GSE/RES:Sustainability topics as a route to female recruitment in engineering

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Intellectual Merit: This research project will investigate: a) ways in which high school physical science teachers currently address sustainability-related topics; b) whether exposure to these topics and engineers? key role in them increases the likelihood that women major in engineering; and c) how to meaningfully incorporate sustainability topics into high school physical science classes in ways that engage women to become active participants in engineering. This research builds on critical science agency, where students? learning and interest is enhanced when they see an opportunity to make change in their world. Sustainability is the mediating topic through which we will explore the development of critical science agency in high school women. The research approach to this project is an explanatory mixed methods design, with a quantitative phase to identify relationships followed by a qualitative explanatory phase to add detail and meaning to these relationships. The quantitative phase will identify relationships between high school science experiences with sustainability, interest in sustainability issues, beliefs about engineers? role in the pursuit of sustainability, and college major choice. The qualitative phase will add context to these relationships through in-depth student interviews and case studies of physical science teachers whose sustainability-related lessons led their female students to choose engineering majors. Broader Impacts: This project applies critical science agency to understand how sustainability topics can empower females to choose to major in engineering. This understanding will help devise practical methods to attract more women to engineering and to increase the number and diversity of engineers working on sustainability issues. In addition, this project will identify methods to meaningfully incorporate sustainability topics into high school physical science classes in ways that engage women to become active participants in engineering. Increased participation of women in engineering will lead to a more well-rounded engineering profession and to more sustainable engineering solutions, which are increasingly important to address issues such as energy security and climate destabilization. Proactive outreach to high school physical science teachers will enable widespread dissemination of the project results beyond traditional academic channels.This award is co-funded with the NSF EPSCoR office.