APPENDIX C: LIST OF INITIATIVES
This list of initiatives demonstrates that many individuels and organisations are developing ways to increase the participation of and improve the environment for women in engineering. By including this list in the report, the CCWE hopes to encourage others to adopt innovative practices and procédures.
The initiatives listed have specific objectives: to increase the interest of girls and young women in engineering prerequisites (science and mathematics); to attract and retain women engineering students and faculty; and to recruit, retain and advance the careers of women engineers.
The information was obtained from a call for initiatives from participants in the CCWE public forums, national conférence and research project. Where information was complete, initiatives were also extracted from briefs presented at the public forums. Please note that the names and addresses of contact people are in the language of origin.
1. GENDER EQUITY IN ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS
New Brunswick Department of Education: The Gender Equity in Education Award recognizes individuels who have made a significant contribution toward the achievement of gender equity in public schools. Checklists or Detecting Bias and Stereotyping in Instructional Materials is designed for use by individuels responsable for designing, writing, editing, publishing and selecting classroom materials.
Ontario Ministry of Education: The annual Report to the Legislature on the Status of Women and Employment Equity in Ontario School Boards includes a statistical analysis of educators by gender. The ministry also publishes an employment equity resource directory for school boards.
Quebec Ministry of Education: The Guide for Informed Adults is designed for educaters and members of parents' and school committees in primary and secondary schools to evaluate exercise books and teaching materials to eliminate discriminatory stereotypes. Beyond the Myths: Ups and Downs of Non-traditional Workers is a study of working conditions for and training of young women in non-traditional jobs. Girls and Non-traditional Training- Some Interest But Many Obstacles is a study of factors that can limit girls' access to non-traditional training and is designed for guidance personnel, schoul information staff and teachers. The short film, Clippe, mais clippe égal, is designed to help elementary and junior high school students develop a critical mind towards sexism and violence in videos, and the film manual is designecl to make teaching staff and parents aware of the new cultural phenomenon of videos.
Saskatchewan Education: Learning and Leadership: Women's Participation in Education outlines initiatives undertaken by Saskatchewan Education to promote gender equity in the éducation system and to encourage women to enrol in certificate and degree programs in non-traditional occupations. Literature includes: Gender Equity Policy and Guidelines for Implementation, Learning and Leadership, Women's Participation in Education, Selecting Fair and Equitable Learning Mate and Gender Equity, A Resource Directory. The Life Transitions course helps senior secondary students make life transitions related to career, personal well-being, family and community.
Saskatchewan Women's Directorate: Initiatives include: Focus, a magazine for women and women's organizations designed to raise awareness and understanding of issues affecting women in Saskatchewan; Focus on Your Future, a magazine for high school students; a music video that complements the magazine; and Design Your Future, a career booklet.
2. MATHEMATICS, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS
Association for the Promotion and Advancement of Science Education: Engineering for Children is handson activity program incorporating the principles of engineering. Delivered through workshops to elementary school teachers, parents, engineers and children, the program encourages participation by girls.
Brock University: The concurrent Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Education program prepares teachers for grades four to 10.
Cabot Institute of Applied Arts and Technology: Bridges Into Trades, Technolozv and Science is a pilot program designed to improve women's access to postsecondary éducation, occupational training and employment in trades and technology fields.
Champlain Regional College: The Experiment in Female Friendly Chemistry involved integrating topics of interest to girls in the chemistry curriculum; creating a visiting scientiste program; incorporating material that emphasizes the benefits of,science to society; and training teachers to deliver the new program.
Maritime Provinces Education Foundation: Increasing Student Participation in Science, Maths and Technology: What Works is a forum scheduled for fall 1993. Educators will learn about successful initiatives to increase student participation and achievement in science, math and technology, and will develop a plan for action.
Nova Scotia Department of Education: Curriculum changes include: incorporation of the roles, achievements and contributions of women in math and science; inclusion of career components specifically related to women; adoption of a "destreaming" policy in schools; and re-design of the Primary-to-Grade 6 and the Grade 10 science curriculum to make it more attractive to young women. A summer camp program encourages young women to pursue careers in math and science.
Ontario Ministry of Education: Initiatives include: Science is Happening Here, an outline ofscience curriculum policy; an inventory of Ontario women in scientific and technical fields; grants to school boards for innovative teacher in-service projects; introduction of three additional qualification courses in science for primary and junior teachers; redesign of the technological éducation curriculum; and a Report of Progress, 1991.
Toronto Board of Education: In the Job Sites program, teachers visit two job sites where personnel outline the need for a high school background in math and science for many different types of jobs. The teachers re-visit one site with at least 10 female Grade 9 or 10 students.
University of Alberta: The faculties of éducation and science are working on a five-year bachelor of science/bachelor of éducation program to prepare mathematics and science teachers. Program features include some engineering courses and work expérience in technical fields.
University of British Columbia Department of Mathematics & Science: The 1990 Mathematics and Science Assessments investigated the participation rates of girls and women in senior level mathematics and science courses. The Third International Mathematics and Science Study involves students in about 50 countries and considers participation rates and gender différences in college preparatory mathematics and science courses.
University of British Columbia Math and Science Education Department: Gender Differences in Participation in Secondary Mathematics and Science investigates the perceptions of female high school students about mathematics and science.
University of Guelph: Update is a professional development program offered to secondary school teachers three times a year; one of the 60 sessions is on women in engineering. Women in Math and Science, a professional development workshop for teachers, included occupational data, student attitudes and performance studies by Guelph faculty.
University of Regina Faculty of Education: The faculties of engineering and science sponsor symposia and conferences on women in science for selected senior science education students. Encouraging Women in Science: A Checklist for Teachers has been developed.
University of Toronto Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering: Information sessions for guidance counsellors and heads of mathematics and science departments present items of interest to potentiel female applicants such as percentage of female students, stereotyping myths and career opportunities.
3. RESOURCES: LITERATURE, POSTERS AND VIDEOS
Association for the Promotion and Advancement of Science Education: The 10-minute video, Sense of Wonder: Teaching Elementarty Science, shows how the natural curiosity of children leads to ways to teach science.
