A Systems Approach to Understanding Gender Inequity in Engineering

Abstract

Gender inequity is a very difficult topic to grapple with as most existing articles, books, and opinion pieces around the subject like to focus in on one particular problem or issue. Gender inequity in STEM has been a hot topic of conversation for years, with people pointing fingers at certain potential root causes such as a limited talent pipeline, parental planning, lack of retention, and many others. These issues are not single source issues, however, and cannot be thought of as such if meaningful change and progress is to result in the overall STEM workforce. As STEM itself is extremely broad, this thesis seeks to focus on gender inequity in engineering specifically, and to assess and dissect issues and opportunities from a systemic approach.

By leveraging learnings and processes relevant to Systems Management and Systems Design, the research and work enclosed in this thesis intends to pursue multiple lines of inquiry into the system level makeup of the engineering world and how it does or does not support gender equity. This research analyzes existing data sets available for working women in many disciplines, as well as incorporates input from a set of interviewees comprised of female engineers. Defining the relationships between many seemingly separate issues may lend insights into how academic institutions, corporations, and society as a whole may be able to implement some staged solution sets to improve gender parity and equity throughout the engineering field.