Women in Engineering

Every year, 11th February is observed as the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, thanks to a resolution passed by the United Nations General Assembly. One of the main driving forces behind this resolution was to encourage women participating in STEM - Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics - fields. 2025 marks the tenth anniversary of this International Day. And we are talking about it because we know that gender equality in every walk of life is critical. As a company operating in the engineering domain, we are also aware of our responsibility to not only encourage women in our company but also celebrate the many achievements of women in engineering.

Contributions of Women in Engineering

Women have always played significant roles in engineering. Ada Lovelace, Katherine Johnson, Ayyalasomayajula Lalitha, Emily Roebling, Beatrice Hicks, Enedina Alves Marques, and Hilda Ericsson are just a few of the names that you get to see online when you search for women in engineering. And here is the remarkable thing about these women – they made their mark in diverse fields related to engineering – telecom, industrial safety, computers, space, and so on. Their groundbreaking contributions to engineering have not just made the case for women in engineering but contributed to the growth of this field itself.

Today, while there are many kinds of challenges for women making it in engineering, there are also quite a few concerted efforts, individuals, and organisations working towards empowering women in engineering.

Growing Power

According to the United States Census Bureau, the percentage of women in STEM fields grew from 8% in 1970 to 27% in 2019. Major occupations in STEM include:

• Computers including information systems
• Architectural engineering
• Sales engineers
• Life sciences
• Engineering management and
• Occupational health and safety

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics also found that women represented 16.1% of people employed in engineering & architecture and a few largest percentages of representation were as follows:

• Chemical: 27.9%
• Industrial: 25%
• Aerospace: 17.4%
• Civil: 17.1%

Truly, the insightful words of Colonel Eileen Collins (Retired), NASA’s first female shuttle commander sums up how women are growing from strength to strength. She said, “I would not say we are at gender equity yet, but the aerospace industry has enough women that it is not considered unusual anymore.”

What’s Helping Women in Engineering?

Pioneers like Lillian Gilbreth, Sudhira Das, Kimberly Bryant, and Patricia Bath have made it possible for more women to break the glass ceiling when it comes to engineering. Women determined to make a difference in engineering are doing so with sheer determination, and hard work. It is also encouraging to see the world at large promoting mentorship programmes, STEM outreach, scholarships of various kinds, and the corporate world progressing towards greater inclusivity.

No doubt, by addressing challenges and fostering meaningful inclusion, we can ensure that more women pursue and thrive in engineering careers.