Girls in Engineering: Will I Be Surrounded by Guys?

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Concerns about the gender imbalance in engineering programs, particularly in Ontario where 75-80% of students are male, are prevalent among prospective female students. Many express anxiety about being one of the few women in their classes and the potential social dynamics that may arise. However, discussions highlight that students can find community outside their specific programs and that gender should not define their capabilities or contributions. Female students are encouraged to engage in engineering projects despite initial fears of inadequacy, as participation can help shift the gender ratio over time. Overall, the focus is on fostering an inclusive environment where skills and personality take precedence over gender.
viet_jon
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Girls in engineering...

I'll most likely get accepted for september in Engineering, I won't be surrounded by guys all the time, will I?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
most likely
 
I'm browsing the Ontario university data right now... it's about 75-80% guys.


this is going to suck...:frown:
 
lol...
 
you don't have to always be around engineers, there will be lots of girls on campus...
 
viet_jon said:
I'm browsing the Ontario university data right now... it's about 75-80% guys.


this is going to suck...:frown:

or...
 
Hey. It's not a bad thing. ;)
 
I personally can't tell from your name.
Are you a girl concerned about being around mostly guys
or a guy concerned about being around mostly guys
 
You can always hang out with people who aren't engineers...
 
  • #10
CaptainQuaser said:
I personally can't tell from your name.
Are you a girl concerned about being around mostly guys
or a guy concerned about being around mostly guys

ohh.. never thought abt that...
 
  • #11
Yea in my physics class both semesters there's been one girl and like 18 dudes. I feel bad for both of the girls bc theyre sort of the center of attention. (Especially since theyre extremely attractive as well as smart).

Don't worry though me and my four physics friends feel just as awkward among the engineers :P Just kidding.

It all depends on them really. You might be suprized when you meet them and start to make friends. Keep an open mind and try to let your personality and skills be the first thing people notice as opposed to your gender.

Btw incase ur actually a dude I apologize ahead of time :smile:
But judging by the context of your question I'll take the assumption you aren't since you didn't say OTHER guys you just plainly said guys.
 
  • #12
We have and had attractive girls in my physics classes and they never seem to be surrounded by the guys in the class. I consider it a good thing, since it doesn't look like we're your typical desperate nerds... bleah.
 
  • #13
What kind of engineering?
I don't know what it is like in the US, but both in Sweden (where I studied) and here in the UK it really seem to depend on what you are studying.
I studied engineering physics at a technical university and when I started in 1995 there were about 20% girls in my class, although that percentage probably increased over time (boys were more likely to drop out or change program than the girls).
The chemistry program had around 50% girls (the year after there were over 50%), the CS program almost no girls at all (something like 2 out of 150 students) and the biotech program 80% girls.
The biotech program (which was just starting up back then so there were only something like 20-30 students) actually had 100% girls a couple of years later.
 
  • #14
Biomedical engineering is pretty close to a 50/50 split genderwise. If you are concerned about gender but want to go into engineering then give biomedical a look.
 
  • #15
In my undergrad nuclear engineering program, we have two girls in NE and a coupl of others who were in the radiation protection program. Women were about 5-10% of the class. We had a few female grad students, mostly from Europe.

I think the proportion of women in engineering has increased slightly based on the MS/PhD's I encounter.


Besides - an undergrad program is only a temporary situation.
 
  • #16
There was a cute chick in my Cal 2 class.
 
  • #17
Boys don't bite...much. :biggrin: As others pointed out, you don't have to hang out only with your classmates while in school, but it's not like they're an alien species you must avoid.
 
  • #18
Who goes to school looking for Women?



Jordan Joab.
 
  • #19
How do you girls feel about working on the formula SAE/mini baja projects?

I'm a girl going into general engineering next year (hopefully mech in year 2) and I'd like to participate in the mech-related engineering side projects. The only thing I'm worried about is the fact that there are like no girls on those teams except on the solar car or concrete toboggan project. I have a 'need for speed' so I find those projects fascinating... but I know nothing about cars as of now.