Association of Professional Engineers of Ontario: Claire Kuzac's High School Survival Guide, a video about a female Grade 12 student, emphasizes the importance of math and science.
Canadian Council of Professional Engineers: The pamphlet, Engineers Creators of Tomorrow, features male and female engineers in a variety of disciplines.
Canada Scholarship Program: The video and guide, Selling Science to Students trains engineering, science and technology professionals and university and college students on how to make effective présentations to elementary and secondary schools about studies and careers in their fields.
École Polytechnique de Montréal: A video cassette for use during high school visits presents four short features: Engineer of Tomorrow, It is Difficult but Fun, Future Women Engiiieers and The Engineering Profession. The 20-page pamphlet for high school students, Ingénieur ingénieurs Pourquoi pas TOI? (Male engineer Female engineer Why Not You?) outlines the role of men and women engineers in society, the admission requirements for engineering studies, and specialization fields.
Industry, Science and Technology, Science Sector: Women in Science and Engineering Volume 1: Universities presents a statistical profile of women science and engineering faculty and students in Canadian universities. Volume 2 will profile colleges. The 12-minute video, Rap-O-matics, encourages girls and boys aged 1 1 to 15 to keep their career options open by taking math and science courses.
Mount Saint Vincent University: Consider Science is a nine-minute video that discusses learning and teaching science. It Started With Science is a 13-minute video featuring short profiles of women with an undergraduate science éducation.
Ontario Women's Directorate, Education Equity Unit: Initiatives include: a math poster listing 148 different occupations that require a mathematics background, resource materials for teachers, and a bibliography of curriculum materials entitled Into the Fields of Mathematics, Science and Technology.
Royal Society of Canada: The booklet and video, Claiming the Future: Women in Scholarship, encourages young women to consider careers in scholarship by profiling a dozen women scholars in Canada.
Saskatchewan Education: The Saskatchewan Occupational Handbook links the labour market, éducation and training, and traditional and nontraditional occupational information in Saskatchewan.
Science Quest: Science Ouest for Teachers THE BOOK, Volume 1 and Volume 2 contains hands-on science experiments that teachers can use for children in Grades 5 to 8.
University of Manitoba: Wall posters illustrate teaching and research activities in agricultural engineering and feature male and female engineering students.
University of Toronto: The recruitment brochure, Women in Engineering--Making Choices, is available to schools, boards of éducation and professions] organizations across Canada. The Recruitment Video features female role models who describe the opportunities and challenges of the engineering profession.
University of Waterloo: The pamphlet, Engineering - A Choice for Women, is designed to alter the image of engineering as a male-dominated subject/profession and is distributed to female high school students interested in engineering.
Elizabeth Weckman, Ph.D.
Mechanical Engineering Department
University of Waterloo
200 University Ave. W.
Waterloo, ON N2L 3Gl
Tel: (519) 885-1211
Women in Science and Engineering, Newfoundland: The 12 WISE Career-a-Month Posters depict careers in science, engineering and technology, feature photographe of Newfoundland role models, and offer information on éducation requirements and jobopportunities. The video, Wise Choices, features five Newfoundland women in science and technology careers and is accompanied by a User's Guide.
Women Inventors Project Inc.: This project encourages girls and women to pursue careers in science and technology. Activities include: publications, workshops, seminars and What If?, a video featuring women inventors and entrepreneurs.
Yukon Department of Education: Women in Nontraditional Careers , a booklet and study guide for junior high teachers and students, tells colourful stories about women; they are designed for use in conjonction with classroom visits by the women profiled.
4. SCHOOL VISIT AND ROLE MODEL PROGRAMS
Applied Science Technologists and Technicians of British Columbia: Members of the Committee for Women in Technology act as role models and mentors by taking part in discussions and high school career fairs for male and female students. Literature is available on careers in technology and industry liaison.
École Polytechnique de Montréal: In visits to CEGEPS and high school visits, teams of one male student and one female student make people aware of engineering careers.
Institute for Technological Development: World in Motion, the Society of American Engineers developed activity program, is distributed to elementary school science teachers in Grades 4 to 6. After a short course in interacting with elementary school children, professional engineers visit classrooms in which the program is operating. Elementary school children also participate in organized visits to various engineering démonstrations and laboratories.
Industry Science and Technology Canada: The Innovators, Frontrunners and Wizards Network features professionals, students and retirees in engineering, science and technology. They do classroom démonstrations, judge science fairs and talk to students about their professions. The program is offered through a network of managers located in each province and territory.
Northern Telecom-NSERC Women in Engineering Chair: A school visit strategy and a directory of women role models has been developed; approximately 50 French and English elementary and secondary schools are visited each year.
Science and Technology Advising Youth: Careers in engineering, science and technology are promoted to female elementary school students by connecting curriculum to actual job situations through haiids-on projects and job shadowing.
Université Laval CERFIS: The Committee to Encourage Representation of Women in Engineering and Science is a student committee that organizes présentations in secondary schools and CEGEPS and encourages students, especially women, to pursue studies in science and engineering. The presentation of a video follows a discussion on the conditions for students in the faculty, with particular attention to the intégration of women into the traditionally masculine program. Les sciences et le génie, pourquoi pas? is a video produced by CERFIS and featuring a male and a female secondary school student in discussion with their guidance counsellor who explains the nature and the role of science in everyday life, the pure sciences, the applied sciences and engineering.
University of Calgary: Female engineers and scientiste recruited from the Association of Women Engineers visit elementary and junior high schools in Calgary.
University of Manitoba: To inform students of the opportunities for women in the physical sciences and engineering, women engineering and science students speak to Grade 5 to 12 classes and distribute posters and pamphlets.
University of Toronto: Initiatives include: elementary and secondary school career days featuring speakers from industry, government and business; a university open house that includes an admission and counselling booth and an activity booth for children; and individuel and group tours that may include indepth sessions in particular departments or a general tour. The Future Horizons Open House is a one-day conférence for female elementary and secondary school students, their parents and teachers; activities include lab tours, démonstrations, hands-on activities, lectures, and a literature display. Co-ordinated through the Engineering Society, the High School and Elementary School Visitation Program involves students visiting their high school during Reading Week to discuss their expériences as engineering students.
