Behind the Mask and Beneath the Armor: Engineering Faculty of Color Defining and Coping with Whiteness

• In Event: Building New Worlds: Constructing Supportive Spaces for Historically Marginalized Students and Faculty of Color

Abstract

The state of racial diversity in engineering remains dismal. In 2019, white professors made up 61% of full-time faculty, while Black and Latine professors comprised of only six percent combined. Often, the lack of diversity in engineering is framed as pipeline issue suggesting the supply of diverse candidates is not there. Instead, this deficit perspective focuses on the workplace atmosphere and whether it is inviting and welcoming for diverse identities rather than challenging the impact of Whiteness in engineering. This paper explores how 14 People of Color engineers define Whiteness in engineering spaces and the coping strategies they use to navigate and succeed within them. We pay close and specific attention to the concept of psychological masking and its detrimental impacts.

Authors

• R. Jamaal Downey, University of San Diego

• Joel Alejandro Mejia, University of Cincinnati

• Diana Chen, University of San Diego

• Gordon Hoople, University of San Diego