Becoming Female Engineers and Engineering Educators: A Qualitative Study of Female PHD Students

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DOS SANTOS, Luis Miguel

Abstract

The engineering profession is traditionally male-dominated. Female engineers only occupy a small portion of positions in the profession, particularly upper management and educators’ positions. This study explores the motivations and career perspectives of female engineers and engineering educators’ intentions of joining the engineering field as female professionals. Based on social cognitive career and motivation theory, the current study was guided by two research questions, why do female professionals want to join the engineering industry as engineers and engineering educators, particularly after completing their PhD degrees? What are their motivations, and how do female professionals describe their experiences, career decision-making processes, and problems as women in the engineering industry, as engineers and engineering educators? With the interview sessions and focus group activity, eight female engineering PhD students were invited. The finding indicated that academic interests and interests in career development were the main influences. The results of this study may provide recommendations to female students, university leadership, department heads, lecturer, government leaders, and policymakers to reform and polish the curriculum plans, human resources strategies, and gendered schemes for female engineers and engineering educators.

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