University of Waterloo: In the Pathmakers Project, female university students are trained to do présentations and act as role models for Iiigh school students by participating in career days and panel discussions; they are also matched one-to-one with high school students in a one-day job-shadowing program. In the Open Doors Project, women in nontraditional careers serve as role models for students in Grades 6 to 8 by presenting seminars and participating in career days.
Women in Science and Engineering: WISE members organize and participate in school visit programs, science fairs, career days, and mentor and careershadowing programs. The following are WISE Chapters across Canada:
5. EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Canadian Home and School Association and ParentTeacher Federation: Literacy in the Information Age encourages local networks of youth-oriented community groups to consider the learning environment in relation to available programs and activities. A resource book contains information on reading, problem-solving and critical thinking, and promotes mathematics and science as essentiel subjects.
British Columbia Science World: In the Scientist in the School Program, trained volunteer scientiste, engineers and technologists spend a day in a school talking about science as a career and leading hands-on activities. The Science by Mail program organizes youth groups or teams of students to work with a scientist to solve problems. The Camp-in Program for youth groups includes hands-on activities, exhibits, a film and a sleep-over. The Teacher Training Program now under development includes a conscious effort to interest girls and young women in scientific and technical careers.
École Polytechnique de Montréal: The general public is invited to visit the institution and to take five themebased tours of facilities and laboratories.
Fanshawe College: Girls Exploring Technology is a one-week program to help girls in Grade 6, 7 and 8 choose secondary school study programs that maximize future career options. A Women in Technology Memorial Bursary is awarded to a student at the college.
George Brown College: At the Females into Technology Days, girls in Grades 6, 7 and 8 spend a day sampling various areas of technology via handson experiments or projects.
Maritime Provinces Education Foundation: At the Summer Institute for Young Women in Science, Math and Technology scheduled for july 1992, young women will have an opportunity to expérience science and math in a coopérative learning environment.
Mount Saint Vincent University: Ten female Grade 9 students doing well academically in math and science will be selected from each of the four Atlantic provinces to attend a one- to two-week symposium. Speakers, laboratory experiments and discussions will stress the importance of studying math and science throughout high school.
Operation Minerva: This organisation of Calgary science educators and practising scientiste promotes science éducation for women. At an annual two-day conference, female Grade 8 students job shadow a female professional and attend workshops, panel discussions and activities. Other initiatives are a science and technology summer school for girls, biographies of women scientiste, and a handbook for conférence planners.
Prince Edward Island Status of Women: At the oneday workshop, Women Do Math & Science, professional women working in math- and sciencerelated occupational fields share their knowledge. Workshops for Parents focus on career choice and decision making.
Queen's University: In Mini-Enrichment Courses, top high school students study a single subject, such as engineering, for one week. In one-day visits to campus, enrichment classes from elementary schools see the film, I Want to be An Engineer, and participate in hands-on activities and experiments. Elementary school children also participate in one-day visits to local industries.
Queen's University Science Quest: Science Ouest is a non-profit and student-run organisation that introduces science and engineering to elementary school teachers in half-day workshops in May and June, and to pre-high school students at summer day camps.
Ryerson Polytechnical Institute: Discover promotes engineering to femàle high school students who have continued with mathematics and science courses. The week-long summer camp includes engineering activities, démonstrations, career awareness, games, tours and discussions.
Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology: Girls Exploring Technology is a summer camp that emphasizes the importance of high school science, mathematics and industriel arts on subséquent career décisions.
Simon Fraser University: At a one-day conférence, Women do Math, 400 young women in Grades 9 and 10 are introduced to science professional role models and participate in workshops about mathematics and scientific topics and careers. Parent and teacher workshops are held concurrently.
Toronto Board of Education: About 450 young women in Grades 7 and 8 attend the Horizons Conference which features women who describe their jobs and careers and highlight the need for math and science.
Université Laval: Science et Contes is a summer camp for boys and girls from 10 to 14 years. It offers an initiation to diverse scientific topics. The young people visit laboratories in the faculty and complete projects that they show their parents at the end of the week. Two different themes are offered each week for eight weeks. Sports activities complete the week. In 1991, girls represented 42 percent of the participants.
University of Guelph: At the Women in Physics and Engineering Day, female Grade 10 students and their teachers attend hands-on laboratory demonstrations that present science as fun and interesting, and have informal discussions with women working in physics and engineering. In the Interaction program, high school students and their teachers spend a day on campus attending their choice of interest sessions and hands-on laboratory demonstrations.
University of Toronto: In the Science 2000 Event, 120 Grade 6 to 8 students explored environmental issues for two months and attended special lectures in the faculty of engineering for a day. Science Outreach is a student-run summer science and engineering program for students in Grades 5 to 10; workshops are presented in schools in May and june, and a five-day enriched summer science program for students is held in July and August.
University of Waterloo: Engineering and Science Quest is a series of one-week day summer camps for Grades 6, 7 and 8 students and is promoted by the staff at 140 workshops at the local schools in May and june. Plans include sessions specifically for girls. A Day with a Difference is a one-day workshop in which 240 Grade 8 girls participate in hands-on laboratory experiences, including engineering.
University of Western Ontario: At the summer science camp, Discoverv Western, girls and boys in Grades 5 to 8 acquire hands-on expériences that demonstrate the scope of engineering and applied sciences.
Women in Scholarship, Engineering, Science and Technology: WISEST offers a Summer Research Program for Grade 11 students and Day Conferences for girls in Grade 6 and Grades 9 to 12.
Women in Science and Engineering, Newfoundland: In the Student Summer Employment Program, female Grade 11 students are placed in summer research jobs in the faculties of science, medicine, engineering and the Centre for Cold Ocean Resources Engineering at Memorial University of Newfoundland.
York University Faculty of Physics and Astronomy: Girls and Physics are three-to five-day summer workshops for girls in Grade 9 and 10; activities include speakers, laboratory work, démonstrations and sports activities.
6. CREATING WOMEN-FRIENDLY UNIVERSITIES
Concordia University: Initiatives include: a full-time advisor to the dean; an Excellence and Equality in the Engineering Profession Symposium held in February 1990; the Committee on the Status of Women in Engineering and Computer Science (WECOS); theWECOS Mentoring Program which introduces female engineering students to female professional engineers; and the Big Sister Program which matches senior female students with juniors to exchange personal and academic expériences.
