Considering Race and Critical Consciousness Among Women College Engineers

• In Event: Friday Roundtable Session 11:25 am
  In Roundtable Session: Utilizing Race as a Method of Inquiry (Table 18)

Abstract

Utilizing a recent unique sample of racially diverse women college engineers across the US in 2021, this study investigated their critical consciousness of racial inequality. Quantitative data revealed that women of all racial identities reported that racism is less prevalent and intense in engineering than it is in society in general. Yet analyses revealed important racial differences in how awareness predicts both critical self-efficacy and critical action. For example, Black, Latinx, and Indigenous women report relatively high levels of critical self-efficacy that are independent of how severe and prevalent they see racism at the current moment. Preliminary analyses of qualitative interviews also points towards engagement in critical action among Black and Latinx women engineers that is comparatively more intensive.

Authors

• Chandel Burgess, University of Texas at Austin

• Catherine C. Riegle-Crumb, University of Notre Dame

• Ursula Nguyen, University of Nebraska - Lincoln

• Tatiane Russo-Tait, University of Georgia