Women in Engineering Programs & Advocates
Network
WEPAN 2006 National
Conference
White Papers
Discussion Groups submitted white papers to frame the problem/issue and to provide references and supporting materials from the discussion held at the WEPAN 2006 National Conference.
But, Engineering IS Cool - Effective Messaging for Pre-college Students
10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m., Session M1.4: Discussion Group, Frick
Moderated by Mary Juhas, Ohio State
Katie Kizziar, The University of Texas at Austin
The April 2005 Final Report for the Extraordinary Women Engineers project confirms what many in the engineering recruitment field struggle with high school girls do not have a good understanding of what engineering is or an interest in engineering careers. For years we have dreamed of a CSI or ER-type mainstream television program to highlight the exciting and important world of engineering. Until the day we manage to break into television production and sweep the Emmys, let’s work together to formulate outreach and recruitment messages that speak to the values and interests of pre-college students.
Dump the Slump: Retaining Engineering Women into the 3rd Year
10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m., Session T1.4: Discussion Group, Frick
Moderated by Rachelle Reisberg, Northeastern University
Tricia Berry and Ana Dison, The University of Texas at Austin
The Sophomore Slump impacts a wide variety of individuals and entities including students, musical artists, restaurants, business people, and television shows. Lemons and Richmond (1987) define the Sophomore Slump in the academic world as a period of developmental confusion and hypothesize that sophomore slump results from student’s struggles with achieving competence, desiring autonomy, establishing identity, and developing purpose. This discussion group will address the following questions: 1) what is the Sophomore Slump; 2) what are the unique academic and developmental issues sophomores face; 3) how do these issues impact the retention of sophomores into their third year; and 4) how can Women in Engineering programs and offices support these students and improve the retention of sophomore women into their third year of engineering and through to graduation. Participants will have the opportunity to share their own experiences and best practices.
Facilitating Success for Women in STEM through Living-Learning Programs: Results from the National Study of Living-Learning Programs
11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m., Session T2.3: Discussion Group, Phipps
Moderated by Betty Preece, Florida Institute of Technology
Dawn Johnson, University of Maryland; Matthew Soldner, University of Maryland; Aaron M. Brower, University of Wisconsin
This session will discuss research on how living-learning programs, or co-curricular academic programs based in college residence halls, can facilitate the success of women in STEM majors on outcome measures such as academic achievement, retention, sense of belonging, and perceptions of the climate. The session will include results of a study of 1,679 women attending 28 universities including over 50 WISE and co-educational STEM living-learning programs. Audience members will be asked to share their campus assessment efforts; the presenters will introduce results from the National Study of Living-Learning Programs, sponsored by NSF, and invite participants to join the 2006-07 study.
Institutional Transformation: Developing Inter-organizational Partnerships to Increase Diversity and Build Community
WHITE PAPER NOT AVAILABLE
2:15 p.m. - 3:15 p.m., Session T3.4: Discussion Group, Frick
Moderator: Lisa Norwood, University of Rochester
Panelists from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute: Barbara Ruel, Dr. Kenneth Durgans, Karen R. Ferrer-Muñiz, Tom Tarantelli and Dr. Luciano Castillo
This session will share a model of institutional transformation and engage colleagues in a discussion of what transformational efforts they may have initiated or might initiate at their own institutions that support diversity efforts and build partnerships and community amongst campus constituents.