Faculty Panel Tackles Opportunities and Challenges for Women in Engineering
March 12, 2010
By Colin Anderson
When Professor Heather MacLean (Department of Civil Engineering) studied in her undergraduate program at Dalhousie University, she was one of two women in her class.
The University environment obviously suited her. She went on to complete an MBA and, after a period of employment in industry, returned to academics full-time. She completed her advanced training and earned her PhD at Carnegie Mellon University, and is now a Professor in Environmental Engineering at the University of Toronto.
Her CV makes it seem easier than the experience really was, she recalls. As a woman in engineering Professor MacLean faced expectations and preconceptions associated with “traditional” gendered occupations. Encouraged to focus on the business side of the profession, she faced an often invisible form of adversity unique to those inclined to challenge accepted boundaries.
The significant contributions and hard work of previous generations assisted today’s women students in engineering programs who find themselves one of many women in their classes - some programs boast a majority female enrollment.
Most programs, however, have still not reached parity.
To help address this issue and encourage more women to pursue graduate-level training in engineering, the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering partnered with the Status of Women Office to host a candid, upbeat panel discussion that highlighted some of the exciting opportunities available to women today.
Connie Guberman, Status of Women Officer and Special Advisor on Equity Issues at the University of Toronto lead-off discussion. She framed the discussion around progress, underscoring the great advancements in academic equity that women have seen in recent years.
Ms Guberman listed the many U of T and community resources, services and contacts available to support women through their studies. It was clear that no woman need feel isolated or unwelcome in the modern academic community.
Professor MacLean next offered her personal career story an as example of a non-traditional path toward academia. She shared with attendees sound advice for preparing their graduate school applications. “Anyone considering graduate school should be prepared to go visit at least once. Establishing a connection with your potential colleagues is one of the most important things you can do,” she advised.
Ensuring good working relationships amongst members of a research team is important not only for the students, but for professors as well. “I pay close attention to ensure my students’ personalities work in our team,” she said.
Jennifer McKellar, Civil Engineering PhD student, spoke about her transition from undergrad to grad studies. “I saw the Masters program as a way to set myself apart,” she reflected. She cited the advanced opportunities available in industry to highly educated professionals. Specialized, topical class choices, smaller class sizes, enthusiastic and engaging professors and flexible research and study times among some of the best features of academic life. “There are many ways to become involved at grad school,” she added.
During her time here, Jennifer has been involved in numerous cultural and technical events. She now helps coordinate the Faculty-wide Leaders of Tomorrow: Graduate program. It offers a host of peer-moderated discussions, workshops and lectures of particular interest to graduate students.
Maria Fryman, Undergraduate and Graduate Counsellor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, followed up with an overview on the academic resources and help available within each of the Engineering Departments and Institutes. “Women in graduate programs seem more concerned about the opportunities available after graduate school,” she said. “Will I be hired? Will I be subject to some corporate quota?”
Maria advises her students to stay the course, insisting that “there is no weapon better than education to fight inequity.”
The Faculty’s Vice-Dean, Graduate Studies, Professor Chris Damaren, concluded the panel and underscored the commitment of the Faculty’s leadership to promoting women in engineering. He recognized that while the female grad student population stands at roughly 25%, he is quite optimistic about a future that sees gender of parity not only in education, but in industry and business as well.
More information about exciting opportunities in Graduate Studies with the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering at the University of Toronto may be found at www.engineering.utoronto.ca/informationfor/graduate.htm or any of our Departments’ and Institutes’ websites.
More information about the Status of Women Office and resources and services available to women at the University of Toronto is available at www.status-women.utoronto.ca.
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