Where are women in engineering?

Although the amount of female professionals in engineering has grown significantly over the years, their impact has regrettably become overshadowed by the numerous advancements within the industry. In order to bring the success of these women back into focus, the Women in Engineering ProActive Network (WEPAN) launched the WEPAN Knowledge Center as part of the WEPAN Annual Conference, June 16-19, in Austin, Texas. This new Website will act as an online gateway to information and tools that support the success of women in engineering, providing users with easy access to resources that until now had been scattered throughout the Web.

The Knowledge Center provides a fully searchable database that contains more than 600 resources and accepts submissions of additional resources. The database offers citations, descriptions, and links to reports, journal articles, books, conference proceedings, bibliographies, organization profiles, and other sources that address issues relevant to women in science, technology, and mathematics, as well as engineering.

Tricia Berry, Director of The University of Texas at Austin Women in Engineering Program and President of WEPAN, described the development of the Knowledge Center as a necessary step in further advancing the status of women in the engineering field. Berry explained that "for years those of us committed to the success of women in engineering were constantly on the Web searching for information. Much time was consumed and a lot of wheels got reinvented when we weren’t able to locate what we needed." The new Website seeks to rectify this situation by providing the public with up-to-date knowledge of women’s accomplishments in the industry, while also encouraging women to work towards filling in the gaps with new research ideas.

The Knowledge Center goes beyond a mere informational database by creating an online professional community where women can network, identify subject matter experts, and collaborate on upcoming projects. Users can communicate via blogs and discussion boards; engage in panel discussions and interviews with subject matter experts; and take advantage of various Webcasts and Webinars offered on the site.

Although the Knowledge Center highlights the work of female professionals, WEPAN’s goal is to address all professionals. Other engineering associations, such as the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), are participating in the Knowledge Center as content partners, according to Diane Matt, Executive Director of WEPAN. "The Knowledge Center is a tool for the entire engineering community and we want to shine a spotlight on other organizations’ resources and tools," said Matt. Hopefully, with the collaboration of engineering associations and contributions from individual professionals, the database will succeed as a valuable resource in support of women’s advancement in the industry.