Celebrating International Women in Engineering Day: Honoring Contributions and Fostering Inclusion

June 23 marks International Women in Engineering Day (INWED), a global celebration of the remarkable contributions of women engineers and a call to action for creating inclusive workplaces. At McPherson|Berry, we recognize the transformative impact women have had on engineering and the critical role HR professionals and CEOs play in supporting them in a historically male-dominated field. This blog post highlights the achievements of women engineers, their groundbreaking discoveries, and actionable strategies for companies to foster equity and sensitivity, ensuring women thrive in engineering roles.

The Impact of Women Engineers: Shaping Our World

Women have been integral to engineering advancements, often overcoming significant barriers to leave an indelible mark on society. Their contributions span centuries and industries, driving innovation and solving complex challenges:

Historical Pioneers: Women have been designing and building since before engineering was formalized as a profession. For example, Emily Roebling played a pivotal role in completing the Brooklyn Bridge in 1883, stepping in as de facto chief engineer when her husband fell ill. Her leadership ensured the project’s success, a testament to women’s early influence in engineering.

Groundbreaking Discoveries:

• Ada Lovelace (1815–1852): Often called the first computer programmer, Lovelace wrote the earliest algorithm for a computing machine, laying the foundation for modern computing. Her visionary work on Charles Babbage’s Analytical Engine predicted computers’ potential beyond calculations.

  
  

• Hedy Lamarr (1914–2000): An actress and inventor, Lamarr co-developed frequency-hopping technology, a precursor to Wi-Fi, GPS, and Bluetooth, revolutionizing wireless communication.

  
  

• Mary Jackson (1921–2005): Featured in Hidden Figures, Jackson became NASA’s first Black female engineer. Her work on aerodynamics advanced supersonic flight and space exploration.

  
  

• Josephine Cochran (1839–1913): Cochran invented the first commercially successful dishwasher, transforming household efficiency and paving the way for modern appliances.

  
  

• Kimberly Bryant: Founder of Black Girls Code, Bryant has empowered young African-American girls to pursue STEM careers, fostering diversity in engineering through education.

• Modern Contributions: Women engineers today are driving innovation in renewable energy, autonomous vehicles, and biomedical engineering. For instance, women-led teams at companies like Resource Innovations are advancing clean energy solutions, contributing to a sustainable future. Only 16.5% of engineers in the UK are women, yet their diverse perspectives enhance problem-solving and innovation.

These contributions demonstrate that women’s unique insights and resilience have shaped engineering, benefiting society as a whole. Diverse teams, including women, produce more novel and higher-impact scientific discoveries, as shown in a 2022 study from Notre Dame.

Challenges in a Male-Dominated Field

Despite their achievements, women engineers face persistent challenges in a field where only 14% of employed engineers in the U.S. are women (2019 data). Key barriers include:

• Gender Stereotypes: Engineering is often perceived as “masculine,” with stereotypes that men are more suited for technical roles. This perception discourages girls from pursuing engineering and affects women’s sense of belonging.

  
  

• Workplace Bias: Women report being treated as “helpless” or not taken seriously in male-dominated teams. In Australia, 45% of female engineers report unequal opportunities, and nearly 20% experience exclusion or bullying.

  
  

• Imposter Syndrome: Being the “only” woman in a room can lead to self-doubt. One engineer noted, “Impostor syndrome kicks in, and you constantly feel like you’re not good enough.”

  
  

• Attrition Rates: Over 32% of female STEM students switch majors in college, and women are more likely to leave engineering careers due to hostile work environments, lack of advancement opportunities, or work-family balance challenges.

These challenges highlight the need for companies to create supportive environments that retain and empower women engineers.

How Companies Can Support Women Engineers

HR professionals and CEOs can take concrete steps to foster inclusion and sensitivity, ensuring women engineers thrive. Drawing on research and best practices, here are actionable strategies for corporations, non-profits, and small businesses:

Promote Mentorship and Role Models

Action: Establish mentorship programs pairing women engineers with senior female leaders. Highlight women’s achievements through company-wide campaigns, such as INWED events featuring female engineers’ stories.