I guess I'm afraid of being one of those team members who have nothing to contribute, and just makes everything awkward because I'll probably be the only girl there.
 
  • #20
There aren't many girls in the physics program in my school.
I hear some college admissions are easier on girls who want to major in physics/engineering/compsci
 
  • #21
smashingtime said:
There aren't many girls in the physics program in my school.
I hear some college admissions are easier on girls who want to major in physics/engineering/compsci

I don't see why that would help. All the girls I know in physics are better than most of the guys because they had to prove to themselves they could do it before they felt comfortable doing it.

Example:

Guy: I want to do physics!
Wow cool! You must be smart!

Girl: I want to do physics!
Why? It sounds hard...
 
  • #22
aestas said:
How do you girls feel about working on the formula SAE/mini baja projects?

I'm a girl going into general engineering next year (hopefully mech in year 2) and I'd like to participate in the mech-related engineering side projects. The only thing I'm worried about is the fact that there are like no girls on those teams except on the solar car or concrete toboggan project. I have a 'need for speed' so I find those projects fascinating... but I know nothing about cars as of now.

I guess I'm afraid of being one of those team members who have nothing to contribute, and just makes everything awkward because I'll probably be the only girl there.

Your gender should be irrelevant. I would of course be concerned if you have no experience with car and want to work on a car. Then again, perhaps you'll acquire the experience, or work on some other part of it. If you don't join one of the teams, there will STILL be no women on them. How do you think women will get into things if they just keep sitting around being timid about being the only woman?

If they start to make gender an issue, add one of http://www.enasco.com/product/C15307(X)N" to your tool kit. :biggrin: :devil:
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #23
viet_jon said:
I'm browsing the Ontario university data right now... it's about 75-80% guys.


this is going to suck...:frown:


I am in Waterloo Electrical Engineering. There are only 10 girls in class of about 120 students (~8%).
 
  • #24
Shackleford said:
There was a cute chick in my Cal 2 class.

Does that mean there was only one girl in your program? :confused:
 
  • #25
I'm a guy btw...

I find class boring when there's no girls around.My first choice is EE, but bio med is interesting too, I'll look into it.
 
  • #26
Poop-Loops said:
I don't see why that would help. All the girls I know in physics are better than most of the guys because they had to prove to themselves they could do it before they felt comfortable doing it.

Example:

Guy: I want to do physics!
Wow cool! You must be smart!

Girl: I want to do physics!
Why? It sounds hard...

Wouldn't colleges be trying for some sort of a gender balance?
 
  • #27
Poop-Loops said:
I don't see why that would help. All the girls I know in physics are better than most of the guys because they had to prove to themselves they could do it before they felt comfortable doing it.

Example:

Guy: I want to do physics!
Wow cool! You must be smart!

Girl: I want to do physics!
Why? It sounds hard...

That's exactly the responses I've gotten from all my friends and my dad when I told them I'll be going into engineering. They think it's going to be too hard for me. So I do feel like I have something to prove.

Moonbear said:
Your gender should be irrelevant. I would of course be concerned if you have no experience with car and want to work on a car. Then again, perhaps you'll acquire the experience, or work on some other part of it. If you don't join one of the teams, there will STILL be no women on them. How do you think women will get into things if they just keep sitting around being timid about being the only woman?

Thanks. I want to learn about cars, but never had the opportunity. Hopefully they'll be willing to teach me or help me gain some experience.
 
  • #28
viet_jon said:
I'm a guy btw...

I find class boring when there's no girls around.

Are you going to pay attention to your lectures or stare at other people in the classroom? Same advice applies either way, you don't need to only talk to people in your classes.
 
  • #29
smashingtime said:
Wouldn't colleges be trying for some sort of a gender balance?

My point is that a guy will try physics just like any other major, because he will get encouraged by others most likely.

A girl will likely be discouraged so only the ones who KNOW they can hack it will try to do physics. I haven't met a girl who said "I don't know... maybe I'll do physics." Whereas that was and still is my attitude towards my major, same with several friends of mine. We are graduating next year, too.
 