École Polytechnique de Montréal: A Standing Committee encourages everyone's involvement in the well-being of the population and makes recommandations to management. A policy to counter sexual harassment has been adopted. An escort service has been established on an expérimental basis and is available to female students who want to walk on the campus between 7 p.m. and midnight. The Young Geniuses Day Care will be available to the university population. Workshops help students who have difficulty in various subjects and managing their time.
Engineering Student Societies Council of Ontario: Initiatives include Sexism in Engineering, published by the Congress of Canadian Engineering Students in January 1991; an Canadian Engineering Student Publications Conference held in the fall of 1990; adoption of formal éditorial policies for several engineering student publications; guidance counsellors seminars that include a tour of engineering faculties; a resoltùion that the Congress of Canadian Engineering Students set up a central national databank and fundraising system to provide information to engineering societies; and improvements to orientation programs.
Labrador Community College: The Personal Harassment Policy and Procedure Guidelines states that college students and employées are entitled to college study, residential and work environments free from harassment by the college or any agent of the college including staff and students.
McGill University: Initiatives include a Women in Engineering Committee and a survey of engineering students to determine ways to increase the number of women students. Teaching évaluations have been used to encourage change in the way language is used; students are asked if they perceived the teacher seriously intended to defame any group, and/or made offensive jokes or remarks of a casual nature and that were inappropriate with respect to some groups.
Northern Telecom-NSERC Women in Engineering Chair: The chair-holder addresses faculty, staff and students at faculties of engineering across Canada, as well as at engineering conférences and meetings regarding the need to create women-friendly environments for women engineering students and faculty.
Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities: Faculty, Staff and Student Workshops are funded by a grant of $50,000 to universities to promote understanding and acceptance of sexual harassment, educational equity and human rights policies.
Université de Moncton: Initiatives include: the formation of an ethics committee by the engineering student society; increased student participation in charitable activities; specific recruitment publications for female high school students; and efforts to attract students in the health sciences preparatory programs who are not accepted into medicine and other health sciences fields.
University of Alberta: The Task Force on Non-Academic Activities of Engineering Students investigated and made recommandations regarding Engineering Week, student publications and student activities. The President's Commission on Equality and Respect on Campus examined gender issues campus-wide; one off-shoot was the creation of an Office of Human Rights. All university students are bound by the Code of Student Behaviour which explicitly prohibas any form of sexual harassment and sets out penalties for violation.
University of Toronto: Initiatives include: the Task Force on Professional Image and Women in Engineering; adoption of a code of ethics for students; formation of an editorial review board for the Toike Oike (the newspaper of the Engineering Society); a Women in Engineering Committee to deal with issues of concern to women in engineering; and changes to orientation and other engineering activities. Planned initiatives include a workshop on improving conditions for women studying engineering; a task force to review the objectives of first-year orientation; a network of women in the university and industry; and a seminar on the expériences of women engineers.
7. ATTRACTING AND RETAINING WOMEN UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
AMIK Engineering Program: This program provides various services to aboriginal students, including admission advocacy, tutoring, counselling, academic tutors, and housing and childcare referrals.
Canada Scholars Mentor Clubs: Several universities have mentor clubs for Canada Scholars which are funded in part by Canadian Marconi Ltd.
Carleton University: Activities include: the participation of female engineering students in the Pathmakers program for high school women; a mentoring program that matches engineering students with high school students for a day; personal encouragement of female engineering students to consider graduate studies; and involvement in industry-university coopérative efforts.
McGill University: The Promotion of Women in Engineering (P.O.W.E.) Committee promotes engineering as a career for men and women; orients women in engineering at McGill; and organizes events and activities of particular interest to women.
Memorial University of Newfoundland: The faculty of engineering and applied science administration encourages the élimination of sexist material or behaviour in the academic and social environment on campus by communicating with the exécutive of the engineering student society.
Mount Saint Vincent University/Technical University of Nova Scotia: The proposed am for Women in Engineering is intended to recruit more women into engineering and to ease the transition into the Technical University of Nova Scotia by offering an associate program at Mount Saint Vincent University for the first two years of undergraduate engineering.
Northern Telecom-NSERC Women in Engineering Chair: Supported by Northern Telecom and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, the women in engineering chair at the University of New Brunswick develops and delivers programs to attract and retain women students, and shares these initiatives at the national level. The chair-holder teaches and does research in engineering part-time.
Queen's University: The Special Assistant to the Dean of Engineering is a female graduate engineer and supports and encourages women in engineering. Female engineers or engineering students telephone female students entering first-year engineering to answer questions and offer assistance.
Université Laval: Recruitment initiatives include: letters to sensitive parents to the need for support; welcoming letters to new studeiits; and literature with testimonies and photographe of students and graduâtes. Integration initiatives include: a study of the factors that motivate and demotivate male and female engineering students; speakers to students about adjusting from university to the workplace; workshops on career management and interview preparation; and development of strategies to sensitive professons to women's différences.
University of Alberta: The Engineering Students' Outreach Program informs high school students about the benefits of a university éducation and options available through engineering. Two or three students of both genders and from various engineering disciplines present a talk and slide-show.
University of British Columbia: The Joint Project for Women in Engineeringis a collaborative project of the Faculty of Applied Science and the UBC's Women Students' Office. Its purpose is to increase enrolment of women in engineering and to assess the quality of the learning environment for women students.
University of Guelph: START is a weekend program for accepted university applicants and includes sample lectures, socializing and academic counselling. The Counselling and Student Resource Centre offers a 10-week course for students who are on conditional status or who have been re-admitted after having been required to withdraw. Under the performance counselling program, undergraduate engineering students who are very close to achieving the minimum academic standards meet with the engineering academic counsellor to identify and resolve problems.
University of Manitoba: In the ACCESS Program, two senior students are selected from each Winnipeg high school to attend a présentation by a practising female engineer at a luncheon hosted by academic staff and female engineering students; at least one of the students must be female and all students must be enroled in courses that are prerequisites for engineering. The Mentorship program matches female professional engineers with a first- or secondyear female student and a third- or fourth-year student.