Why It Works: Role models inspire persistence. Programs like the Women’s Engineering Society (WES), founded in 1919, have shown that exposure to female engineers increases girls’ interest in STEM.

Tip for Small Businesses: Partner with organizations like WES or Black Girls Code to connect employees with external mentors at low cost.

Combat Bias Through Training

Action: Implement mandatory unconscious bias training for all staff, focusing on gender stereotypes in engineering. Train managers to recognize and address microaggressions, such as men “dumbing down” technical explanations to women.

Why It Works: Bias training reduces discriminatory behaviors. A 2021 study found that women engineers face male privilege, including being taken less seriously or experiencing harassment.

Tip for Non-Profits: Use free resources from groups like the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) to develop cost-effective training modules.

Foster Inclusive Team Dynamics

Action: Ensure women are included in hands-on technical tasks during projects, not relegated to administrative roles. Encourage equitable participation in meetings and decision-making.

Why It Works: Studies show that women in engineering are often assigned note-taking or organizational tasks, limiting their technical contributions. Inclusive teams enhance innovation and productivity.

Tip for Corporations: Conduct regular team audits to ensure equitable task distribution and promote women to technical leadership roles.

Support Work-Life Balance

Action: Offer flexible work schedules, parental leave, and childcare support to address work-family conflicts, which disproportionately affect women.

Why It Works: Women who leave engineering often cite challenges balancing family responsibilities. Flexible policies increase retention.

Tip for Small Businesses: Implement low-cost solutions like remote work options or staggered hours to accommodate diverse needs.

Encourage STEM Outreach for Girls

Action: Sponsor STEM programs for girls, such as coding camps or school workshops, and involve female engineers as ambassadors. Support initiatives like Black Girls Code or WES outreach.

Why It Works: Early exposure to engineering increases girls’ interest. Only 21% of U.S. women choose engineering majors, partly due to limited early STEM access.

Tip for Non-Profits: Collaborate with local schools to host free STEM events, leveraging community partnerships to minimize costs.

Address Pay and Opportunity Gaps

Action: Conduct pay audits to ensure gender equity in compensation and promote women to leadership roles. Only 23% of C-suite executives in engineering are women, despite 33% of entry-level roles being held by women.

Why It Works: Equal pay and advancement opportunities signal that women’s contributions are valued, reducing attrition.

Tip for Corporations: Use tools like McKinsey’s diversity analytics to identify and address gaps in promotions and pay.

Create Safe Spaces for Feedback

Action: Establish anonymous feedback channels and Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) like AWE’s Gender Balance Working Group to address women’s concerns.

Why It Works: Women often face harassment or exclusion in male-dominated settings. Safe spaces empower them to voice experiences without fear of retaliation.

Tip for Small Businesses: Use free platforms like Google Forms for anonymous surveys to gather feedback cost-effectively.

A CEO’s Perspective: Leading with Empathy

CEOs set the tone for organizational culture. To support women engineers, lead by example:

Celebrate Achievements: Publicly recognize women engineers’ contributions during INWED and year-round, as Spiceworks did by showcasing nine women engineers’ stories.

Invest in Training: Partner with McPherson|Berry to develop tailored diversity and inclusion training for managers, ensuring sensitivity to women’s experiences in engineering.

Advocate for Change: Push for policies that address systemic barriers, such as increasing women’s representation in technical roles and academia, where women make up only 12% of national science academy members.

Conclusion: Building an Inclusive Future

International Women in Engineering Day is a celebration of women’s transformative contributions and a reminder of the work needed to close the gender gap. By implementing mentorship, bias training, and inclusive policies, companies can create environments where women engineers thrive. At McPherson|Berry, we’re committed to supporting corporations, non-profits, and small businesses with HR and training solutions to foster equity and empower women in engineering.

Call to Action: Please visit mcphersonberry.com for our offerings and contact us here: https://www.mcphersonberry.com/contact