Target Group

The total number of female members registered with the Professional Engineers of Ontario in 2001 was 4,011. This represents 6% of the total membership. Careers in technology, math and some sciences have similar low female populations. The Women in Science, and Engineering (WiSE) group aims to benefit all students, staff and faculty interested in issues relating to women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields. Men and women are encouraged to participate, as the education of both groups will be most beneficial. The main target of the group is in the College of Physical and Engineering Science. The executive is comprised entirely of graduate and undergraduate students in this College. Most activities will include an invitation across campus, but since those in CPES face challenges unlike the other colleges, the group will be steered by their needs.

 

Number of People Benefiting

The current undergraduate enrolment (statistics dated September 25, 2002) in the College of Physical and Engineering Science is approximately 1,940 people. Of those students there are approximately 670 female students representing 34% of the total CPES population. A Bachelor of Computing has the lowest ratio of only 11% female students, while Environmental Science has the highest at 56% female enrolment. Fall 2002 statistics indicate that approximately 32% of the 300 CPES graduate students are female. Each discipline has a slightly different ratio, ranging from 41% in mathematics and statistics to 17% in physics. The total number of female undergraduate and graduate students is approximately 765 people. This is the group that we hope to have the most impact on therefore we are adopting this figure as the potential number of students benefiting. As explained earlier, the target of the group is not limited to CPES or to only female student population, therefore the number of students benefiting has the potential to include all interested students, faculty and staff.

 

People Involved in the Initiation

The idea to form this group came from experiences at two separate conferences. Jeannine Guindon attended the Women in Engineering conference held annually in Kingston and was surprised to find that the School of Engineering at the University of Guelph was one of very few schools without a Women in Engineering group. Nicole Webb attended the International Conference of Women Engineers and Scientists with her advisor. She was inspired to form this group by the surprising differences between the University of Guelph high female student population and the low workforce female population. She hopes to begin a process of educating female students to better prepare them for the work world. Dr. Valerie Davidson has been acting as faculty mentor for the project. She was recently awarded the Canadian Council for Professional Engineers award for promoting women in engineering.

An introductory meeting was held on October 8th, 2002 to determine interest and discuss the goals of the group. There were approximately 30 undergraduate and graduate students from the School of Engineering and Department of Mathematics in attendance. With the inclusion of all of CPES, this number will certainly increase.