2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

The Academic Leadership for Women in Engineering Program: Impact on Personal Development, Leadership Advancement, and Networking

Presented at Women in Engineering Division (WIED) Technical Session 5 - Careers and Professional Identity

The Academic Leadership for Women in Engineering Program (ALWE) is an initiative designed to equip female engineering academics with essential skills and insights needed to navigate institutional obstacles and attain significant leadership positions. This study explores the intricate aspects of personal development and leadership advancement experienced by female engineering academics who have participated in ALWE. Employing a survey-based research approach, this study aims to identify the specific abilities and perspectives that participants acquire through the program, and how these impact their personal and career trajectories. Our research method involves structured surveys designed to collect empirical data regarding the competencies and insights reinforced by ALWE participation. The analytical approach has been carefully crafted to provide a comprehensive understanding of the program's impact on networking, enhancing leadership skills, and fostering a stronger sense of empowerment among female engineering academics. Furthermore, we meticulously assess the specific areas in which ALWE has demonstrated a significant influence. The findings of this research will enhance our understanding of how programs similar to ALWE can stimulate networking and leadership development among female engineering academics. Additionally, these insights will highlight crucial competencies and knowledge domains that are essential for achieving leadership success within academic settings. Such revelations are vital for refining and tailoring interventions aimed at empowering women in STEM fields, with the overarching goal of promoting diversity and equity in engineering academia.

Authors

Rebeca Petean Society of Women Engineers [biography]

Rebeca Petean is the Research Analyst for the Society of Women Engineers and a Ph.D. candidate in Sociology at Portland State University. Her work bridges research, advocacy, and equity in STEM education. Rebecca collaborates with educators, policymakers, and nonprofits to maximize the impact of STEM initiatives. Her dissertation focuses on the school-to-prison pipeline, specifically examining school safety strategies in K-12 school spaces. She explores how the integration of school safety strategies with disciplinary practices, often under zero-tolerance policies, blurs the lines between them, suggesting that both are byproducts of the school-to-prison pipeline.
Dr. Roberta Rincon Society of Women Engineers [biography]

Roberta Rincon, Ph.D., is the Director of Research and Impact for the Society of Women Engineers. She is responsible for overseeing the research activities for the organization, including collaborative research projects with external researchers and dissemination of SWE research through academic conferences, the SWE Research website, and the annual SWE State of Women in Engineering magazine issue. She is the Principal Investigator for the NSF INCLUDES-funded Women of Color in Engineering Collaborative, whose mission is to work cooperatively with other organizations to provide resources to create a supportive, encouraging, and inclusive environment in the engineering workplace. Her SWE research centers on equity issues in STEM education and the workplace, with studies on gender bias, the development of an engineering identity, and the community college transfer pathway. Prior to joining SWE, she worked in higher education policy research and on programs focused on faculty productivity and student success. She received her B.S. in Civil Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin, MBA and M.S. in Information Management from Arizona State University, and Ph.D. in Educational Policy and Planning from UT Austin.
Rachel Porcelli Society of Women Engineers

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