1. Is Engineering is “Beautiful” to Qatari Females?
Dr Hend Al Muftah
Qatar University
Training & Development Liaison Committee Meeting
Wednesday 9th June 2010
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2. Presentation Overview
 Introduction
 Career choice prior to engineering education
 Driving Factors
 Restraining Factors
 Conclusion
 What can WE do?
 Q&A 2

3. When I first was introduced to
Engineering at my high school, an image
of a screwdriver is what comes in my
mind! Actually, that’s what some people
says about the “engineering” profession!!
Industrial & System Engineer
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4. Introduction…Facts !!!
Career facts………………….
In 2007
12% of total labor force were women
 Only 6% of total labor force are females @
professional & technician position (Qatar Labor force
sample survey, 2007).
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5. Introduction…. Facts!!!
Education facts……….in 2009…
 QU, 58% are female students
 over one decade (1998-2008), enrolment increased
by181% from 177 to 497 & graduates increased by
353% from 19 to 86 ....
 Texas A & M, 38% are female students
 However, in comparison to total increase in female
students’ enrolment at QU, T A&M, CMU, female
enrolment in engineering disciplines remains relatively
low & does not meet the economy/LM needs 5

6. Females @ College of Engineering-QU
Spring 2009
 Chemical engineering 70 female (59 male)
 Architecture engineering 62 (female only)
 Computer engineering 108 (female only)
 Computer sciences 87 female (59 male)
 Industrial and system engineering 90
(female only)
 Electrical engineering 23 female (75 male)
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7. Why???
 Are Q females challenging retention
problems or they are not being drawn to
engineering in the first place!
 Available opportunities
 Self-choice or by-other-decision
 Pre-university academic preparation
 Retention factors @ education
 Retention factors @ career
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 Culture & society influence!

8. Three Important Issues:
 How can we attract more young women
into engineering education?
 How can we retain more females in
engineering majors?
 How can we retain more females in the
engineering workforce?
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9. The women-in-engineering pipeline
Not enough Not enough
inflow outflow
of female of female
students* students
“Chilly” classroom climate
Poor academic
Uniformed choices
Feelings of isolation
engineering self-efficacy
preparation
How can we
Poor math/science/
retain more
How can we females in the
attract more engineering
young women workforce?
into
engineering?
How can we
retain more
females in
engineering
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(Source: Adapted from Trenor J. M., 2007) majors?

10. Advancing the women in engineering
pipeline “the leaky pipe”
 Female student’ career choice prior to college
and engineering program.
 Uninformed choices.
 Academic preparation.
 Female student’ retention/persistence during
the engineering program.
 Feelings of isolation.
 “Chilly” classroom climate.
 Poor math/science/engineering abilities; engineering
self-efficacy
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11. Factors affecting female students’ career
choice prior to enrol in engineering program*
 Having family members @ engineering (58%)
 Academic preparation- Level of math/science
 Adequate knowledge (60%)
 Ability to apply in real eng. Problems (60%)
 Problem-solving & critical thinking skills
 Decision to join engineering
 High school (45%)
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 Family /peers influence (65%)

12. RESULTS : CAREER CHOICE-FORCE FIELD ANALYSIS
Ideal state: Inspiring and retaining female students in the engineering programs at QU Factors affecting
Prior to enrol into engineering program career choice prior to
entry to engineering
+ Driving forces Bidirectional forces – Restraining forces program.
Job opportunities Pre-college experiences Rigor of the curriculum 1) About 3/5 (58%)
• extrinsic - highly paid job • received information • course difficulty have a family member
• intrinsic - pride & achievement • performance of SME • thoroughness (heavy workload) who was an engineer.
• profession’s image
Contentment in engineering Family influences College’s program (dissatisfaction 2) >60% have adequate
• personal interest in engineering • born in a family of with admission requirements and math /science
• happiness with choice of engineers poor orientation – understanding preparation but < 60%
felt the hand-on and
engineering major • support & encouragement grading system and coping with
problem-solving skills
workload)
in math/science at high
Self-confidence Faculty/TA support Lack of academic preparation school were relevant to
• early interest and abilities in • quality of teaching lack of ability to apply their current syllabus at QU
science, math and engineering • availability for advising strong background of (4th year are more
(SME) • support & encouragement math/science to the real world confidence due to
• overall academic performance & engineering problems experience).
abilities
College engineering climate 3) >1/2 (57.4%)
Encouragement to pursue an • support program Discouragement to pursue an decided to major in
engineering degree • class room environment engineering degree engineering at high
school and 45.2% get
• parents as the most influential • interaction between student • teaching staff as the most
interested for the first
people & staff influential people
time in engineering at
• interaction between student year 12 of high school.
& peers
• sense of belonging 4) > 3/5 (67.2%)
During the engineering program received encouragement
to pursue an engineering
Self-confidence Faculty/TA support Rigor of the curriculum
degree; > 3/5 (64.7%)
College engineering climate say parents as the most
Availability of job opportunities Discourage by poor grades influential people.
Personal interest in engineering Family influences Poor teaching quality

13. Driving forces affecting persistence rates
of female engineering students at QU
 Informed choices
 Awareness
 Positive image
Drivers for
 Availability of job opportunities enrolment
 Extrinsic & intrinsic motivation
 Self-confidence
 Adequate math/science
 Adequate academic advising Drivers for
 Teaching quality retention
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 “Caring climate” college

