Perspective of teenagers on traits and research associated with electrical and Computer Engineers and their research

© 2016 IEEE. Gender and diversity balance issues are prominent in the field of engineering. The way engineers and their research are perceived are two areas that contribute to youth deciding on careers in science and engineering. The perceptions of the youth on traits of Electrical and Computer Engineers (ECEs) and their research were explored through a survey of summer youth program students at Michigan Tech. Five different week long engineering programs were offered with surveys presented at the start and end of the contact times to observe how the activities and outreach impact the student perceptions. The perspectives of the youth show a lack of gender related trait association. After all different levels of contact, research area association with ECE was expanded. The largest areas displaying increased association were socially impacted areas, such as medicine. Increasing the association with these areas may help increase the interest of women in becoming engineers using the demographics of females in sciences as a statistical guide. This has shown that the benefit of engineering programs on perceptions and association is indifferent to curriculum and contact duration; that every bit of outreach makes a difference for the youth and prospects for improving gender balance in engineering