels of financial losses and human suffering. To ensure community safety and well-being in the face of these challenges, infrastructure must be equipped with climate-resilient features. However, marginalized groups disproportionately endure the social, economic, health, and environmental effects of these disasters due to decades of discriminatory policies and biases embedded in infrastructure planning. This study focuses on investigating the perceptions of marginalized architecture/engineering/construction (AEC) students about incorporating equity considerations while developing sustainable and resilient infrastructures. For this study, the relevant underrepresented populations are African American, Hispanic American, and Native American. It is imperative to investigate how engineering graduate students including students from marginalized communities understand the connections between social justice and the infrastructure systems, given the growing importance of these concerns in our society. The study aims to address the following research objectives: (1) Understand the level of awareness of AEC marginalized students about societal inequalities within resilient infrastructure systems; (2) Highlight the perceptions regarding infrastructure resilience inequality among AEC students from various socio-demographic backgrounds; and (3) Understand the interest of marginalized students about promote systemic change as future engineering professionals. Surveys measuring students’ awareness of inequity in infrastructure systems, their motivation to promote equity and relevant demographics were used to gather data for the study in a minority-serving institution. The study included 19 marginalized AEC students who were enrolled in a sustainable approach to construction course in the Fall 2023 semester. The results showed that the majority of the students were aware of infrastructure disparities. Moreover, the student demonstrated a moderate to high level of agreement on various infrastructure inequity issues as well as indicated a higher motivation to work toward systemic change. The findings of this study would motivate educators to develop tailored educational strategies for increasing awareness of infrastructure inequality and preparing the forthcoming construction workforce including marginalized construction professionals with the skills required to ensure an equitable, sustainable, and resilient infrastructure system.
AU  - Rubaya Rahat
AU  - Mohamed ElZomor P.E.
CY  - Portland, Oregon
DA  - 2024/06/23
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Exploring Equity and Resilience Perceptions of Marginalized Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) Students in Infrastructure Projects
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/47411
ER  -