14. Driving forces affecting persistence rates
of female engineering students at QU
 Personal interest in engineering
 Happiness with college’s program (internship,
academic advising, TA, ,..)
 Happiness with future career (sponsor, pay
scale, eng. Working environment, ...)
 Family encouragement
 Parental advice, family educational background,
family support,...
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15. RESULTS : DRIVER-FORCE FIELD ANALYSIS
Ideal state: Inspiring and retaining female students in the engineering programs at QU Driving forces that
Prior to enrol into engineering program inspire/encourage
female engineering
+ Driving forces Bidirectional forces – Restraining forces students to enroll and
to retain at
1. Job opportunities Pre-college experiences Rigor of the curriculum
engineering program
• extrinsic - highly paid job • received information • course difficulty
• intrinsic - pride & achievement • performance of SME • thoroughness (heavy workload)
1) The main driving
• profession’s image
forces that
2. Contentment in engineering 4. Family influences College’s program (dissatisfaction
inspire/encourage
• personal interest in engineering • born in a family of with admission requirements and
female students to
• happiness with choice of engineers poor orientation – understanding
enroll and to retain
engineering major • support & encouragement grading system and coping with
them at engineering
workload)
program were self-
3. Self-confidence 5. Faculty/TA support Lack of academic preparation
confidence,
• early interest and abilities in • quality of teaching lack of ability to apply their
availability of job
science, math and engineering • availability for advising strong background of
opportunities, and
(SME) • support & encouragement math/science to the real world
personal interest in
• overall academic performance & engineering problems
engineering.
abilities
6. College engineering climate
2) Self-confidence and
Encouragement to pursue an • support program Discouragement to pursue an
contentment increases
engineering degree • class room environment engineering degree
as enrichment of
• parents as the most influential • interaction between student • teaching staff as the most
perception and
people & staff influential people
participation increases.
• interaction between student
& peers
• sense of belonging
During the engineering program
1. Self-confidence 4. Faculty/TA support 1. Rigor of the curriculum
2. Availability of job opportunities 5. College engineering climate 2. Discourage by poor grades
3. Personal interest in engineering 6. Family influences 3. Poor teaching quality

16. Restraining forces discouraging female students to
enrol & retain at engineering program
 Rigor of the Curriculum
 Course difficulty
 Thoroughness (heavy workload)
 Work-life conflict
 Poor grades
 Lack of academic preparation
 Loosing interest
 Dissatisfaction with engineering choice
 Dissatisfaction with college’s program 16

17. RESULTS : BARIER-FORCE FIELD ANALYSIS
Ideal state: Inspiring and retaining female students in the engineering programs at QU Restraining forces
Prior to enrol into engineering program that inspire or
encourage female
+ Driving forces Bidirectional forces – Restraining forces engineering students
to enroll and to retain
Job opportunities Pre-college experiences 1. Rigor of the curriculum at engineering
• extrinsic - highly paid job • received information • course difficulty program
• intrinsic - pride & achievement • performance of SME • thoroughness (heavy workload)
• profession’s image 1) The main restraining
Contentment in engineering 2. Faculty/TA support College’s program (dissatisfaction forces that discourage
• personal interest in engineering • discouragement & lack of with admission requirements and female students to enroll
• happiness with choice of support poor orientation – understanding and to retain them at
engineering major • poor teaching quality grading system and coping with engineering program
• lack of advising workload) were rigor of the
Self-confidence 3. Family influences Lack of academic preparation curriculum (course
difficulty &
• early interest and abilities in science, • discouragement & lack of lack of ability to apply their
thoroughness), teaching
math and engineering (SME) support strong background of
staff and discourage by
• overall academic performance & • future work-life conflict math/science to the real world parents/family.
abilities engineering problems.
Lack academic performance & 2) 2nd year students have
abilities (poor grades). more restraining factors
4. College climate than the other groups
Encouragement to pursue an • support program Discouragement to pursue an because of low
engineering degree • individualist class room engineering degree enrichment of perception
• parents as the most influential environment • teaching staff as the most and participation due to
people • lack of interaction between influential people less experience in college
which affect their
student & staff
“resistant” to face many
• competition between peers
challenges.
• isolation
During the engineering program 3) Rigor of curriculum &
1. Rigor of the curriculum poor teaching quality
Self-confidence 3. Faculty/TA support affects self-confidence
4. College climate when students were
Availability of job opportunities 2. Discourage by poor grades
discourage by their poor
Personal interest in engineering 5. Family influences 3. Poor teaching quality grades.

18. Conclusion
Driving forces were dominant
Qatari Females students enjoys good retention
climate @ Engineering education
Low enrolment NOT low retention
Was the reason behind the under-representation
of female engineering students at QU, and
hence I&E Sector
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19. Positive comments….
 “To me, Engineering as education
means application of science, while
education as career means adding
technical value to Qatar, it really
means to make my country proud of
me”
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20. What can WE do to increase retention
among female students?
 Parents, high school & counselors teachers
 Help students make informed decisions, know what to
expect
 Connect them with mentors and support systems before
entering college
 Market the "Engineering" profession in more attractive
manner.
 Corporate and government constituents
 Serve as a mentor to female students studying
engineering
 Managers & executives: provide reward system for 20
mentoring & outreach activities

21. What can WE do to increase retention
among female students?
 University faculty, staff
 Encourage students to get involved on campus, particularly
women-in-engineering support systems
 Role model for female students
 Develop and implement curricula with focus on collaborative,
demonstrate societal relevance of engineering
 Support students in obtaining research positions, internships,
extracurricular activities that may increase their self-efficacy
 Serve as mentors to female students
 Provide funding for women-in-engineering programs, other
female student support systems
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22. Thank you for all what you do
in supporting
Qatari Female Engineers
h.almuftah@hotmail.com
Q&A
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