University of Saskatchewan: The Encouraging Enrolment in Engineering Committee Advisory Board promotes engineering studies by developing a video tape and promotional material for distribution in the school system.
University of Toronto: In the Campus Visit Program, high school students are given a general introduction to the university, attend an information session on a specific program, and may attend selected first-year classes. The Engineering Society organizes a Frosh for a Day Program in which high school students spend a day at the faculty and attend classes.
University of Waterloo: At Explorations, an annual open house for high school students, elementary school children are invited to a special evening in the faculties of engineering and science. Engineering students provide one-day shadowing opportunities for high school students. The Women in Engineering Committee reviews existing policies, practices and environments, and makes recommandations to the faculty.
University of Waterloo Engineering Society: Regular workshops for high school students and guidance counsellors include women in engineering as a major topic of discussion.
University of Western Ontario: The proposed Pre-Engineering Program for Disadvantaged Groups Underrepresented in Engineering in Canada is designed to ease the transition from school to university by providing special help and skill development to underrepresented and disadvantaged groups such as native students.
University of Western Ontario Undergraduate Engineering Society: In the Peer Counselling Program, senior female engineering students welcome incoming female students and provide an orientation to engineering that includes a barbecue and tours of the engineering building.
Women In Scholarship, Engineering, Science and Technology (WISEST): The WISEST UAYs is a support group for women in the sciences and engineering at the University of Alberta.
8. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR ENGINEERING STUDENTS
Canada Scholarships Program: Based on academic performance, Canada Scholarships provide $2,000 per year for up to four years to about equal numbers of male and female university students in undergraduate science, engineering and related disciplines.
1989 Canadian Engineering Memorial Foundation: A $5,000 scholarship is awarded annually to a woman student entering her first year of an engineering program and to a woman entering her last year of an engineering program; the award is based on community leadership and academic achievement. The Engineering Students Project Award is a $10,000 annual award to a team of Canadian engineering students who have undertaken a project with the most potentiel to attract students, particularly women, to engineering.
École de Technologie Superieure: The Fonds Barbara Daigneault is a fund created in memory of Barbara Daigneault, an engineering student murdered at École Polytechnique on December 6,1989.
GE Canada: The Canada Scholars Program is sponsored with special awards to students specializing in design engineering. The Diversity Award is a scholarship presented annually to an engineering student in the name of an employee who has made a significant contribution to the development of diversity awareness within the company.
Manitoba Telephone System: The Manitoba Telephone System Scholarship is awarded to six first-year female students in engineering and includes summer employment.
Manitoba Hydro: Employment Equity Bursaries for students in engineering, computer science and related technology programs include an offer of summer employment on successful completion of first-year studies.
National Research Council: The Training Program for Women in Science and Engineering provides financial assistance and career-related training to selected women who are enroled full-time in undergraduate studies in science and engineering at Canadian universities.
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council: The NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Awards have been extended to female students in the mathematical and physical science or engineering who have just started their undergraduate degree program.
North American Road Ltd.: The Employment Equity Bursary Program provides an annual award of $1,000 to a female student entering her second year of construction engineering.
NOVA Corporation of Alberta Scholarships: Special $1,000 awards are given annually to six women Canada Scholars entering their last year of engineering, and six women Canada Scholars entering their second-to-last year of engineering.
Saskatchewan Highways and Transportation: An Engineering Work Experience Scholarsship is awarded to a Grade 12 student who has been accepted into engineering at the university of Regina or Saskatchewan, and includes summer employment during the four-year program.
Women in Engineering Memorial Scholarship: This $2,000 scholarship is designed to encourage and support young women entering the faculty of engineering at Memorial University of Newfoundland.
9. ATTRACTING AND RETAINING WOMEN GRADUATE STUDENTS
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council: Two-year Research Reorientation Associateships facilitate re-entry into a research career for PhDs who left the workforce five or more years to attend to family responsibilities. Research Reorientation are one-year awards for individuels with master's degrees who wish to pursue a doctoral degree after having met family responsibilities. The NSERC Postgraduate Fellowships Program regulations have been modified to permit récipients of NSERC postgraduate scholarships or postdoctoral fellowships to defer commencing tenure of their award, or to interrupt their award for up to two years 'due to maternity leave, child-rearing or family responsibilities. The timeframe for eligibility to apply for NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowships has been extended by up to three years for persons who have withdrawn from the workforce and from active research for child bearing/rearing purposes for at least one year after receiving their doctoral degree.
Queen's University: The Visiting Women Scholars Program sponsors visits by women to give lectures, attend fonctions and serve as role-models to female students. A graduate studies dinner is held for female faculty, graduate students and third- and fourth-year engineering students and features a female keynote speaker who serves as a role-model/mentor to the students.
University of Toronto: The recognizes graduate students' need for leave because of pregnancy, birth or adoption, and permits a pause in studies so that they can provide full-time care in the first year of parenting a new child.
University of Waterloo: The Incentive Challenge Fund is designed to challenge faculties to produce initiatives to encourage female students to enter graduate study programs and pursue academic careers. Some faculties participate in a scholarship program set up under the fund and others submit proposals such as providing childcare subsidies for students in financial need.
University of Waterloo Graduate Student Association: Three daycare bursaries for graduate students are each worth $1,000 per term and are paid directly to the daycare.
10. ATTRACTING AND RETAINING WOMEN FACULTY
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council: Women's Faculty Awards encourage universities to appoint outstanding women with doctoral degrees to faculty positions in science and engineering. About 20 annual awards are given; they include a portion of the award-holder's salary for five years and a research grant for three years.
Simon Fraser University: Tenure-track faculty members who have been on leave from the university for four months or longer for medical, maternity or adoption purposes may be granted a contract extension, and where applicable, a delay in tenure considération for one year.
University of Waterloo: Academic departments must prepare a brief summary of their recruiting efforts, particularly as they relate to considération of candidates from the "under-represented" gender. If the top three candidates for a faculty position are of the saine gender, a candidate of the opposite gender will also be recommended for considération. A report of the percentage of female faculty in the department and of female PhD récipients in the discipline in the preceding year should be included in documentation supporting the top candidates for a faculty position.
