2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Advancing Equity: Exploring the Experiences of Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Students in a Pre-College Engineering Course (Work in progress)

Background: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields have increasingly highlighted the need to support minority groups to foster a more diverse and equitable environment. While previous research has concentrated on female students in engineering, studies focusing on TGNC students are limited. Evidence indicates that TGNC students leave STEM disciplines at rates higher than or comparable to those of other marginalized groups.

Purpose: This work-in-progress paper aims to investigate the impact of pre-college engineering courses on the self-efficacy of high school students, with a focus on Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming (TGNC) students, to advance a more equitable engineering education environment.

Methods: The study analyzed survey data collected from 788 students across 33 schools in 20 U.S. states and regions who took an introductory high school engineering course in the 2022-23 academic year. Statistical analyses, including t-tests and ANOVA, were conducted to compare pre- and post- survey data, assess changes in self-efficacy and identify differences among male, female, and TGNC students.

Results: Preliminary results reveal that while male and female students exhibited significant increases in self-efficacy after the course, TGNC students did not show similar gains. Additionally, TGNC students reported challenges in perceived support and barriers to pursue an engineering degree compared to male students.

Conclusions: Engineering courses effectively enhance self-efficacy for male and female students but provide less pronounced benefits for TGNC students. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions and inclusive course designs to better support TGNC students. Future research will aggregate multi-year data to provide a more comprehensive understanding of these dynamics and inform strategies for fostering inclusivity in engineering education.

Authors

Jialing Wu The Ohio State University [biography]

Jialing Wu is a first-year PhD student in Engineering Education at the Ohio State University. She earned her M.Ed. in International Education Policy and Management at Vanderbilt University, Peabody College, and also holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from China. Her research interests encompass international engineering education, pre-college engineering, as well as the application of quantitative methods and advanced technology in Engineering Education Research (EER).
Dr. Medha Dalal http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5705-1800 Arizona State University [biography]

Dr. Medha Dalal is an assistant research professor and associate director of scholarly initiatives in the Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University. Her career as an engineering education researcher focuses on addressing complex engineering education challenges by building capacity for stakeholders at the grassroots, while also informing policy. Her research seeks to transform and democratize engineering education by exploring ways of thinking, identifying effective professional development approaches, and uncovering pedagogical techniques to enhance students’ engineering curiosity, engagement, and learning.
Dr. Adam R Carberry http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0041-7060 The Ohio State University [biography]

Dr. Adam R. Carberry is Professor and Chair in the Department of Engineering Education at The Ohio State University (OSU). He earned a B.S. in Materials Science Engineering from Alfred University, and received his M.S. and Ph.D., both from Tufts University, in Chemistry and Engineering Education respectively. He recently joined OSU after having served as an Associate Professor in The Polytechnic School within Arizona State University’s Fulton Schools of Engineering (FSE) where he was the Graduate Program Chair for the Engineering Education Systems & Design (EESD) Ph.D. Program. He is currently a Deputy Editor for the Journal of Engineering Education and co-maintains the Engineering Education Community Resource wiki. Additional career highlights include serving as Chair of the Research in Engineering Education Network (REEN), visiting École Nationale Supérieure des Mines in Rabat, Morocco as a Fulbright Specialist, receiving an FSE Top 5% Teaching Award, receiving an ASEE Educational Research and Methods Division Apprentice Faculty Award, receiving a Frontiers in Education New Faculty Award, and being named an ASEE Fellow.

Note

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 22, 2025, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 25, 2025

For those interested in:

Broadening Participation in Engineering and Engineering Technology
engineering
gender
LGBTQIA+
Pre-College