Finding the Feminine Side of Engineering

An excellent article appeared in the autumn issue of the UK magazine Engineering Apprentice. Writer Ross Ringham had a chat with UOP author Monique Frize about her book The Bold and the Brave: A History of Women in Science and Engineering. They spoke about issues facing women in Engineering, and what needs to be done in both the education system and in the industry itself to achieve gender balance.

Here is some of what Frize had to say:

Increasing the pool of women engineers requires that policies, strategies and initiatives be invested at each level of education, from primary school, to college, to university. We must profile women and their work for generations to come, so that girls think, "I can also do this," and boys think, "Girls and women can also do this."

Equally important is the integration of feminine attributes and perspectives into the culture of engineering and technology, ensuring social relevance is included in the curriculum and using a teaching style that reaches a diversity of audiences.

Engineering needs women more than women need engineering roles. Women currently flock in great numbers to health-related careers, which are in great demand everywhere with the ageing population. So we must find the way to achieve more gender balance, and a culture where women no longer have to be bold and brave to choose engineering careers.

To read the full article, visit the Engineering Apprentice website. You may be asked to create an account to view the article, but it is very simple, and there is no cost. 

Frize was selected by Professional Engineers Ontario and the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers to receive their annual Gold Medal for achievement in the field of engineering. The gold medal will be presented at a Gala tomorrow evening. 

Congratulations, Monique!!

Review - The Bold and the Brave by Monique Frize

Here’s a review done by the Literary Review of Canada on our book The Bold and the Brave: A History of Women in Science and Engineering by Monique Frize.

The Sexes and the Sciences
Why aren’t women rushing to the labs as we thought they would?
by Sheilla Jones

The article brings to light the fact that last time society checked, the number of women involved in the fields of engineering and science had been on the rise. However, the latest statistics suggest that number is now decreasing.

The review highlights the explanations provided by Frize that attempt to identify and characterize this trend. She argues that this cyclical phenomenon, where progress is followed by regress, has already occurred many times in our history. Jones explains:

“Throughout recorded history, women have made considerable gains in gender parity with men, only to have those gains abruptly terminated or to see them slowly dissipate through societal change.”

The argument regarding the cyclical nature of women’s progress in the fields of science and engineering is first put into historical context by Frize, after which she shares many observations she has made during her career that support the theory she proposes.

Sheilla Jones writes:

“The Bold and the Brave is a distillation of Frize’s personal experiences as the often lone woman in engineering classes or at conferences, and the feel¬ing that she was tilting at windmills in her effort to make engineering a friendlier place for women. And she has been at it for a long time.”

For further information on The Bold and the Brave: A History of Women in Science and Engineering check out the UOP’s website.

Review of our book THE WAY AHEAD: MEETING CANADA’S PRODUCTIVITY CHALLENGE

Take a look at this review by Peter DeVita of Tom Brzustowski's book THE WAY AHEAD: MEETING CANADA'S PRODUCTIVITY CHALLENGE in the most recent issue of Engineering Dimensions. DeVita says that this book is very important given the current global recession. More details here.