Women in Engineering at UBC
UBC is a great place to study engineering if you’re looking for women-friendly communities, mentorship, role models and resources.
In past decades, women were often few and far between in university engineering classrooms. Thankfully, that’s shifting and there is now a critical mass of women engineering students and faculty on campus.
At UBC Vancouver, women are approaching 30 per cent of students in undergraduate engineering programs. There are more women faculty than ever before at the front of the lecture hall and heading up research centres. At UBC Okanagan, the number of women faculty has increased by 60 percent over the past five years. (Check out our latest Research in Action profiles to read about some of the innovative work underway by UBC researchers and profs.)
While women are still underrepresented in the profession as a whole, ongoing efforts to encourage young women to pursue engineering are gradually increasing their presence in the workforce. At all stages of their careers, UBC Engineering alumnae are leaders and innovators across industries and workplaces.
Finding community
Karisma Jutla, former president of the Engineering Undergraduate Society, has three words when asked what advice she gives to young women thinking about pursuing engineering: “Go for it.”
“Take physics, do outreach programs. Try it out,” she says. “Don’t let any perception someone has given you hold you back. This path is open to you, and even though there are more men in this program, the close bond you form with other women in the program is so special.”
From day one (and even before, if you participate in the three-day Jump Start Vancouver or Jump Start Okanagan program), you’ll have many opportunities to start forming bonds of connection with other women engineering students. Friendships are quickly formed in the first weeks of classes as you work in teams on engineering design projects and get together in informal study sessions after class.
Jump Start Vancouver Jump Start Okanagan
Alana Hibbert is the undergraduate student development coordinator within APSC professional development unit. Her wide-ranging role – which includes overseeing everything from the mentorship program to engineering design teams – gives her a unique perspective on the many ways students can find their communities on campus.
“Incoming students, no matter who they are, can join in so many communities here at UBC, whether that’s a design team, an identity-based group like Women in Engineering, or by getting involved in student clubs and events,” says Alanna. “There are many ways to connect and get involved within engineering and finding a community within engineering.”
E-IDEAS (EDI Affinity) groups at UBC Engineering
Women in Engineering runs programming throughout the year, including social events, professional development workshops, industry sessions, and the annual Women in Science and Engineering networking event that brings together students and women working in STEM fields.
This event is a highlight for many. Stephanie Quon, who served as president of Women in Engineering for two years, remembers attending the event in first year and finding it “so inspiring and empowering to be surrounded by so many incredible women doing amazing things.”
Student-run design teams are another popular way for students to connect with others while working on large, complex and ambitious projects.
Robyn Xiong led a subteam for AeroDesign, a group that builds remote-controlled, fixed-wing aircraft. “It was my first time needing to manage the technical side of a project as well as a team of people,” she says. “It was great to help others build their confidence working with their hands and was an excellent growth opportunity for me.”
Mentors matter
Women mentors play an important role for women in the still men-dominated field of engineering. They can help challenge stereotypes, build confidence and affirm that women belong in technical spaces.
The Engineering Mentorship Program, which is open to all students, pairs a junior student with a senior student and an industry partner. If individuals have specified a preference to be paired with someone of the same gender, program coordinators will make every effort to make that happen.
UBC Vancouver Engineering Mentorship Program
UBC Okanagan Engineering Mentorship Program
“Students share that participating in the mentorship program makes them much more confident in their classes and co-op workplaces,” says Hibbert. “They appreciate building that sense of connection, community and friendship, knowing that there are women in all the engineering disciplines there to support each other.”
Mentors matter at work, too. By participating in the co-op program, UBC Engineering students can build their professional network of men and women mentors, while gaining tangible real-world experience and experiencing what it’s like to work in different industries and workplaces.
“A significant aspect of my co-op experience was seeing what it’s like to be a woman in the mining industry,” says Taylor Chisholm, who graduated with a degree in Geological Engineering. “Initially I had concerns about this, but on site I was treated with full respect by all my co-workers and had the support of both male and female supervisors. This experience not only enhanced my technical skills but also gave me confidence in navigating a traditionally male-dominated field.”
Addressing the gender imbalance
Engineers Canada’s 30 by 30 campaign seeks to have 30 per cent of the country’s newly licensed professional engineers be women by 2030.
