Asked what should be done to achieve gender parity in engineering – reflecting a key pledge of this year’s International Women’s Day – two thirds of the Fellows call for continued progress in breaking down existing stereotypes and creating a welcoming and inclusive culture in the engineering profession. Almost all mention the importance of a mentor or parent who was an engineer or scientist and provided encouragement when they were starting their careers.
They also highlight the importance of good teaching in schools and of sharing the interesting and exciting experiences they have enjoyed as professional engineers working around the world. The Academy runs the Diversity in Engineering Programme, an active programme to promote culture change, which is supported across academia and industry.
Professor Dame Ann Dowling, president of the Royal Academy of Engineering, said: “International Women’s Day is a great opportunity to celebrate the achievements of our women Fellows, while at the same time demonstrating over and over again that engineering offers rewarding careers. Their stories illustrate the creativity, variety and breadth within engineering. We hope that this will inspire and encourage more people to choose engineering careers.”