University of Western Ontario: Proposed initiatives include: endowed chairs or professorships for women in engineering to increase the number of women professons, and a bridging program that would allow female faculty members to be hired when available, and offered tenure-track positions and absorbed in regular positions when a match in the field of specialization in a vacated position occurs.
11. ENGINEERING PROGRAM AND CURRICULUM
Canadian Council of Prof essional Engineers: The Task Force on the Future of Enginering Education studied engineering education from pre-university to post-university. The report is to be released in summer 1992.
Centre for Technology and Social Development: Through courses and research, the centre addresses the growing pressure on engineers to help society find a more sustainable way of life and develops préventive engineering approaches.
École Polytechnique de Montréal: The Internship in Business program, offered in cooperation with the placement service and with input from professons, allows diversified training.
George Brown College: The CADD Program is for mature immigrant women with science or engineering backgrounds; the 36-week program includes English as a second language, life skills training, mentorship and a 16-week monitored workplace expérience.
Industry, Science and Technology Canada: Junior Research Fellowships provide Canada Scholars with hands-on expérience working with senior researchers in laboratory settings.
New Brunswick Women's Directorate: In the Summer Mentorship Program for Female Students, female students are paired with female civil servants working in non-traditional jobs, and receive 14 weeks of employment experience.
University of Alberta: The introductory engineering course provides information on various engineering disciplines and serves as a forum for discussion of professionalism, equality and respect. The People in Industry course for engineering students is about work, its development and organisation; the participation of women in engineering is discussed.
University of Western Ontario: The Industry Internship Program offers extended internship periods for eight, 12 or 16 months to engineering science students who have completed three of the four-year honours program with an established academic record of at least 65 percent.
12. CREATING WOMEN-FRIENDLY WORKPLACES
CN Rail: Initiatives include an employment equity program, a sexual harassment policy, maternity benefits, parental leaves, pension plan, permanent part-time work, a human rights policy and daycare. Sexual harassment awareness sessions are offered for all employées, and a full-day module trains supervisons in the management of a diverse workforce. A Guide to Non-Sexist Communication promotes communications that are free of bias.
Dofasco, Inc: The services of the Work and Family Connections Resource Centre include: confidentiel individualized consultation services to employées requiring information and assistance in childcare and eldercare availability; a quarterly newsletter; adult resource material and videos; a toy lending library; and seminars on topics such as childcare options, changing family needs, household child safety, child guidance, and returning to work after maternity leave. Family Friendly Policies include: extended leaves of absence, maternity leaves of absence, fetal protection, and flextime and flex days. The formal Harassment Policy outlines supervisory responsibility to protect employées' rights and includes guidelines for handling complaints. The formal statement on Employment Equity promotes equal opportunities for advancement, transfer and job assignments.
Energy, Mines and Resources Canada: Initiatives include: maternity leave, five days leave with pay per year for family-related responsibilities; and a care and nurturing leave that allows for leave without pay for the care of the employee's pre-school age children for up to a maximum of five years. Flexible hours allow employées to arrange hours of work to accommodate personal requirements, and variable liours of work permit employées to complete the required number of hours per week in less than the required number ofdays. Other initiatives include an employment equity program, provisions for part-time and worksharing arrangements, and self-funded leaves.
Esso Petroleum Canada: Initiatives include a Women's Advisory Committee and a training workshop for engineers and management to raise awareness of attitudes towards women.
Federal Working Croup on Women in Engineering, Science and Technology (WGWEST): The Working Group consists of members from 23 federal government departments and agencies, as well as the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council, the National Research Council, the Science Council and the Professional Institute of Public Service of Canada. Its role is to develop recommandations to improve the status of women engineers, scientiste, techniciens and technologists working in the federal government
GE Canada: Six Diversity Action Teams composed of a cross-section of employées have been formed to develop and implement strategies that address issues of diversity, including: recruitment and sélection, employee development, training and communications, management practices, accommodating différences, and networking and mentoring. The teams are coordinated by the Diversity Council comprised of the CEO, senior management and team représentatives. Other initiatives include: an employment equity program, a workplace harassment policy and brochure, a child/eldercare referral service, parental leaves and flexibility in working hours.
General Motors of Canada Limited: The Women's Advisory Council advises the executive staff on issues affecting women in the organisation and suggests positive intervention. The council investigated the under-representation of women in manufacturing management and developed a management development program.
Hydro-Québec: Initiatives include: an employment equity program, maternity benefits, parental leave, sexual harassment procédures, flexible hours, and daycare. A sensitization program on women's issues is in place for men/managers. The company also undertook a major study of the working conditions and expériences of women engineers within the organisation.
IBM Canada Ltd.: Initiatives include: an employmeiit equity program, sexual harassment policy, maternity and parental leaves of absence, and an equalized pension plan.
Imperial Oil Limited: The brochure, Work and Family: The Delicate Balance outlines company and government programs supporting employées' work and family responsibilities. Company policies and programs cover dépendent care benefits and support, alternative work arrangements, health issues, relocation, leave of absence, éducation, and retirement services. The Policy for Harassment Free Workplace prohibas harassment and outlines complaint investigation responsibilities and procedures.
Manitoba Hydro: Initiatives include an employment equity program, job-sharing, and harassment and discrimination prevention policies.
New Brunswick Department of Transportation: Initiatives include: an employment equity program, parental leaves, maternity benefits, sexual harassment policy and job-sharing.
NOVA Corporation of Alberta: Initiatives include: a sexual harassment policy and development of training on managing and valuing diverse work groups. Supportive policies include: maternity leave benefits, discretionary parental leaves of absence, part-time employment with prorated benefits, job-sharing, a pilot project on telecomuting and a flex-day program.
Ontario Hydro: The employment equity program includes corporate-wide représentation targets for' women at all levels of the company. Employment Equity at Ontario Hydro 1990 reports on employment equity achievements based on corporate guidelines and a formal corporate policy. The pamphlet, Know Your Human Rights ... at Ontario Hydro, outlines human rights and complaint résolution procédures for informal and formal complaints about discrimination and harassment.
