STEMpathy Study on Persistence in Mechanical Engineering

Despite widespread targeted efforts at the pre-college level to recruit greater numbers of females and minorities for careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), fewer than 9% of today’s mechanical engineers are female and underrepresented minorities remain under 10%. There is a disproportionately high attrition rate of females and minorities from engineering programs and professions. Female and underrepresented minority mechanical engineering students are discouraged by factors involving: 1) Wider cultural norms and biases (societally pervasive ideas and often discriminatory practices); 2) Social-structural factors that result in differential engineering college preparedness; and 3) Organizational norms and biases within mechanical engineering. At the intersection of these forces is an individual who enters a career to make a difference, but whose fundamental social responsibility goals and leanings are frustrated. This culture alienates many students at a time when prominent engineering organizations like ABET call for greater diversity, empathy and social responsibility. Undergraduates in ten engineering programs at the Milwaukee School of Engineering completed a survey consisting of developed measures of “STEMpathy” (empathy in STEM); equitable treatment across commonly known bases for discrimination; a measure of personal empathy based on Baron-Cohen’s systemizing-empathizing dichotomy; a developed instrument to measure likelihood of persistence; and qualitative questions on reasons for career choice and discriminatory experiences in college. Multiple linear regression analysis supported the hypothesis that persistence likelihood is a function of program STEMpathy and departmental fairness (lack of discrimination) and showed a moderating effect of empathy on program fairness/discrimination. Mechanical engineering was distinguished by low STEMpathy and unique challenges surrounding student persistence.