Myths About Engineering and Science
1. You have to be brilliant to be an engineer or scientist
2. Engineers and scientists don’t work with people
4. Engineering and science is for men only
3. Engineers and scientists pollute the atmosphere
Characteristics Associated with Engineers and Scientists
Engineers % Scientists %
Saves lives
2003 14 82
1998 6 65
Sensitive to societal concerns
2003 28 61
1998 47 57
Cares about the community
2003 37 51
1998 24 46
Ranking of Professions According to “Very Great Prestige” in 2006
Firefighter 63%
Doctor 58
Nurse 55
Scientists 54
Teacher 52
Military Officer 51
Police Officer 43
Farmer 36
Engineer 34
Memb. Of Congress 28
Lawyer 21
• Car Heater• Circular Saw• Cooking Stove• Disposable Cell Phone• Disposable Diaper• Drinking Fountain Device• Electric Hot Water Heater• Elevated Railway• Fire Escape• Kevlar• Life Raft• Liquid Paper• Locomotive Chimney• Practical Dishwasher• Refrigerator • Self-Cleaning House• Wind Shield Wiper
1893181218671999194619851917188118871964188219801879
1914No patent yet1903
http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0210181/images/timeline.htm
Margaret WilcoxTabitha BabbitElizabeth HawkRandi AltschulMarion DonovanLaurene O’DonnellIda ForbesMary WaltonAnna ConnellyStephanie KwolekMaria BeaseleyBette Nesmith GrahamMary WaltonJosephine CochranFlorence ParpartFrances GabeMary Anderson
The Changing Domestic Talent Pool
Source: CPST, data derived from U.S. Census Bureau
© 2009 WEPAN, www.wepan.org, prepared by CPST, www.cpst.orgDeveloped by WEPAN for member use only.
1980
Native American, 0.6%
Asian, 1.5%
Hispanic, 6.4%
Black, non-Hispanic,
11.7%
White, non-Hispanic, 83.1%
2000
White, non-Hispanic, 69.1%Black,
non-Hispanic,12.1%
Hispanic, 12.5%
Asian, 3.6%
Native American, 0.9%
Women Increasing Their Share of Some STEM Bachelor’s Degree Fields
© 2009 WEPAN, www.wepan.org, prepared by CPST, www.cpst.orgDeveloped by WEPAN for member use only.
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,0001
98
5
19
95
20
04
19
85
19
95
20
04
19
85
19
95
20
04
19
85
19
95
20
04
Women
Men
Source: CPST, data derived from the National Science Foundation
Computer Science Mathematics Physical Sciences Biological Sciences
The Decline of Women in Engineering Evident for all Races/Ethnicities
© 2009 WEPAN, www.wepan.org, prepared by CPST, www.cpst.orgDeveloped by WEPAN for member use only.
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Total
African American
Latina
Native American
Source: CPST, data derived from Engineering Workforce Commission
Enrollments of Women in Engineering by Race/ Ethnicity
Underrepresented minority share of S&E graduate students, by field: 1996 and 2006
0
5
10
15
20
Engineering Physicalsciences
Mathematics Computerscience
Agriculturaland biological
sciences
Social andbehavioralsciences
S&E
Percent
1996 2006
Source: NSF/SRS, Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering. Data are for U.S. citizens and permanent residents. 9
Women as a Percentage of Selected Occupations, 2007
© 2009 WEPAN, www.wepan.org, prepared by CPST, www.cpst.orgDeveloped by WEPAN for member use only.
0.3
0.073
0.086
0.115
0.212
0.256
0.282
0.326
0.388
0.408
0.426
0.462
0.619
0.644
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
Psychologists
Accountants/Auditors
Postsecondary Teachers
Biological Scientists
Chemists
Marketing & Sales Mgrs.
Lawyers
Physicians/Surgeons
Dentists
Chief Executives
Chemical Engineers
Civil Engineers
Electrical Engineers
Mechanical Engineers
Source: CPST, data derived from Bureau of Labor Statistics (Women in the Labor Force: Databook, 2007)
Minorities as a Percentage of Selected Occupations, 2007
© 2009 WEPAN, www.wepan.org, prepared by CPST, www.cpst.org
Developed by WEPAN for member use only.
0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% 14% 16% 18%
Accountants/Auditors
Chemical Engineers
Chemists
Electrical Engineers
Marketing & Sales Mgrs.
Physicians/Surgeons
Postsecondary Teachers
Lawyers
Civil Engineers
Dentists
Psychologists
Chief Executives
Mechanical Engineers
Biological Scientists
Black
Hispanic
Source: CPST, data derived from Bureau of Labor Statistics (from the CPS, 2007)
An International Comparison of Engineering Degree Production
© 2009 WEPAN, www.wepan.org, prepared by CPST, www.cpst.orgDeveloped by WEPAN for member use only.
0 100,000 200,000 300,000 400,000 500,000
Canada
United Kingdom
Germany
Brazil (2002)
India (1990)
Spain
France
Taiwan (2005)
United States
South Korea
Japan (2005)
Russia (2006)
China
International Degree Production in Engineering, 2004 (or most recent year)
Why is Diversity Important in Engineering?
• To Remain Globally Competitive• To Provide for America’s National Security• To Provide for America’s Future Economic
Security• Because it is an Asset• To Account for a Changing Domestic Talent
Pool• Because It’s the Right Thing to Do
© 2009 WEPAN, www.wepan.org, prepared by CPST, www.cpst.orgDeveloped by WEPAN for member use only.
Engaging America’s Intellectual Talent: The Status of Women and Minorities in Engineering
Prepared for WEPANBy
Commission on Professionals in Science and Technology (CPST), http://www.cpst.org
© 2009 WEPAN, http://www.wepan.org. Developed by WEPAN for member use only.