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

智力优势：本研究项目将调查：a）高中物理科学教师目前解决可持续发展相关主题的方法; B）是否接触这些主题和工程师？在其中发挥关键作用增加了妇女主修工程学的可能性;以及c）如何以吸引妇女成为工程学积极参与者的方式将可持续性主题有意义地纳入高中物理科学课程。这项研究建立在批判性科学机构的基础上，学生在哪里？当他们看到有机会改变他们的世界时，学习和兴趣就会增强。可持续性是中介主题，我们将通过它来探讨批判性科学机构在高中女性中的发展。 该项目的研究方法是一种解释性混合方法设计，定量阶段确定关系，然后是定性解释阶段，为这些关系添加细节和意义。定量阶段将确定高中科学经验与可持续发展，可持续发展问题的兴趣，对工程师的信念之间的关系？在追求可持续发展和大学专业选择中的作用。定性阶段将通过深入的学生访谈和案例研究的物理科学教师，其可持续发展相关的课程导致他们的女学生选择工程专业，这些关系的背景。更广泛的影响：该项目应用关键科学机构来了解可持续发展主题如何使女性能够选择工程专业。这种理解将有助于制定切实可行的方法，吸引更多的妇女从事工程工作，并增加从事可持续性问题工作的工程师的数量和多样性。此外，该项目将确定方法，有意义地将可持续性主题纳入高中物理科学课程，使妇女成为工程的积极参与者。更多的妇女参与工程将导致更全面的工程专业和更可持续的工程解决方案，这对解决能源安全和气候不稳定等问题越来越重要。积极主动地与高中物理科学教师联系，将使项目成果在传统学术渠道之外得到广泛传播。该奖项由NSF EPSCoR办公室共同资助。

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.