Quantitative Approaches to Advance Diversity and Inclusion within the Engineering Education Ecosystem

Advancing diversity and inclusion has been a persisting goal in the field of engineering. Despite numerous efforts to address this need and some noticeable gains, the issue is far from solved. Initiatives to support the progress of marginalized groups have reflected positively on their presence, persistence, and success in engineering programs. However, more is necessary to understand the factors limiting the success of such initiatives. This seminar presents different projects related to advancing diversity and inclusion within the engineering education ecosystems. The first two projects of this endeavor focus on (1) faculty diversity and (2) the support of students living with mental health conditions. It is envisioned that results will support change in engineering education towards a sustainable holistic engineering education culture. The research accentuates how quantitative methods within a solid theoretical understanding could leverage the extensive qualitative evidence on the experiences of marginalized groups and expands on possibilities for future research.

Dr. Matilde Sanchez-Pena is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Engineering Education at Purdue University. She completed her Ph.D. in Engineering Education from the same institution in 2018. Her dissertation explored gender differences in faculty retention and promotion at research-intensive institutions. Her current research areas include (a) advancing diversity, (b) cultures of health, and (c) data analysis skills. She aims to promote a more equitable engineering field in which students of all backgrounds can acquire the knowledge and skills to achieve their goals. Before engaging in Engineering Education research, she completed graduate degrees in Industrial Engineering and Statistics and contributed to a wide range of research areas including genetic disorders, manufacturing optimization, cancer biomarker detection, and the evaluation of social programs. Dr. Sanchez-Pena is passionate about teaching engineering students and First-Year Engineering students in particular, from whom she draws inspiration because of their energy and creativity. She takes as her mission to foster such traits and support their holistic development, so they can find their unique engineering path and enact positive change.