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An action plan for future women engineers
OTTAWA,
April 28, 2011 —
The University of Ottawa is proud to host the Canadian Committee on Women in Engineering (CCWE+20), a national workshop organized by the INWES Education and Research Institute in collaboration with Professor Monique Frize of the Faculty of Engineering and a nine-member Steering Committee.
Participation by women in the engineering profession remains low, and Canada is missing out on a great source of innovative talent. Though some progress has been observed, great strides must be made in order to increase women’s participation in the engineering profession. Professor Monique Frize states: "I was the first woman to study engineering at the University of Ottawa. It was an excellent program, but it was very lonely for me at times.” Numbers for female engineering students across the country reached 20% in 2002, but this was followed by a steady decline since 2003. This event will design an action plan to increase the participation of women in the profession over the next decade.
What: Committee on Women in Engineering (CCWE+20) national workshop
When: Friday, April 29 and Saturday, April 30, 2011 (registration 8 a.m., opening remarks at 8:30 a.m.)
Where: University of Ottawa, Tabaret Hall, Room 083, 550 Cumberland Street, Ottawa
The workshop will investigate the main issues that continue to limit the active participation of women in engineering. Recommendations will be made on how to increase the proportion of women in study programs at all levels, in teaching, research, industry, associations and technical societies.
Discussions will focus on topics including young people’s career expectations and how they relate to the way science and engineering is taught; policies; eliminating systemic biases and ensuring career progression for competent women; and designing a curriculum that connects with students, taking into account relevant societal concerns.
Examples of successful programs will be presented and plenary sessions will be held after each small group discussion. Resolutions for future action will be developed on the second day.
