This workshop in engineering education will bring together a panel of experts to address the chronic question of why under-representation persists in engineering degree programs. The participants of the workshop will identify the technical, social, political, and/or economic impediments to implementing decades of prior recommendations on mechanisms to enhance racial and ethnic diversity in engineering and develop potential strategies for overcoming these impediments.
The results of this workshop can potentially inform more effective efforts to draw on the diverse population of the United States and thus improve both the number and quality of engineering graduates, as well as prepare a more diverse 21st Century workforce. This project overlaps with NSF's strategic goals of transforming the frontiers through preparation of an engineering workforce with new capabilities and expertise. Additionally NSF's goal of innovating for society is enabled by creating results and research that are useful for society by informing educational policy and practices.
