ICWES15 - Why Women and Men Join the Society of Women Engineers. Presented by Dr Jane Z Daniels, Henry Luce Foundation, United States
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The document discusses reasons for joining the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) based on historical documents and a recent survey of members. It finds that traditionally, SWE provided professional networking and mentoring that particularly benefited women in male-dominated engineering fields. A key reason students originally joined was to find support from other women, while professionals often cited desires to support other female engineers and students. Currently, SWE aims to promote gender equality and opportunities for women in engineering through career resources and outreach.
![Why Men & Women Join SWE Today: The Survey Survey availability was announced to all SWE Sections via e-mail and was made available in paper format or on-line Respondents could select from nine reasons: [ ] To be in an organization of like-minded women [ ] To be in an organization where my voice can be heard [ ] To reach out to younger women about engineering [ ] To have greater opportunities for leadership [ ] To support female engineers [ ] To support female engineering students [ ] As a source of support for myself [ ] To advance my education/career [ ] Other reasons (allowed open-ended responses)](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/1445daniels-110815213845-phpapp01/85/ICWES15-Why-Women-and-Men-Join-the-Society-of-Women-Engineers-Presented-by-Dr-Jane-Z-Daniels-Henry-Luce-Foundation-United-States-13-320.jpg)
ICWES15 - Why Women and Men Join the Society of Women Engineers. Presented by Dr Jane Z Daniels, Henry Luce Foundation, United States
- 1. Jane Zimmer Daniels The Henry Luce Foundation Nicole M. Di Fabio American Chemical Society & George Washington University Sabina Bajrovic Hunter College
- 2. Why Women and Men Join SWE A theoretical context (Nicole DiFabio) In the beginning – archival information SWE membership in a historical context Why men join and participate in SWE Why students and professionals join SWE today (Sabina Bajrovic)
- 3. A Theoretical Context SWE’s Importance as a Professional Network Julia Stamm assessed the role of networking in science careers, for both men and women: “people with strong networks are able to learn from others with different knowledge or experience, get more things done more effectively, and are able to use their network as they wish to move on in their careers” She also found that traditional professional organizations served men better than they served women. Source: Stamm, J. and Garoia V. (2010). "Women in Science - Why Networking Matters." European Review
- 4. A Theoretical Context SWE’s Importance as a Social Network Florence Passy and Marco Giugni (2001) believe that social networks spur activism , Both women and men in SWE are able to define themselves as a unified group hoping to transform engineering into a discipline that engages and advances women and men equally. Source: Passy, F. and Giugni, M. (2001). "Social Networks and Individual Perceptions: Explaining Differential Participation in Social Movements." Sociological Forum.
- 5. A Theoretical Context SWE’s Importance in Mentoring Zellers, Howard, and Barcic (2008) explain that mentoring has a wide variety of connotations – being a role model, sharing information, guiding (even smoothing) the way. While there are clear benefits for mentees, mentors also benefit from this developmental relationship in multiple ways – feelings of contribution and personal satisfaction; increased interest and commitment to their own work; exposure to fresh ideas and new perspectives. Source: Zellers, D. et. al. (2008) "Faculty Mentoring Programs: Revisioning Rather than Reinventing the Wheel." Review of Educational Research.
- 6. In the Beginning Organizational meeting at Green Engineering Camp in Ridgefield, NJ, May 28, 1950 – issues to be discussed Establish a code of ethics Foster congenial relationships between women engineers and industry Help undergraduates find their place in industry Foster laws favorable to women in engineering Source for next 12 slides: Society of Women Engineers National Records Collection, Walter P. Reuther Library Archives of Labor and Urban Affairs, Wayne State University.
- 7. Certificate of Incorporation - 1950 “ That the particular objects for which said Corporation is formed are as follows: to make the public aware of the availability of women engineers; to foster congenial relationships between women engineers and industry ; to help women engineers find their place in industry ; to encourage all women who show an aptitude for, and a desire to study, engineering ; to encourage membership in Engineering Societies and adherence to their codes of ethics; to encourage in every manner professional advancement among its members; to make available to women engineers such information as is not otherwise readily obtainable so that their full capabilities may be used for the advancement of engineering and science.”
