2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Division: International Division-Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

WIP: Understanding How International Graduate Students in Engineering Fit into American Culture from the Perspective of Gender Identity: A Pilot Study

Keywords: Gender identity, Gender pronouns, Sense of belonging, International students, Graduate students, Engineering

Abstract

International graduate students in engineering are a significant presence in the U.S., and they face unique challenges as they navigate higher education. Such challenges – such as language deficiency, cultural shock, and understanding efforts to promote equity and inclusion – may inhibit their development of a sense of belonging and academic identity, so it is important to provide international graduate students in engineering with the supports they need to overcome these challenges.

Using people’s preferred gender pronouns is one way to promote equity and inclusion, as it allows individuals to express gender identity and develop gender-inclusive language. Although sharing gender pronouns while introducing oneself – e.g., on a nametag or in one’s email signature – is becoming increasingly common in the U.S. workplace, schools, or social media, it is generally new to international students. These students face the challenge of understanding what gender identity is, why there is gender diversity, and how to share their gender pronouns. Thus, studying international engineering graduate students’ perceptions and usage of gender pronouns offers an ideal perspective to understand how they struggle with and adapt to American culture and, ultimately, to develop mechanisms to best support their needs.

This pilot study collected data about gender pronouns from 185 international graduate students in engineering at a university with a culture of using preferred gender pronouns. The majority of respondents come from Asian countries and have lived in the U.S. for less than one year. Preliminary results of a regression model indicate that respondents’ preference for using gender pronouns is statistically significantly related to their experience with gender pronouns prior to living in the U.S. Also, the longer they have lived in the U.S., the more likely they are to use gender pronouns. For students who have lived in the U.S. for less than one year, the preference for using gender pronouns is greatly different from their peers. These findings may indicate that the first year is challenging for international graduate engineering students and that they need more specific help adjusting to the college environment.

(335 words)