Despite many initiatives over the last decades to encourage girls and women to pursue STEM, the number of women who pursue engineering in university is still lower than is needed to achieve Engineers Canada’s 30 percent target – to say nothing of parity!
“One challenge is that we see children developing gender schemas around who is good in science and math at very young ages, and it’s hard to fight that,” says Agnes d’Entremont, Professor of Teaching and Faculty of Applied Science Associate Dean of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and Student Success.
Another barrier is that many young people, both girls and boys, are simply not even aware of engineering as a potential path – or the many different career pathways that are possible with a degree in engineering.
This is where programs like UBC’s Geering Up Engineering Outreach can play an important role in helping students gain exposure to STEM subjects in accessible and inclusive ways and to start envisioning themselves in STEM. Geering Up offers K-12 programs including summer camps, after-school clubs, community outreach and mentoring opportunities across Metro Vancouver and in Kelowna – many of which are low cost or even free of charge.
Focused initiatives include All Girls weeks and partnerships with Girl Guides and other community groups that bring Geering Up leaders to where girls already are and in environments where they are comfortable. Geering Up has an inclusive view of the words “girls” and “women” and welcomes cis and trans girls, genderqueer and non-binary folks, and those who identify as other gender minorities to attend.
“Having students show up in more informal spaces and community-based environments really works,” says Preethi Bokka, who coordinates Geering Up’s events, clubs and offsite camps. “Girls are able to explore STEM in an atmosphere that they associate with being safe and fun. We see girls walking away with a sense of achievement.”
Outreach programs provide the opportunity to outline the pathways to engineering and the courses students will need to be eligible to apply. For example, since students need to have Physics 12 (or its equivalent) to meet the prerequisites, it’s important that young people continue taking higher-level physics to keep all their options open.
Check out the latest Geering Up events, which include GoPhysGirl sessions
Inclusive teams come up with better designs
Engineers design solutions for people. All people. And that’s why it’s so important that engineering teams represent the diversity of end users.
“We have so many historic examples of engineering solutions that were designed by men, for men,” says Dr. d’Entremont, who teaches second-year mechanical engineering course components that encourage students to broaden their perspectives of who is considered in engineering projects.
“From vehicle safety based on crash test dummies that mimic the average-sized man to personal protective equipment or medical devices designed by men and tested on male bodies. We need to keep shifting the culture of engineering to consider the social and political, along with the technical.”
We all benefit when women – and men – bring these perspectives to their work. As third-year Engineering Physics student Tumi Fabiyi states, “getting involved and taking a values-based approach to design is a key step toward becoming the kind of engineer who works to build a more inclusive and healthier world.”
Why engineering is a great choice for women
Engineering is one of the only undergraduate degrees that offers a clear pathway to a job in your profession right after you graduate. No need for additional schooling! And you’re paid well – study after study shows that graduates with engineering degrees earn more than students from any other undergraduate program.
If you read through our alumnae profile, you’ll also discover that not only does engineering set you up financially, it also offers intellectual challenges, opportunities to make a positive impact and a healthy work-life balance.
“Engineering is a very rewarding career,” says Tara Christie, CEO of Banyan Gold Corporation.
“Not only have I been able to use my skills and critical thinking in satisfying ways, it’s given me a lot of flexibility in balancing my career with being a parent. You can make a good living and love what you do – and it’s not work every day if you love it!
Adds Erin Madro, Principal of Evok Innovations, “I was also very involved in the Women in Engineering program at the time as a leader.
We organized a lot of events and mentorship programs. As I've come along in my career, I’ve continued to support and advocate for women in industry. I would love to see more women take this path, because I think there is a tremendous opportunity to make an impact and work towards the positive changes we need in the world. On a personal level, it has been a career that’s offered a healthy balance between work and life and empowered me both professionally and financially.”
Curious to learn more?
Our roadmap page is a great place to start to learn how to plan your journey – from the courses you’ll need to take in high school to options to consider along the way. You can also chat with one of our UBC Engineering Ambassadors to learn about their experiences and discover how UBC’s supportive environment, mentorship programs and inclusive communities empower women to thrive academically, personally and professionally.