- 8. SWE’s Written Objectives 1960s thru 1980s To inform young women, their parents, counselors and the general public of the qualifications and achievements of women engineers and of the opportunities open to them To assist women engineers in readying themselves for a return to active work after temporary retirement To serve as a center of information on women in engineering To encourage women engineers to attain high levels of education and professional achievement
- 9. SWE’s Membership in an Historical Context The passage of the Women’s Educational Equity Act (WEEA) in 1965 had a direct impact on enrollment and graduation. Implementation of this act funded several programs that focused on the recruitment, retention and re-entry of girls and women into engineering education. Administrators of these programs were often Faculty Advisors or Counselors of the student sections of SWE B.S. Engineering Degrees to Females And SWE Student Membership 1971-2007
- 10. SWE’s Membership in an Historical Context It’s interesting to note that during the first thirty years of SWE’s existence, the number of professional members was more than twice the number of student members. By the 1980s this situation reversed and there were more than twice as many student members as professional members. In recent years, both categories of membership continue to grow. SWE Membership 1950 to 2010 Students and Professionals
- 11. Why Women Outside the U.S. Join SWE The first woman to join SWE who was not a U.S. Citizen was Jacqueline Feyler Juillard, She received her Master of Science in Chemical Engineering from the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, Switzerland in 1947. In 1955 she became a science writer and joined SWE because the organization’s objectives were closely aligned with her own interests: To advance the public awareness of engineering as a profession for women To provide career guidance for young women in Geneva To urge professional societies in Sweden to investigate programs which would advance the careers for women. Juillard attended the first ICWES meeting and several more
- 12. Why Men & Women Join SWE Today: The Survey Survey availability was announced to all SWE Sections via e-mail and was made available in paper format or on-line Two parts – “Why I joined SWE originally” and “Why I remain a member of SWE today” Respondents could select from nine reasons (one of them being open-ended) and could select more than one reason 250 responses were received including seven men and six women who are international members 49% of those who responded were students (73% of all respondents originally joined SWE as students)
- 13. Why Men & Women Join SWE Today: The Survey Survey availability was announced to all SWE Sections via e-mail and was made available in paper format or on-line Respondents could select from nine reasons: [ ] To be in an organization of like-minded women [ ] To be in an organization where my voice can be heard [ ] To reach out to younger women about engineering [ ] To have greater opportunities for leadership [ ] To support female engineers [ ] To support female engineering students [ ] As a source of support for myself [ ] To advance my education/career [ ] Other reasons (allowed open-ended responses)
- 14. The Survey: Most Frequent Responses From those who originally joined SWE as students “ to be in an organization with like-minded women” (72%) “ as a source of encouragement for myself” (58%) From those who originally joined SWE as professionals “ to support female engineers” (61%) “ to support female engineering students” (55%) The least common response for both students and professionals: “to be in an organization where my voice could be heard.” (<12%) None of the international members chose this response
- 15. Why Women & Men Join SWE “ When you join SWE you’re joining more than an organization—you’re joining a movement toward equality and opportunity for women in engineering. Our mission is focused but our impact is vast. We provide the resources you need whether you are beginning, resuming, or building your career. We also encourage creative and intelligent girls at an early age to explore the field of engineering. Through such career development and awareness, we are making significant strides—together.” Source: the SWE website: http/www.SWE.org
Editor's Notes
- #2: The Clare Boothe Luce Program is the largest private source of funding for women in the Sciences and Engineering in the United States. Grants are made to colleges and universities throughout the United States. Since the inception of the program grants totaling more than $130M have been and almost 1500 young women from 159 different institutions have received support. Nicole Di Fabio is a Senior Education Associate at American Chemical Society . She has a Masters degree in Anthropology and undergraduate degrees in Anthropology and Women’s Studies. Nicole was responsible for the theoretical context of our paper. Sabina Bajovic is a mathematics teacher in New York and a graduate student at Hunter College
- #4: Stamm explains “people with strong networks are able to learn from others with different knowledge or experience, get more things done more effectively, and are able to use their network as they wish to move on in their careers” (p. 126). Through her engagement and research with different networking groups, Stamm has identified these four beneficial aspects of networking groups for women, which include the “stimulation of exchange, cooperation, and new ideas; stimulation of research; stimulation of publications; and career advancement”
- #5: Florence Passy and Marco Giugni (2001) explore how and why networks may be more or less appealing to certain people in their study “Social Networks and Individual Perceptions: Explaining Differential Participation in Social Movements.” They believe that SOCIAL NETWORKS SPUR ACTIVISM – both women and men may use SWE as a network in order to define and redefine themselves as a unified group hoping to transform engineering into a discipline that engages and advances women and men equally.
