Unheard, overlooked, and ignored: The intersectional experiences of non-native english-speaking women in engineering doctoral programs

Abstract

Creating a more equitable and inclusive graduate engineering education environment requires amplifying the voices of female non-native English-speaking (NNES) international doctoral students (IDSs), whose experiences often go unheard. Their small representation results in their barriers being overlooked, as broader discussions on “women in STEM” or “international doctoral students” fail to capture their unique experiences. Despite contributing diverse perspectives and expertise, these students face complex barriers deeply intertwined with their identities. Using an intersectionality framework, we examined how their identities, as women, NNES students, international students, and members of underrepresented racial or ethnic groups, intersect to shape their experiences in doctoral engineering programs. Through semi-structured interviews with eight NNES women IDSs at a Midwestern university, we found that some participants perceived their interactions with faculty and peers were shaped by their awareness of multifaceted identities. Further, some participants reflected on how their identities influence how peers perceive their abilities and commitment to doctoral studies. Some participants reported doubts about their competence, stereotypes, unequal treatment, and discrimination in engineering classrooms and labs. Beyond academic barriers, several participants described how broader societal constraints, such as financial instability, cultural and family expectations, and U.S. immigration policies, further complicate their experiences, forcing them to balance academic progress with personal responsibilities. This study sheds light on how students make meaning of and perceive their experiences, highlighting the urgent need for engineering educators and student affairs professionals to address the unique barriers NNES women IDSs face. By implementing support systems, graduate engineering programs can take meaningful steps toward fostering a more inclusive and supportive academic environment.