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Lafayette is among the national leaders in the percentage of engineering degrees earned by women.
One-third (33.7 percent) of Lafayette’s engineering graduates were women in 2008. This is nearly twice the national figure of 18 percent and places Lafayette No. 9 among the nation’s 258 colleges and universities awarding at least 50 bachelor of science degrees in engineering.
According to Sharon Jones, professor of civil and environmental engineering and director of the engineering division, the 2008 percentage is one of the highest in the College’s history.
“We are consistently above the national average for female engineering majors,” says Jones. “Though, we provide an excellent undergraduate experience for all of our engineering students regardless of gender – small classes, close student-faculty interaction through projects and research experiences, study abroad opportunities, and lots of hands-on activities.
“It is important for the engineering field to attract future professionals who represent our society because that will ultimately lead to better technical solutions. We are trying to do that at Lafayette.”
Nationally, the percentage of bachelor’s degrees awarded to women “ticked lower” in 2008, writes Michael T. Gibbons, ASEE’s director of data research, in the new edition of Profiles of Engineering and Engineering Technology Colleges. The national figure of 18 percent is a tenth of a percent below the previous year.
Published this month (June 2009), the latest edition of ASEE’s Profiles reports data from the 2007-08 academic year.