Women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics)

In this book we explore a sea change occurring in leadership for academic women in the sciences and engineering. Our approach is a two-pronged one: On the one hand, we outline the nature of the changes and their sources, both in various literatures and from program research results. On the other hand, we specify and provide detail about the persistent problems and obstacles that remain as barriers to women's full participation in academic science and engineering, their career advancement and success, and, most important, their role as leaders in making change. At the heart of this book is our goal to give some shape to the research, practice, and programs developed by women academic leaders making institutional change in the sciences and engineering.

Packed with fascinating biographical sketches of female engineers, this chronological history of engineering brightens previously shadowy corners of our increasingly engineered world's recent past. In addition to a detailed description of the diverse arenas encompassed by the word 'engineering' and a nuanced overview of the development of the field, the book includes numerous statistics and thought provoking facts about women's roles in the achievement of thrilling scientific innovations. This text is a unique resource for students launching research projects in engineering and related fields, professionals interested in gaining a broader understanding of how engineering as a discipline has been impacted by events of global significance, and scholars of women's immense, often obscured, contributions to scientific progress.

Who are the women who became engineers in the 1970s and 1980s? How have they fared in the most male-dominated profession in America? This is the first book to answer these questions. It explores the backgrounds, family lives, work experiences, and attitudes of engineers in order to explain the unequal patterns of career development for women, who generally hold lower positions and receive fewer promotions than their male counterparts.