Gender and graduate school: Engineering students confront life after the B. Eng.

Journal of Engineering Education, Jan 2002 by Baker, Sarah, Tancred, Peta, Whitesides, Sue

2) Hold information sessions, informal parties, and workshops: Printed information on web pages and handout sheets cannot take the place of contact with individuals who can convey personal experiences and enthusiasm. The most frequently mentioned suggestion offered by our survey respondents is to hold information sessions.* We believe that this recommendation is particularly important for women students in view of the discomfort they reported in approaching professors about matters not directly course-related. Also, women reported fewer encouragements by professors to apply for scholarships even though their academic qualifications were comparable to the men. Information sessions for all top students could address this apparent oversight that disproportionately disadvantages women students.

3) Encourage professors to spend class time describing their own research: Many men and women respondents expressed reluctance to approach professors outside of class with questions of a general nature concerning research. They felt they would be bothering a busy person.

4) Impress upon instructional staff the importance of respectful treatment of students: Several respondents stated that they would not return to a particular professor because of negative treatment. Since professors provide information, advice, letters of recommendation, and research opportunities, negative treatment sets up a barrier.

5) Provide information about summer research jobs with professors in either printed or electronic form: Work experience in a laboratory can provide valuable insight into the nature of research.* These jobs often go to students who have either established personal contact with a professor or who are comfortable asking about the availability of such positions. Our data indicate that women students are even less comfortable than men students about approaching professors. Hence, job availability should be posted in a public manner.

6) Provide a standard procedure for requesting letters of recommendation: Our survey data show this was a source of considerable anxiety for women more than for men. Respondents indicated that they don't like to bother a busy professor, and that professors in large classes do not know them. (Evidently, students are unaware that professors can compare them with former students who had similar academic records.) Posting specified procedures for asking for letters could relieve anxiety (e.g., what the letter writer requires, such as a copy of a transcript and a c.v.) since it would imply that writing such letters is a part of a professor's normal duties.

7) Offer to file letters of recommendation for future use: Many respondents expressed a desire for work experience before graduate school. The difficulty of getting letters from professors once the student has left the university then becomes a major barrier.

the ones who are academically qualified for graduate school. Our data provide evidence of the value, especially for women students, of several short-term recommendations. We hope that our recommendations might assist engineering schools and faculties in encouraging their top undergraduates, women in particular, to pursue graduate studies.