On May 1, 2012 4:08 PM, "Janet P Gunn" <jgu...@csc.com> wrote: > > But that leaves out all of us that started off in a different (technical) field (Math and OR in my case) and ended up here.. >
Furthermore, is rigorous academic STEM education highly correlated with whatever it is you are trying to measure ? CB > Janet > > This is a PRIVATE message. If you are not the intended recipient, please delete without copying and kindly advise us by e-mail of the mistake in delivery. NOTE: Regardless of content, this e-mail shall not operate to bind CSC to any order or other contract unless pursuant to explicit written agreement or government initiative expressly permitting the use of e-mail for such purpose. > > > > From: "James M. Polk" <jmp...@cisco.com> > To: IETF-Discussion list <ietf@ietf.org> > Date: 05/01/2012 04:40 PM > Subject: Gender diversity in engineering > Sent by: ietf-boun...@ietf.org > ________________________________ > > > > There have been some good numbers floated on recent threads, but at > least for me, they aren't enough to gain a complete (or nearly > complete) picture of the issue. > > Having studied statistics, we need to know a starting point, and look > for the reductions (or increases) from that point forward. Starting > in high school is not sufficiently refined enough, as there are a lot > that take advanced math (personally I'd start with trig - because > that kicked my ass - but rarely is it its own class, so let's start > with calculus 1) that don't go into engineering. Thus, high school is > probably not a good place to measure from. Therefore, it needs to be college. > > We need to know > > % of class (based on year started) that is female in engineering > (do we want to start with electrical and CS to > be more applicable to our situation?) > > We'll call that percent 'X' > > then > > %X of drops from engineering (BS) (or just elec/CS?) over the college > years before graduation? > > then > > %X that enter workforce after BS in Engineering (or just elec/CS?) > into the engineering field? > > then > > %X that start graduate school (MS) in engineering (or just elec/CS)? > > %X that receive MS degree in engineering (or just elec/CS)? > > %X that enter workforce after MS in Engineering (or just elec/CS?) > into the engineering field? > > then > > %X that start doctoral school (PhD.) in engineering (or just elec/CS)? > > %X that achieve PhD. in engineering (or just elec/CS)? > > then > > %X that enter workforce after PhD in Engineering (or just elec/CS?) > into the engineering field? > > This will likely track those that are entering the engineering > workforce, and with what level of education. From that point in the > analysis - we can attempt to track at what point there are further > drops out of the engineering workforce by women (i.e., after how many > years). Or is it as simple as problems after childbirth to reenter > the workforce (for whatever reason). > > As an example, if there is a significant difference from those that > drop out after their BS from those that drop out MS, then maybe > something should be done to encourage women to stay for the MS. > > comments or questions? > > James > >