Black women's placemaking in undergraduate engineering

Abstract

Background

Black women students in engineering higher education are underrepresented and often face barriers at the nexus of race, gender, and engineering. When seeking to improve student outcomes, universities often prioritize academic success and neglect psychological, social, and emotional well-being. Little is known about why and how Black women in engineering engage in Black placemaking as they maneuver around barriers.

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to establish an empirical understanding of the experiences of Black women in engineering. Our work is guided by the following research questions: (1) Why do Black women in engineering seek out campus spaces specifically designated for them? What unique structural issues necessitate such spaces? (2) For what purposes do Black women in engineering use those distinct spaces? (3) How are Black women in engineering responding to the challenges and structural conditions?

Design/Method

We use Black placemaking theory to guide our qualitative in-depth interviews of 45 purposefully selected students. The data were analyzed via theory-informed themes.

Results

Major structural conditions necessitate specific Black spaces, including the absence of physical places, failure to understand intersectionality, failure to respond to safety, and cultural stereotypes about Black women in engineering. In response to such barriers, Black women in engineering engage in multiple placemaking activities, thereby seeking out safe and responsive spaces and transforming existing ones to serve multiple functions.

Conclusions

Whatever difficulties Black women face in academia, they are intensified in engineering. To confront such barriers, Black women engage with Black placemaking, creatively transforming existing places or co-creating distinct places for themselves. These actions can inform how engineering departments support spaces for minoritized student development.