2025 Collaborative Network for Engineering & Computing Diversity (CoNECD)

Background: Systemic racism is deeply embedded in various institutions and societal structures, perpetuating inequalities and shaping interpersonal interactions. Engineers play a crucial role in addressing and dismantling these systemic issues as they influence shaping the built environment and technological systems that impact diverse communities. Therefore, integrating social justice principles and awareness of systemic inequities into the engineering curriculum is crucial for preparing future engineers to create inclusive and equitable solutions. By examining how engineering students reflect on their roles in combating systemic racism, we can gain insights into their preparedness to engage with these critical issues as professionals and identify areas where educational interventions can be most effective.

Purpose: This study aims to explore how undergraduate engineering students of different genders reflect on their roles in combating systemic racism, comparing and contrasting their perspectives and proposed strategies. By understanding these gender differences, we can develop more targeted and effective approaches to integrate social justice education into engineering curricula and foster a more inclusive generation of engineers.

Methods: The study was conducted with 19 engineering technology students enrolled in a junior-level undergraduate Human Factors course. As part of the course, students completed a 90-minute online module introducing the principles of social justice and the realities of hostile design in urban planning and reflected on how they plan to combat systemic racism in their own lives, workplaces, and communities. These written reflections were analyzed qualitatively, coding for common themes and noteworthy differences across genders. Gender Schema Theory was applied as an analytical framework to interpret the findings.

Results: The analysis revealed both similarities and differences in how male and female engineering students reflected on their roles in combating systemic racism. Both genders emphasized the importance of education, self-reflection, and advocacy. However, male respondents often focused on individual-level actions and personal interactions, while female respondents tended to emphasize structured strategies, policy advocacy, and leadership roles. Male students frequently acknowledged their limited exposure to diversity and privileged backgrounds, whereas female students did not explicitly discuss personal experiences. Female respondents often provided more specific strategies for combating systemic racism, while male responses sometimes lacked specificity and expressed uncertainty about the best approaches.

Implications: These findings emphasize the importance of integrating educational practices that acknowledge and address gender differences in processing and responding to issues of systemic racism. Engineering educators should consider these insights when engaging students in anti-racism efforts, providing targeted support and guidance to different gender groups. Educational interventions could benefit from incorporating elements that challenge existing gender schemas—encouraging male students to engage more deeply with systemic analyses and supporting female students in discussing personal experiences and backgrounds. Ultimately, fostering a united front against systemic racism requires leveraging the diverse strengths and perspectives of all genders while also acknowledging the unique challenges and experiences that shape their engagement with this critical issue.

Keywords: Gender differences, engineering education, systemic racism, social justice, gender schema theory, intersectionality, diversity and inclusion