Petro-Canada Resources: A Work Environment Committee is comprised of a cross-section of employees, encourages women to join the organisation and ensures a productive work environment. Other initiatives are in-house childcare facilities, an harassment policy, a parental leave policy, and part-time work.
Saskatchewan Highways and Transportation: The Women in Engineering Advisory Committee will follow-up workshops for engineers and managers regarding attitudes toward women.
Shell Canada: Initiatives include: a computer-based child and eldercare information system; extended leave of absence policy; alternative work arrangements; a dual-career planning program; and an employee spousal transfer assistance program. A leave of absence policy allows for unpaid leave of up to two years to accommodate individuals with a special need to take time off.
Women's Bureau of Labour Canada: The Workplace Equity Fund provides financial assistance for initiatives that promote equity in the workforce, including research, studies, conférences, workshops, production of printed and audio-visuel materials, and démonstration and pilot projects.
13. CORPORATE OUTREACH
Amoco Canada Petroleum Company Limited: A Junior High Career Day introduces role models in several professions to 80 girls; 40 daughters of Amoco employées are offered spaces first. In the Partnership in Education program, employées lecture in schools, help in laboratories, tutor and organize extracurricular activities. Support is provided to employees who volunteer time during business hours to act as guest speakers in schools.
British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Highways: Futures in Transportation Technology involves professionals who provide career information to high school students, act as role models and put up public displays for high school students. Support groups exist for first-year undergraduates, especially women, minorities and aboriginals.
Canadian Construction Association: The Employment Equity Program promotes careers and jobs in skilled trades in the construction industry to women. The recruitment campaign includes an education campaign for employees, brochures, posters and a video.
Carleton-Ottawa Learning Foundation: PARTNERS involves over 20 secondary schools in the OttawaCarleton area each of whom are partnered with a local business. Activities include job shadowing, professional development, mentoring, workplace tours, coopérative éducation and high technology démonstrations.
Energy, Mines and Resources: Partnership in Education aims to encourage secondary school students to consider a career in the scientific professions. EMR employees interact with students at scientific fairs, sports activities and academic celebrations. Students also learn about careers through real scientific experiments.
Esso Resources Calgary Limited: Each year during career week, 150 female Grade 8 and 9 students are invited to see four presentations by Esso employees on four different careers. Emphasis is on continuing with math and science in high school; seventeen différent careers are featured, including engineering.
General Motors of Canada: The Educational Outreach Project encourages Grade 7 to 10 students to study mathematics and science. Available in French or English, supportive materials include a video, presenters' guide, and a binder of subjects integral to students' education. A speakers' bureau of employées prepared to visit schools has also been established.
IBM Canada Ltd.: Through a series of partnerships with faculties of éducation and schools, IBM donates computer technology to encourage and motivate the development of compétence in mathematics and science for prospective and in-service elementary and secondary school teachers and students. Other projects focus on teaching and research in faculties of science and engineering. IBM participâtes directly with students through youth science fairs, mathematics contests, summer science camps and the Shad Valley program.
New Brunswick Department of Transportation: Employees make presentations at high schools and universities. Working with the provincial association of professional engineers, the department organizes an annual visit for university engineering students tliat includes a tour of the workplace, démonstrations and a dinner.
Newfoundland Telephone Co. Ltd.: Support was provided to the WISE Science Fair and Poster Series 1989. The company also adheres to the Employment Equity Act.
NOVA Corporation of Alberta: Initiatives include an engineering task force to identify actions to encourage students, especially female students, to go into careers in science and engineering.
Saskatchewan Highways and Transportation: The Partnership in Education Program includes jobshadowing, an Engineering Work Experience and career exploration activities. Department représentatives also participate in curriculum development programs and professional development for teachers.
14. RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION OF WOMEN ENGINEERS
CN Rail: Initiatives include: a university recruitment program, redesign of job postings, widespread advertising, representational targets, training on the interview process, and workshops on selection procedures. Interview lists must include women and sélection is by committee of which at least one member must be a woman. The goal for recruiting professional engineers is 50 percent women. Statistical reports are produced on a regular basis to monitor representation, hiring, terminations and promotions.
Dofasco, Inc.: Female engineers are used for oncampus interviews of potentiel graduates. Multiple interview procédures are used to eliminate gender bias.
Energy, Mines and Resources Canada: Initiatives include competition posters, representational targets, selection by committee, and standardized job descriptions.
Hydro-Québec: Initiatives include: a university recruitment program, gender-neutral job-postings, widespread advertising, representational targets, and a job description review committee. Selection is by committee of which at least one member must be a woman; sélection committees receive training. A database of resumes is used to solicit applicants for specific positions. To increase the number of resumes of female engineers in the database, Hydro has run articles in a professioiial engineering magazine.
IBM Canada Ltd.: Initiatives include: co-op, student internship and university recruitment progranis, and representational targets for hiring. The Interviewer Training Program and an interview guide wliicli is used to record interviews have been designed to obtain and document more reliable behaviourial evidence of key personal characteristics. Managers participate in training sessions on employment equity.
Industry, Science and Technology Canada: The Canada Scholars Register contains a list of resumes of Canada scholars seeking co-op, summer or permanent employment.
New Brunswick Department of Transportation: Initiatives include advertisiiig, representational goals for hiring, campus recruitment, initial screening by a committee, and standardized job descriptions.
NOVA Corporation of Alberta: Initiatives include: a university recruitment program; a database of resumes; considération of applicants based on ability to perform the job as well as on existing qualifications; and standardized job descriptions that are used as a basis for evaluations.
Public Service Commission: In the OPTION Program, women are recruited from the external labour force and within the federal public service into nontraditional occupations, including engineering, by using a pool of person years ivli'ch can be given to departments on a first-come, first-served basis for up to a year.
Saskatchewan Telecommunications: Initiatives include: job postings, on-campus promotion, co-op and summer student employment, and career days at high schools and universities.
15. CAREER DEVELOPMENT FOR WOMEN ENGINEERS
Alberta Government Telephone: Programs include: a Career Development Program; a Three-Way Partnership that involves the employee, their manager and the corporation; an EIT Maintenance program; and bridging programs. A communication program educates employées and managers on career development and career planning. Other initiatives include policies for on-loan/temporary assignments; a mentor program for members of targeted groups; and networking opportunities.
