Society of Women Engineers Survey Reveals Gap Between The Nation's Agenda for Fostering Engineering Talent and Its Ability to Diversify the Field

Government Focus on Education Priorities Faces Challenges Inspiring Young Women to Pursue Engineering

CHICAGO, March 8 /PRNewswire/ -- The need for the United States to build a new generation of leaders proficient in science, technology, engineering and math is at the top of the nation's agenda. While encouraging all young people to take more math and science classes and pursue careers in related fields is critical, this initiative has even greater significance among the nation's young women. Less than 10 percent of American engineers today are women. Yet, this is where we face the greatest challenges. According to survey results released today by the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), 75 percent of girls surveyed do not plan on pursuing a career in science, math or technology, and only 10 percent of those surveyed have considered engineering as a future career option.

In order to change negative perceptions and to encourage young women across the country to get involved in engineering and technology, SWE today announced a new program: "Develop, Design, Discover ... Women Innovating with Technology."

And the timing couldn't be better. SWE's survey reveals that while 95 percent of girls said that careers in science fields are "cool," 66 percent of the same group claimed these careers are "not for them," citing that careers in entertainment (49 percent), fashion (46 percent), and cosmetics (48 percent) would be more interesting. It also underlines a major disconnect between girls' perceptions of engineering and those careers that actually need engineers to deliver new products: fashion, cosmetics, entertainment. Girls simply don't know that the very industries that they would be interested in pursuing as a future career require engineers and technologists in all facets of the business.

The program kicks off with an inspiring and educational special event series called "Wow! That's Engineering?", a new Web site, the survey on girl's attitudes toward engineering, and a nationwide contest to find out what young women will discover next.

"With today's multi media, multi influence culture, young women in the United States are continuing to drift away from careers in areas that are vital to the country's economic future," said Ronna Robertson, president of the Society of Women Engineers. "American culture has traditionally misled young girls to believe that they cannot excel in math or science and as a result, they harbor negative perceptions of engineering. Now more than ever we face an urgent need to build a generation of leaders proficient in science, technology, engineering and math. We have a real opportunity to right previous wrongs and show young women what engineering is all about and give them a chance to change the future."

The "Wow! That's Engineering?" Worldwide event series, kicking off at Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry today, honors the achievements of women and girls as they develop and discover the future through technology. Similar events will take place in Japan, Austin, Orlando, Philadelphia, Raleigh, and San Francisco throughout the spring.

IBM, a leader in developing strong and innovative programs supporting women in engineering fields, is the founding sponsor of The Society of Women Engineers' Develop, Design, Discover...Women Innovating with Technology.

"Corporations need to cultivate diverse environments in order to foster true innovation," said Florence Hudson, IBM Vice President of Strategic Planning to the Society of Women Engineers. "With opportunity comes responsibility. We cannot overlook ours: to be out there every day, encouraging young women to pursue careers in science, math, technology and engineering. Diversity is critical to the competitiveness of the United States, we need to help young women understand their role in our future."

The Society of Women Engineers' Develop, Design, Discover...Women Innovating with Technology Essay Contest will run from March 8, 2006 through April 19, 2006. Participants are encouraged to log on to www.developdesigndiscover.org and submit a 100-word essay about their proposed invention. The Society of Women Engineers, together with IBM, will choose a grand prize winner and three runner-ups.

Additional survey results reveal: 

• Less than half of young women surveyed would pursue a career in medicine 
• Most girls claim that art and English are their favorite subjects in school 
• Less than half of girls surveyed listed math or science as their favorite subject

About SWE

The Society of Women Engineers (SWE), founded in 1950, is a not-for-profit educational and service organization. SWE is the driving force that establishes engineering as a highly desirable career aspiration for women. SWE empowers women to succeed and advance in those aspirations and be recognized for their life-changing contributions and achievements as engineers and leaders.

www.developdesigndiscover.org

About IBM

IBM is the world's largest information technology company, with 80 years of leadership in helping businesses innovate. IBM works with companies of all sizes around the world to deploy a full range of IBM technologies. 

www.ibm.com

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