Understandings of Inequality: How Female Adolescents With Engineering Aspirations View Women's Underrepresentation

• In Event: Gender and Racial Inequality in STEM

Abstract

This qualitative study examines the viewpoints of a sample of racially diverse high school girls across the country who have expressed a strong interest in pursuing engineering, and are members of SWENext, an outreach program from the Society of Women Engineers’ (SWE). The objective is to examine these young women’s understandings of gender inequality in their chosen field, specifically whether they turn to individualistic explanations, or rather more systemic explanations to make sense of women’s under-representation. Further, the authors consider whether and how these young women think that gender inequality will impact their futures. Results reveal that while most participants express some recognition of systemic gender inequality, such understandings are more developed among Black females and older students.

Authors

• Catherine C. Riegle-Crumb, The University of Texas

• Katherine Doerr, The University of Texas at Austin

• Tatiane Russo-Tait, The University of Texas at Austin

• Ursula Nguyen, The University of Texas at Austin