Math Needs Girls
A lack of women in engineering & computer science plagues CSUF
Issue date: 2/27/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
Cal State Fullerton's Women and Philanthropy network hosted their monthly luncheon and lecture Wednesday in which the featured topic was "The Obstacle Course Leading to a Career in Engineering and Technology: Gender Inequity in Engineering and Computer Science."
The lecture featured Dorota Huizinga, professor of Computer Science and associate dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science, and Eileen Walsh, assistant professor of sociology. Huizinga introduced the topic of the lack of female representation in math-related fields such as engineering and computer science.
"By the fourth grade, girls are stereotyped into traditional female roles and begin to lose interest [in math]," Huizinga said.
But according to Huizinga, this is only part of the problem. She said some additional reasons for the under representation of women in engineering and computer science include negative images of professional women in math-related careers and connotations that careers in this field aren't geared for women.
"The last time I checked, girls aren't sent to summer camps for computer science," Huizinga said.
Walsh said should girls make it past the barriers of K-12 education, young women seeking a degree in engineering or computer science find that college and university faculty can prove to be one of the toughest obstacles to overcome.
"Engineering faculty can discourage women because the predominantly male faculty is not used to dealing with female students and sometimes doesn't know how to communicate with them," Walsh said. "We need to teach educators how to create an environment that promotes learning for women."
Walsh said she hopes to address the issues discussed by Huizinga with PACE, Promoting Access to Careers in Engineering.
Through PACE, female students throughout the Fullerton School District can enroll in a three hour per day summer school program that introduces them to careers in engineering. Once the summer session is complete, they will continue to participate during the regular school year in after-school activities and field trips to engage them in real world problems and how to solve them with engineering. This program will also offer undergraduate, graduate and professional mentoring of the students.
"We need to bring awareness of this problem to the community," Huizinga said.
Sandra Sutphen, Ph.D. professor of political science emeritus said although women have come far in world of engineering, they still have quite a ways to go.
"It's amazing how little women are represented in these fields," Sutphen said. "This program is necessary for female students to understand that there is a need for them in the field."
And Pat Balderas, business manager for the Humanities and Social Sciences department, said she hopes to do just that with her daughter.
"My husband keeps telling her to be a doctor, but that field isn't as lucrative as it once was," Balderas said. "Engineering and computers are the technology of tomorrow and there is no reason she should not be involved."
Sutphen said it's time for women to get recognized for all they can do.
"Men have had their time in the sun," she said. "It's time to share the spotlight."
The lecture featured Dorota Huizinga, professor of Computer Science and associate dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science, and Eileen Walsh, assistant professor of sociology. Huizinga introduced the topic of the lack of female representation in math-related fields such as engineering and computer science.
"By the fourth grade, girls are stereotyped into traditional female roles and begin to lose interest [in math]," Huizinga said.
But according to Huizinga, this is only part of the problem. She said some additional reasons for the under representation of women in engineering and computer science include negative images of professional women in math-related careers and connotations that careers in this field aren't geared for women.
"The last time I checked, girls aren't sent to summer camps for computer science," Huizinga said.
Walsh said should girls make it past the barriers of K-12 education, young women seeking a degree in engineering or computer science find that college and university faculty can prove to be one of the toughest obstacles to overcome.
"Engineering faculty can discourage women because the predominantly male faculty is not used to dealing with female students and sometimes doesn't know how to communicate with them," Walsh said. "We need to teach educators how to create an environment that promotes learning for women."
Walsh said she hopes to address the issues discussed by Huizinga with PACE, Promoting Access to Careers in Engineering.
Through PACE, female students throughout the Fullerton School District can enroll in a three hour per day summer school program that introduces them to careers in engineering. Once the summer session is complete, they will continue to participate during the regular school year in after-school activities and field trips to engage them in real world problems and how to solve them with engineering. This program will also offer undergraduate, graduate and professional mentoring of the students.
"We need to bring awareness of this problem to the community," Huizinga said.
Sandra Sutphen, Ph.D. professor of political science emeritus said although women have come far in world of engineering, they still have quite a ways to go.
"It's amazing how little women are represented in these fields," Sutphen said. "This program is necessary for female students to understand that there is a need for them in the field."
And Pat Balderas, business manager for the Humanities and Social Sciences department, said she hopes to do just that with her daughter.
"My husband keeps telling her to be a doctor, but that field isn't as lucrative as it once was," Balderas said. "Engineering and computers are the technology of tomorrow and there is no reason she should not be involved."
Sutphen said it's time for women to get recognized for all they can do.
"Men have had their time in the sun," she said. "It's time to share the spotlight."
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Robert
posted 3/06/07 @ 6:14 AM PST
The PACE program seems like a good thing, but the folks quoted in the article are missing the main problem by reducing it to gender politics. It's not the fault of supposedly insensitive male engineering profs, and it's not a matter of bringing "men's time in the sun" to an end. (Continued…)
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