Over 75% of computer science and engineering degrees are obtained by men, according to PubMed Central. 71% of UCF engineering majors are men, according to College Factual. The University of Central Florida’s College of Engineering is the largest college within the university, serving over 16,000 students (about 11,000 of whom are men). As of 2018, female engineering professionals made up only 17% of the program’s faculty. These statistics are definitely concerning, but they give little insight into what life as a female in a male-dominated field actually looks like.Â
Tori Phillips, a senior engineering major and vice president of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers here at UCF, spoke about her experiences with men throughout her studies.
“They are in awe that a woman would be good at soldering or coding,” Phillips said, referencing a specific example of recent prejudice she faced when buying supplies for an internship.
She was required to wear steel-toed boots for work and, after purchasing them, found that there were three times as many styles for men as there were for women. Despite these everyday obstacles, Phillips holds the utmost positivity and uses these encounters as motivation.
“I think women are the next big thing in the engineering community,” Phillips said.
Unfortunately, Phillips’ experience isn’t an isolated event. Kenedi Sheriff, a sophomore mechanical engineering student, said she had to leave a campus club she joined due to repeated incidents of exclusion by her male counterparts. She joined the club with one of her guy friends, but asserts that the other members (all men) would give him the tasks and avoid interacting with her.
“I ended up leaving the club because nobody ever wanted to talk to me,” Sheriff said.
Both Phillips and Sheriff advise that the most integral part of their UCF experience has been finding like-minded women who share their passions. However, both of these young women have already faced bias in their studies, without even entering the workforce.
One major issue present within women in male-dominated fields is imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is a psychological experience characterized by constant self-doubt and an internalized fear of being exposed as a fraud, despite evident success. The most common aspect of this syndrome is the feeling of self-doubt.Â
This can present itself in a multitude of ways; most commonly, it results in thinking you aren’t good enough, downplaying your accomplishments, and second-guessing important choices you have to make. According to Forbes, around 98% of professional women feel imposter syndrome in the workplace.
Some people believe that a lack of confidence simply occurs more frequently in women. However, this influx of imposter syndrome in women is directly caused by the fact that the workforce was plainly designed by and for men.
Don’t believe it? Look no further than your office or classroom thermostat. Do you always carry a sweater when you enter a chilly classroom or an office building? The average female metabolic rate is lower than that of the average male rate, meaning that most indoor environments are, on average, five degrees too cold for women. While there is always room for improvement, UCF offers a variety of inclusive clubs and organizations that aim to elevate women in STEM.
GEMS (Girls Excelling in Math and Science) is a unique program that aims to increase student success through mentorship and peer bonding. WISE (Women in Science and Engineering) is another female-science-centered extracurricular offered by the university, focusing solely on upper-level students in their last years of college. As both Phillips and Sheriff outline, community is deeply important. Find other women who share your passions, and push each other up when self-doubt and outside experiences tear you down.