- #6: Florence Passy and Marco Giugni (2001) explore how and why networks may be more or less appealing to certain people in their study “Social Networks and Individual Perceptions: Explaining Differential Participation in Social Movements.” Passy and Giugni believe that SOCIAL NETWORKS SPUR ACTIVISM – both women and men may use SWE as a network in order to define and redefine themselves as a unified group hoping to transform engineering into a discipline that engages and advances women and men equally.
- #7: Groups of engineers and engineering students in New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC held an organizational meeting. Their issues for discussion are probably an indication of problems they encountered. Establish a code of ethics – did they feel the engineers code of ethics (developed by white males) was not responsive enough to women’s ideas of ethical behavior? Were they experiencing unethical behavior in the workplace?
- #8: Groups of engineers and engineering students in New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC held an organizational meeting. Their issues for discussion are probably an indication of problems they encountered. Establish a code of ethics – did they feel the engineers code of ethics (developed by white males) was not responsive enough to women’s ideas of ethical behavior? Were they experiencing unethical behavior in the workplace?
- #9: Groups of engineers and engineering students in New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC held an organizational meeting. Their issues for discussion are probably an indication of problems they encountered. Establish a code of ethics – did they feel the engineers code of ethics (developed by white males) was not responsive enough to women’s ideas of ethical behavior? Were they experiencing unethical behavior in the workplace?
- #10: Groups of engineers and engineering students in New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC held an organizational meeting. Their issues for discussion are probably an indication of problems they encountered. Establish a code of ethics – did they feel the engineers code of ethics (developed by white males) was not responsive enough to women’s ideas of ethical behavior? Were they experiencing unethical behavior in the workplace?
- #11: Groups of engineers and engineering students in New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC held an organizational meeting. Their issues for discussion are probably an indication of problems they encountered. Establish a code of ethics – did they feel the engineers code of ethics (developed by white males) was not responsive enough to women’s ideas of ethical behavior? Were they experiencing unethical behavior in the workplace?
- #12: Groups of engineers and engineering students in New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC held an organizational meeting. Their issues for discussion are probably an indication of problems they encountered. Establish a code of ethics – did they feel the engineers code of ethics (developed by white males) was not responsive enough to women’s ideas of ethical behavior? Were they experiencing unethical behavior in the workplace?
- #13: Groups of engineers and engineering students in New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC held an organizational meeting. Their issues for discussion are probably an indication of problems they encountered. Establish a code of ethics – did they feel the engineers code of ethics (developed by white males) was not responsive enough to women’s ideas of ethical behavior? Were they experiencing unethical behavior in the workplace?
- #14: Groups of engineers and engineering students in New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC held an organizational meeting. Their issues for discussion are probably an indication of problems they encountered. Establish a code of ethics – did they feel the engineers code of ethics (developed by white males) was not responsive enough to women’s ideas of ethical behavior? Were they experiencing unethical behavior in the workplace?
- #15: Groups of engineers and engineering students in New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC held an organizational meeting. Their issues for discussion are probably an indication of problems they encountered. Establish a code of ethics – did they feel the engineers code of ethics (developed by white males) was not responsive enough to women’s ideas of ethical behavior? Were they experiencing unethical behavior in the workplace?
- #16: Groups of engineers and engineering students in New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC held an organizational meeting. Their issues for discussion are probably an indication of problems they encountered. Establish a code of ethics – did they feel the engineers code of ethics (developed by white males) was not responsive enough to women’s ideas of ethical behavior? Were they experiencing unethical behavior in the workplace?