Abstract:

Women who study engineering degrees continue to be a minority despite the efforts made by academic institutions and other organizations to improve this situation.

In Spain, female students are only 20% of those enrolled in engineering and architecture degrees; however, only in engineering degrees does this value drop to 12% or even less in computer science degrees.

In this context, the Women Engineers Association, founded by students and lecturers of the Miguel Hernandez University in Elche (Alicante), has recently emerged.

The main objectives of this platform are
• Increase the number of female engineers in Spain
• Promote the interest of girls and women, and in general, of Spanish youth, in professional development in the areas of engineering, technology, science and mathematics.
• Promote and disseminate the opportunities that engineering, technology, science and mathematics represent for the professional development of girls and women, and in general, of Spanish youth.
• Promote gender equality in the areas of engineering, technology, science and mathematics in both educational and professional fields
• Promote the importance of education in the areas of engineering, technology, science and mathematics in different compulsory educational levels (children, primary and secondary schools) in civil society, public and private educational organizations and administrations, small and large companies).

To achieve these objectives, this Women Engineers Association carries out different activities: speeches in primary and secondary schools for students between 12-16 years old, interviews on the radio of Miguel Hernandez University to local female engineering professionals, festive events on popular days as February 11th and on June 23th, social media contests, workshops on computer programming, etc.

In the extended version of this article we would like to present in detail the dissemination actions and activities carried out by this association in order to close the gap between men and women in engineering studies and professions.

Keywords:

Women, engineering.