PEERs Experience By: Abdul Ahlmahz Annie Leslie Students - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Students Creating Positive Change Toward a More Inclusive Engineering

PEERs Experience

By: Abdul Ahlmahz Annie Leslie

• About PEERs
• Current State of Engineering
• Underlying Causes
• Personal Stories & Why Diversity is Important
• Discussion
• Solutions

Overview

Fall 2009

PEERs Seminar: Leadership Development to Promote Equity in Engineering Relationships

What Does Engineering Look Like Today on a National Level?

White 61% Asian 4% Black/Africa n American 14% Hispanic/Lati no 18% American Indian/Alask a Native 1% Native Hawaiian/Ot her Pacific Islander 0% Two or more races, non- Hispanic 2%

Source: National Science Foundation, Women, Minorities and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering, 2009. http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/wmpd/start.html Source: ASEE’s 2008 edition of the Profiles of Engineering and Engineering Technology Colleges (published in June, 2009). http://www.asee.org/publications/profiles/upload/2008ProfileEng.pdf

2006 U.S. Population Ages 18-24 by Ethnicity National Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Enrollment Data

National Engineering Enrollment Data

Source: ASEE’s 2008 edition of the Profiles of Engineering and Engineering Technology Colleges (published in June, 2009). http://www.asee.org/publications/profiles/upload/2008ProfileEng.pdf

How do you think engineering enrollment at UW compares to the engineering enrollment nationally?

Source: ASEE’s 2008 edition of the Profiles of Engineering and Engineering Technology Colleges (published in June, 2009). http://www.asee.org/publications/profiles/upload/2008ProfileEng.pdf

National Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Enrollment Data 2007 UW Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Awarded Data

UW CoE Undergrad. Student Numbers

enrollment: 3,806 degrees awarded 2007: 702

American Dream Game

• Unearned Advantage
• Privilege can affect many different groups
• Awareness is important for identifying privilege
• Obstacles for minorities and women in engineering may not be

experienced by every student

Privilege

Economic Status Environment Gender & Race

Examples of Privilege

Unconscious Bias

How does unconscious bias affect our actions?

“Social scientists argue that most people have some degree of unconscious bias because it stems from our natural tendency to make associations to help us

• rganize our social worlds.”

Howard Ross, Exploring Unconscious Bias, www.diversitybestpractices.com

Example Studies:

Study:

Are there differences in recommendation letters written for males and females

Method:

• Analyzed 312

recommendation letters for medical school faculty

Results:

• Letters for females :
• Were shorter
• Contained more

criticism/faint praise

• Included more

gender terms

Source: Psenka & Trix, Wayne State University

Example Studies:

Study: Sex-biased hiring for a symphony orchestra Method: Tested the difference blind auditions make in hiring practices in symphony orchestras Results: Blind auditions increased the likelihood that a female would be hired by 25%.

Source: Rouse & Goldin (Orchestrating Impartiality) , Princeton and Harvard

Example Studies:

• Are Emily and Brendan more employable than Lakisha and Jamal?

Study:

• Tested the difference between resume callbacks for people with

“typically white” names and “typically black” names.

Method:

• Resumes with “typically white” names received 50% more

callbacks.

• Highly skilled “typically white” names received more callbacks

than average.

• Number of callbacks for highly skilled and average “typically

black” names was virtually the same.

Results:

Source: Bertrand and Mullainatha (Are Emily and Brendan More Employable?), University of Chicago and MIT

• White male
• Good at math
• Bad social skills
• Wears big nerdy glasses
• Consumes a lot of caffeine

Engineering Stereotypes

Stereotype Threat

decreased performance internal attributions for failure self-handicapping reactance task discounting altered professional identities and aspirations disengagement and disidentification distancing self from the stereotyped group

“Stereotype threat refers to being at risk of confirming, as self-characteristic, a negative stereotype” (Steele & Aronson, 1995)

Minority groups Women Men People with disabilities Gays and Lesbians

Groups Affected by Stereotype Threat

Everyone!

Why Diversity is Important

• Diversity provides valuable experiences and different

perspectives which benefit the engineering community.

• Diversity in engineering can reduce the effects of

stereotype threat and increase awareness of privilege.

• Engineers solves problems, and diverse groups create

better solutions.

Discussion

1) What are your personal experiences? 2) Have you seen or experienced resistance to diversity?

Solutions

Talk about diversity and its importance. Speak up when you hear racist or sexist comments or jokes. Be aware of your own unconscious bias: Try

• ut “Project Implicit”

Be proactive! Join diversity groups and be a role model or mentor Be an Ally