Gender-based perception of civil engineering and construction students towards infrastructure and community resilience

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of gender differences in the perception of civil engineers and construction (CEC) students toward resilience to natural hazards and extreme events in a changing climate. This study also explores to what extent CEC students perceive the status of the US infrastructure systems similar to an external evaluation model (i.e. American Society of Civil Engineers Infrastructure Report Card). Design/methodology/approach An empirical study was conducted to examine the perception of resilience among 103 females and 279 male CEC students from 15 universities across the USA. The obtained data were quantified, and different statistical methods were used to explore the similarities and differences in the gender group responses. Findings The results indicated a significant mean difference (disagreement) between male and female groups in the importance of community resilience, management and handling of natural hazards. In addition, while there was no meaningful difference between female and male students in their content knowledge, female students showed a more accurate perception about impacting factors involved. Originality/value The findings of this study offer new insight into the impacts of gender differences in the perception of resilience, which can be used to enhance the educational experience of CEC female students in areas related to community and infrastructure resilience.