  • #30
viet_jon said:
I'm a guy btw...

I find class boring when there's no girls around.


My first choice is EE, but bio med is interesting too, I'll look into it.

You will have girls in your classes, especially GE's and math. There aren't much women in EE here at my school. Most EE students and professors are male. Even the CS department has more women. You can always sit in the front of the room so you can forget that you are in a room full of guys. You will meet female engineers at engineering student groups.
 
  • #31
There were about 7 girls in my civil engineering class of 18.
 
  • #32
The two smartest people in my school's engineering department got into MIT this year. One of them was a girl. She took physics classes with us and put us all to shame.

I agree that women in physics are forced to prove themselves, whereas men who are in physics are already assumed to be smart for going into the program.
 
  • #33
Moonbear said:
Are you going to pay attention to your lectures or stare at other people in the classroom? Same advice applies either way, you don't need to only talk to people in your classes.

I know what your sayin, but I'm not a slacker when it comes to school though. Cleaning my house, staying on top of general things I slack alot, but definitely not school.
 
  • #34
bubbles said:
You will have girls in your classes, especially GE's and math. There aren't much women in EE here at my school. Most EE students and professors are male. Even the CS department has more women. You can always sit in the front of the room so you can forget that you are in a room full of guys. You will meet female engineers at engineering student groups.

*got my fingers crossed


I'm not familiar with the how classes work in Uni. So are you saying, if girls in other degree programs require a calculus class, they could take it with EE majors?
 
  • #35
If girls in other degree programs require a calculus class, I think its a different calculus course than the ones engineering ones have. Or at least in my university.

Like, I'm doing maths, physics, cs but I don't take any common classes with engineering people. If there are girls in other fields of engineering, maybe you will have class with them. I'm not quite sure.

I don't get what's the big deal with the girl/guy ratio thing. I think its fine. (And I'm a girl, btw).
 
  • #36
I'm a guy... and I like to be around girls. :smile:


Could you give me a typical overview of what Uni classes are like? They're nothing like high school right, where you come in, get a 10 minute lesson then get assigned questions one to fifteen?


I'm under the impression that you come to class only to get taught. One hour or so of lecturing, then it's up to you if you do your coursework on your own time or not. I'm hoping it's like this.


I have a lot of questions. I should have titled this thread accordingly.
 
  • #37
I've never actually had to do something during one of my physics lectures. It's just listening to the prof talk for an hour and then like you said it's up to me.

Which is why a guy/girl ratio won't matter. You won't have time to talk to them during class, and there's plenty of girls you can find outside of class.
 
  • #38
viet_jon said:
*got my fingers crossed


I'm not familiar with the how classes work in Uni. So are you saying, if girls in other degree programs require a calculus class, they could take it with EE majors?

Students in engineering, science, math, economics, and any other major that is very quantitative will require the same math classes, but you will mostly have guys in your EE classes.

You don't interact with your fellow classmates much during lectures. The professor does most of the speaking. Students take notes and occasionally ask a few questions. You get to interact with your classmates mostly outside of class and you probably see them a lot if you have group projects.
 
  • #39
Jordan Joab said:
Who goes to school looking for Women?
Jordan Joab.
Sorry in advance for how off topic this is, but because of the way you put your name after the question made it seem like you answered your own question.

Kind of like:
"Who goes to school looking for women?

Jordan Joab goes to school looking for women...giggity giggity."
 
  • #40
undrcvrbro said:
Sorry in advance for how off topic this is, but because of the way you put your name after the question made it seem like you answered your own question.

Kind of like:
"Who goes to school looking for women?

Jordan Joab goes to school looking for women...giggity giggity."

:smile:

I hadn't noticed that!
 
  • #41
viet_jon said:
I'm a guy... and I like to be around girls. :smile:


Could you give me a typical overview of what Uni classes are like? They're nothing like high school right, where you come in, get a 10 minute lesson then get assigned questions one to fifteen?


I'm under the impression that you come to class only to get taught. One hour or so of lecturing, then it's up to you if you do your coursework on your own time or not. I'm hoping it's like this.