CN Rail: The Educational Sponsorship Program is designed to increase the représentation of women in management by sending women back to university full-time and with their salary paid. The Bridging Program identifies high potentiel women and gives them work expérience in fonctions that have an underrepresentation of women and that lead to management positions. A management development program brings in new employées from designated groups (primarily university graduates), and increases the promotional opportunities for designated group members already employed by the organizatioii; the program includes four-to-six month terms in différent areas of the company and an informal network. Training is monitored to ensure target group members are included. Job descriptions are compréhensive and consistent, and wages are linked to formal performance evaluations.
Energy, Mines and Resources Canada: Through the Educational Leave Program, managers and employees may be granted leave without pay, with or without an allowance, to pursue a formal program of study at a recognized institution.
Energy, Mines and Resources Canada Assignments Program: The Assignments Program provides mobility and developmental opportunities for permanent employées to enhance their career opportunities and to provide management with experienced staff for short-term tasks and projects. The full-time or part-time assignments last from three months to two years. Other initiatives are career advancement workshops for junior-level women, educational leaves of absence and tuition reimbursement. Training budgets are monitored to ensure a balanced provision of training funds to target group members.
Esso Resources Calgary Limited: The women's support group which meets every month initiated a pilot mentoring project that involves 15 women, training for mentors and protégés, and matching on a voluntary basis. In the executive sponsorship program, senior management have chosen women in the organisation to sponsor. A full-day gender relationship workshop involves senior management and an equal number of women employées as learning partners.
Government of Manitoba: The Executive Development Program for Women identifies and prepares women to enter the exécutive level and encourages departments to recruit women for senior positions and to support their career development. The program includes a two-day self-assessment workshop, an automated inventory of women, special assignments, and opportunities for networking.
Hydro-Québec: Initiatives include: informal information sessions on the reclassification and promotions process, intégration plans for new employées, a management skills program, standardized job-descriptions that are used as a basis for évaluation, and a standardized performance appraisal form and scale. Wages are linked to job évaluations and the collective agreement. A video sensitives women engineers to ways they can advance their careers, shows the different career paths within the company, and identifies factors needed for success; it also sensitives managers of engineers and human resource professionals.
IBM Canada Ltd.: Initiatives include: encouragement of informal mentoring, an entry-level training program, support for educational upgrading, and an average of two weeks of training per individuel per year. Under an accelerated screening practice, all applicants are reviewed on merit. Promotions are also based on merit. job descriptions are staiidardized and wages are based on the outside market, job level and employee performance.
Manitoba Telephone System: During their first two years with the company, newly graduated engineers are assigned a mentor (a professional engineer at the management level) and placed in three différent professional settings witliin the company. Also in place are a pre-apprenticeship program and an employment préparation program for inner city residents who have aboriginal or visible minority backgrounds.
New Brunswick Telephone Company Limited: Initiatives include: career development plans for women managers and support for women to participate in the Management Development Program for Women at the University of New Brunswick. The back-to-school program pays employées 70 percent of their salary for eight months of full-time study at a university or community college, and full salary for four months of summer work.
NOVA Corporation of Alberta: Initiatives include: a succession planning program; a training program for all entry-level engineers; discretionary educational leaves of absence; two weeks of training per year; wages based on job évaluations and the marketplace; and équivalent work standards for men and women.
Petro-Canada Resources: Initiatives include: recruitment of summer and co-op engineering students, job-postings, application screening and interview techniques. In the case of two substantially equal candidates, the member of a designated equity group will be selected.
Saskatchewan Telecommunications: Initiatives include: an employment equity program; a Management Effectiveness Program; an Engineering Technical Program for junior engineers; and a Technical Ladder Program that offers a technical career path with advancement and compensation incentives similar to the managerial career path.
16. ASSOCIATIONS OF PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS
Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia: The Division for Advancement of Women in Engineering and Geoscience develops and implements programs to promote, advance and increase the participation of women in engineering and geoscience.
Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Newfoundland: Initiatives include a Women in Engineering Committee and a speaker's program that promotes careers in engineering, with special emphasis on women in engineering, to junior and senior high schools.
Association of Professional Engineers of Manitoba: Initiatives include: a speakers' bureau; participation in the Innovators in the Schools program; présentations of the "World in Motion" program in elementary schools; and support for the ACCESS program for women in science and engineering at the University of Manitoba. The association has also degenderized its documents.
Association of Professional Engineers of New Brunswick: Initiatives include: a Women in Engineering Advisory Committee, a display module that is used in school présentations, and participation in the Innovators in the Schools program.
Association of Professional Engineers of Nova Scotia: Initiatives include: recruitment programs for junior high and high school students, and a Task Force on Women in Engineering to encourage more women to enter the profession and to support women currently practising engineering.
Association of Prof essional Engineers of Ontario: Initiatives include: a speakers' bureau, a Women in Engineering Committee; Making a Difference, a surveyof 1,300 women members; a video to encourage girls in Grades 7 and 8 to continue with maths and sciences; a Career Outreach Program; and WE-ACT, a biannual newsletter for women engineers and engineering students in Ontario.
Association of Professional Engineers of Saskatchewan: The Women in Engineering Advisory Committee is developing a database of women in engineering in Saskatchewan, investigating the needs of women engineers, organizing a seminar and workshop for members of Saskatchewan programs and organisations, surveying to determine why women engineering students and engineers leave engineering, and participating in the Innovators in the Schools Program.
Bill 19 is a private members bill that proposes that the Professional Engineers Act, 1984, be amended by adding: "that the registrar may refuse to issue a licence to an applicant if the applicant has been convicted of sexual assault or aggravated sexual assault under the Criminal Code of if there are reasonable and probable grounds to believe that the applicant has harassed another person because of sex of that person."
Canadian Council of Professional Engineers: The Festival of Engineering in April 1992 will focus on the role engineers play in everyday life.
Ordre des ingénieures du Québec: Initiatives include: a study of women engineers; degenderization of association documents; collaboration with organisations on studies of employment equity; collaboration with universities in mentorship programs for female engineers in information sessions for high school students; and sharing of information on women engineers with organizations conducting research.