Transcript Slide 1

Engineers: It’s Time to Change
How We Promote the Profession
January 31, 2013
Committee on Public Understanding of Engineering Messages. 2008. Changing the Conversation: Messages
for Improving Public Understanding of Engineering. National Academy of Engineering. Washington, D.C.:
National Academies Press.
Housekeeping
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Asking
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• Q&A session is at the end of the presentation.
Poll
Question
How familiar are you with
Changing the Conversation?
Introduction
Chris McManes
Introduction
Thea Sahr
Agenda
• Session Goals
• Public Understanding of Engineering
• The Issues
• Changes We Can Make
Session
Goals
We need to change how we present engineering
1.How we talk about engineering
2.How we showcase engineering (pictures &
visuals)
3.Add messages and context to engineering
outreach and education
4.We need you to join us in making this change.
Here is why….
Public
Understanding
Words associated with engineering
Public
Understanding
What do teens think about engineering?
• Engineering is for people who
LOVE both math and science.
•41% of teens associate the word
difficult with engineering.
• Many don’t know what it is.
• Only 28% have even considered it.
“Someone who excels in math and
science.... Someone who is motivated,
dedicated, and who doesn’t mind sitting
in a cubicle all day.”
Findings from Extraordinary Women Engineers Report. 4/2005 and Intel’s Survey of Teens, 12/2011.
Public
Understanding
Students who are interested:
• 25% worry grades in math
and science not good
enough.
• 25% say STEM careers
involve too much work.
2012 ASQ Harris Interactive Poll
The Issues
The Employment and Competitiveness Problem
• Looming retirement bubble.
• Need for ‘home grown’ workers.
• Overall production of U.S. engineers
compared with competitor nations/regions.
• Attrition out of engineering programs.
• Need more diversity—women and underrepresented groups.
The Issues
Why Public Understanding Matters
• Sustaining the capacity for
technological innovation.
• Improving citizen
technological literacy.
• Attracting young people to
careers in engineering (and
science).
How did we
get here?
Common Images and Standard Definition
Engineers solve problems using
math and science.
How did we
get here?
What engineers tell young people
• Engineering is stressful and challenging
• They stress the importance of SUPERIOR
math and science abilities
“It’s not easy—but if you’re the type who when faced
with a problem some would call impossible is even
more driven to move mountains to find a solution, then
you might have it in you to be an engineer.”
Findings from Extraordinary Women Engineers Report. April 2005.
How did we
get here?
What kids want in a career
Enjoyable
“How happy I will be—what’s the point of doing anything you don’t like?”
To make a difference
“That I would make a difference in some way, you know, make my mark on
the world.”
Income
“As shallow as it sounds, money is the one thing I have to consider when I’m
choosing a job. I’m not going to do something that I know can’t help me
pay bills.”
Flexibility
“My career can’t consume all of my time…I need free time to do a lot of
other things…before I die.”
Findings from Extraordinary Women Engineers Report. April 2005.
How did we
get here?
Disconnect
What can
we do?
Change what we say about engineering
Effective
Messages
Use Effective Messages
• NAE developed a small number of
messages and taglines to encourage
greater public understanding of
engineering.
• Tested the effectiveness of these
messages in a variety of audiences.
This work was funded by NSF.
Effective
Messages
Top Four Messages
1. Engineers make a world of
difference.
2. Engineers are creative
problem-solvers.
3. Engineering is essential to
our health, happiness and
safety.
4. Engineers help shape the
future.
Effective
Taglines
Top Taglines
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Turning ideas into reality*
Because dreams need doing*
The power to do
Bolder by design
Designed to work wonders
Behind the next big thing
Life takes engineering
* winners with teens
Dreams = gender balanced
Not
Effective
✘ Engineers connect science to the
real world.
✘ Engineering is the HARDEST
major and job.
✘ Engineers use math
and science to
solve problems.
Customize
Messages
Use New Definition
Engineers are changing the world all of the
time. They dream up creative, practical
solutions and work with other
smart, inspiring people
to invent, design,
and create things
that matter.
www.engineeryourlife.org
Customize
Messages
Change what you say
• Use design or create instead of build.
• Talk about the people you work with.
• Tell people how your work or
industry makes a difference.
• Use words like:
• Collaborate
 Imagination
• Innovation
 Contribution
• Financially secure
Customize
Messages
Two small actions
1. Change your bio
2. Use a tag line in your email signature line
Customize
Messages
National Engineers Week
2013 Theme:
“Celebrate Awesome”
This year’s theme celebrates
you—engineers, engineering
students, and technicians—
and all of the amazing things
you do everyday to make the
world a better place.
Customize
Messages
Customize
Messages
IEEE-USA Mini Golf Hole Project
•“Engineering is fun and cool” messaging
What can
we do?
Review
Change what we say about engineering by using
and adapting these effective messages.
Action
•Change your bio.
•Add a tag to your email
signature line.
•Review company or
outreach materials—are
they using effective
messages?
What can
we do?
Change the images we use to promote
engineering.
Image
Analysis
Analyze this flyer
1. Is it using a new
tagline?
2. Is it appealing
to target audience?
3. Is this an effective
flyer?
Image
Analysis
Analyze this flyer
1. Is it using a new
tagline?
2. Is it appealing
to target audience?
3. Is this an effective
flyer?
CU Boulder
Results
CU Boulder hosts an engineering outreach
event each year for girls. In 2009 they
changed just the flyer.
2008 - 20 girls
attended
2009 - 100
girls attended
Discover
Engineering
Family Day
What can
we do?
Review
Change the images we use to
promote engineering. Use
people, not things.
Action
• Examine materials.
• Ask: Are there people
in the pictures?
What can
we do?
Incorporate effective messaging
to add context:
• Outreach Activities
• K-12 Classrooms
& After-schools
Add
Context
Evaluation of hands-on activities finds kids:
• Have fun
• Apply math & science knowledge
• Use the Design Process
What’s missing?
An understanding
of what engineers
do.
Add
Context
Add messages to activities
Kids will:
• Have fun
• Apply math & science
knowledge
• Use the Design Process
• Increase understanding
of engineering
Add
Context
Challenges middle school students to design, build,
and present cities of the future.
• 46% Girls
• 57% of students said Future City
helped them see themselves as
engineers someday.
• 58% reported that Future City
made them more interested in
doing other engineering clubs.
Review
What can
we do?
Add messages and context in:
• Outreach Activities
• Classrooms & After-schools
Action
• Review programs to
ensure activities put
engineering into
context.
What can
we do?
Train Others
Change how our colleagues and
volunteers present engineering.
Train
Others
Customize this presentation
• Review state of engineering perceptions.
• Present new messages
• Show them effective images.
• Encourage them to
add engineering
context to
outreach
activities and
programs.
Learn more
What can
we do?
Join CTC Community!
• Like: www.facebook.com/engineersCTC
• Visit: www.engineeringmessages.org
Review
What can
we do?
• Change what we say about engineering.
- Change your bio.
- Add tag to email signature line.
• Change the images we use to promote engineering.
- Use people, not things.
• Add engineering messages and context to:
- Outreach Activities
- Classrooms & After-schools
What can
we do?
Review
• Change how our colleagues and volunteers present
engineering.
• Visit IEEE-USA website:
http://www.ieeeusa.org/communications/eweek/def
ault.asp
• Join CTC Community
- Like: www.facebook.com/engineersCTC
- Visit: www.engineeringmessages.org
Q&A
Funding for this project is provided by:
Thank you!