WIE from Around the World– Retaining Women in Academics: Education Efforts

Diversity is essential for problem solving in engineering as it yields better solutions and new ideas. However, including women in this field has encountered several challenges. Early childhood is a critical window when girls form ideas about what they can do. For this reason, it is necessary to educate parents on the potential opportunities for women in engineering. Similarly, teachers must nurture an interest in girls during primary school. For example, girls in science classrooms often ask few questions and do not participate in classroom discussions. Teachers need to create a learning environment where girls feel a sense of belonging. Only 14% of professors at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department are female. The MIT Women’s Technology Program is a summer internship that introduces high school female students to team-based projects.