I have a lot of questions. I should have titled this thread accordingly.

No assigned work in lectures
Professor talk, and students can ask questions (if you ask too many; prof wudn't be able to finish material - everything is scheduled; he must and must finish the material) So, some/more profs don't like students who ask questions

You have tutorials (in addition of lectures) where you can bug your ta as much as you like... unfortunately, most tas are either
1) international kids
2) kids with no social skills - they can't explain you much
3) or, they don't know much about your course because they took this two-three years ago, and now have no clue about anything

So, basically most times you are on your own - and, you are loaded with way too much material -, and you start hating your life (many people whom I know either hate their lives or hate engineering and want to switch it) because everything sucks! :smile:

this wouldn't happen in first semester, hopefully :approve:
 
  • #42
rootX said:
No assigned work in lectures
Professor talk, and students can ask questions (if you ask too many; prof wudn't be able to finish material - everything is scheduled; he must and must finish the material) So, some/more profs don't like students who ask questions

You have tutorials (in addition of lectures) where you can bug your ta as much as you like... unfortunately, most tas are either
1) international kids
2) kids with no social skills - they can't explain you much
3) or, they don't know much about your course because they took this two-three years ago, and now have no clue about anything

So, basically most times you are on your own - and, you are loaded with way too much material -, and you start hating your life (many people whom I know either hate their lives or hate engineering and want to switch it) because everything sucks! :smile:

this wouldn't happen in first semester, hopefully :approve:
I was told that half the engineering students at a local Uni drop out after first year. That's a pretty big number. I'm not discouraged though...I see myself in the upper half for sure.

I'm starting first year at 25, partying days is behind me, so I'll have plenty of time for my studies. Now all I got to do is stay away from the girls, or I might be in trouble. :-pI can't wait to get in school. Learn about my passions, math and sciences, and have the opportunity to meet many many people. U of T has 60 thousand undergrads. So say 30 thousand female's?... life is going to be good.
 
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  • #43
Ok the truth is, it's nothing like high school. It is way better. At my college I am the only girl in my Physics and CAD classes, but the way I look at it, I have a slight advantage over some of the guys :) Any time I am having any kind of trouble i can have, oh say 3 guys come over to try to help and even explain it. I was scared at first to know that I would be the only girl in my class, but I have come to realize I love it, everyone is so nice. Though I do have to try harder to prove myself worthy. I have seen over half my original class drop out, mainly it was the Physics and Math courses that pushed some over the edge. The Math wasn't too hard, I actually enjoyed it, and now the Physics on the other hand, not so much fun, lol. I am willig to answer any other questions you might have concerning this subject, I am just on the opposite side that you are :)
 
  • #44
Is it a cultural thing or is it true that girls don't like science/engineering as much as boys do?

Our department asks such a question everytime when female enrolment into our 4th year physics course goes below the faculty's expectation...
 
  • #45
Well, some girls don't like engineering as much as some guys, but I absolutely love it. Girls, I think have to want it more, because guys seem to under estimate us girls. We can sometimes be treated as the underdog at times, it sucks, because of the fact some teachers think us girls are only there to find a man. That is not the case, but if one does come around while we are there in class, then it's all good too, just can't let your feelings get in the way of the studies :)
 
  • #46
mcknia07 said:
We can sometimes be treated as the underdog at times, it sucks, because of the fact some teachers think us girls are only there to find a man.

perhaps, then, it is a cultural thing rather than something to do with genetics/evolution...
we can change the culture though... but probably not the genes...
 
  • #47
Einstein and the Final Frontier.
 
  • #48
mjsd said:
perhaps, then, it is a cultural thing rather than something to do with genetics/evolution...
we can change the culture though... but probably not the genes...

Yeah, I think you are right on that :) The cultural things will always be changing, but the genes, on the other hand, nope, lol.
 
  • #49
And when you're around engineers, most of the time the jeans aren't getting changed either.

Ooh. Burn.
 
  • #50
Huh, why would you say that? Are you saying engineers are dirty or something, lol?
 

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