Turning individuals into icons is an interesting game. This week I revisited a biographical look at Amelia Earhart on PBS. It was informative on many levels, but one of the more striking illuminations was the role of promotion. Amelia was not the “best” woman pilot of her day, but she was the most promoted. In the same sense I wish to recognize all women in technology – but particularly, my personal bias, engineers.
When I think of women in technology I think of the sea change that I have seen in my life. It was not that long ago that a woman engineer was truly a rare sight. The sciences overall were not quite as foreign to women, and as an engineer I do feel a bond with women in engineering and appreciate the path they have chosen. Today women are still too small a minority, but we have more visible role models and a support system for bringing girls into engineering. This progress is due to the community of women in technology, not just some iconic figure. I think this is maybe the most important role for women in technology today, to help make the trail wide and welcoming for others to follow.
If I dare take the reader back to my undergrad days, I can share my personal experience, not to mention any associated guilt! I was one of the founders of a student section for the SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers). We were determined to bring the reality of an engineering career to the university. We held stimulating meetings, starting with good speakers and then promoted creatively (before social networking). Our added leverage was to show racing movies at the end of the meetings (younger readers will have to imagine a world where this was not-trivial; a world before calculators and computers). And the last incentive was to offer cookies. Refreshments were served by the few women in engineering—for which we were very grateful.
Before the lynch mob forms let me clarify that this was not a relationship of coercion or expectation. We were grateful and certainly some of our success was due to this shameful exploitation of the opportunity. Today we might be clamoring about the objectification of women, but I am sure there are still plenty of traces of this long ago experience still in evidence. Women are still making what I would think are inappropriate sacrifices within engineering ranks and as students. I want to especially recognize all women in technology who have made and continue to make accommodation in ways that should not be necessary or accepted. We need each and every one of you. Press on.