Removing Invisible Barriers and Changing Mindsets to Improve and Diversify Pathways in Engineering

Overview & Synopsis

Supporting diverse students in engineering education is considered a critical unsolved issue facing engineering education. The field continues to suffer from a lack of diversity and struggles to recruit and retain underrepresented students. We argue that structural barriers prevent equitable participation. In this paper, we examine structural barriers - specifically racism and sexism - experienced by underrepresented students in engineering education and highlight useful interventions. We then call for action to improve and diversify educational pathways in engineering. Specifically, we call for and highlight examples of rethinking mindsets for research and instruction. Lastly, we call for the engineering education community to work together in changing the culture of engineering education while highlighting the key role of the allies.