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This paper describes lessons from stories of thirty-six women in engineering and six women in computer science narrated in our book on journeys of women in science and engineering.1 These stories underscore the various factors that have been described in the literature as reasons women choose and stay in engineering. This paper discusses several of these factors. Students who reach college are a select group who have overcome the early barriers and are set on a potential track to becoming engineers. The experiences of these women as narrated in the book point to some of the positive and negative factors in the formative stages of their lives. Albert Bandura's model of perceived self-efficacy is a theoretical framework that may be useful in exploring ways of teaching and advising in engineering schools to better meet the needs of the increasingly diverse student population. This framework is discussed briefly, and its components illustrated by examples from the stories. As college advisors and teachers, we need to reaffirm the methods and thinking students have evolved, but which may be challenged by the system based on a “normative student” model.

"Survive and thrive in graduate school. Designed to unravel some of the mystery around graduate school programs in science and engineering, this one-stop resource reinforces strategies for succeeding. Qualitative interviews offer first-hand stories and tips from women who have found success in academia, industry, and the public sector. Each chapter covers a different aspect of graduate school, from identifying funding sources, to writing the dissertation, to looking for a job. THE WOMAN'S GUIDE TO NAVIGATING THE PH.D. IN ENGINEERING & SCIENCE also focuses on the emotional and social difficulties women may experience, and offers practical suggestions and advice for surviving and thriving in graduate school. Featured topics include: * funding, requirements and standards, qualifiers * making the advising process work * writing the dissertation and defending * searching for a job * learning by critique * balancing competing needs THE WOMAN'S GU DE TO NAVIGATING THE PH.D. IN ENGINEERING & SCIENCE's goal is to help women overcome the stereotypes and hidden barriers they may encounter in graduate school - so that they may emerge ready for careers in the academic, corporate or public sector. About the Authors Dr. Barbara B. Lazarus is the associate provost for academic affairs and an adjunct professor of educational anthropology at Carnegie Mellon University. Recent publications include "Journeys of Women in Science and Engineering: No Universal Constants" (Temple University Press, 1997) and "The Equity Equation: Fostering the Advancement of Women in the Sciences, Mathematics and Engineering" (Jossey-Bass, 1996). Dr. Lazarus serves as a member of the Committee on Women's Studies in Asia, on the Advisory Committee of MentorNet, and as a board member of the Women in Engineering Programs and Advocates Network. Lisa M. Ritter is a communications consultant at Carnegie Mellon University and the editor of the quarterly graduate newsletter on campus. She has also worked as a public relations director and coordinator of professional development seminars for graduate students. Dr. Susan A. Ambrose is associate provost for educational development, director of the Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence, and a principal lecturer in the Department of History at Carnegie Mellon University. Her research interests include applying cognitive principles to education and understanding how class origin, sex, race and ethnicity, social conceptions of women, and other variables collectively influence women's life decisions and careers in engineering and science. Recent publications include "Journeys of Women in Science and Engineering: No Universal Constants" (Temple University Press, 1997) and "The New Professor's Handbook" (Anker Press, 1994). Dr. Ambrose was recently honored with an American Council on Education fellowship for the 1999-2000 academic year."

This chapter contains sections titled: The Job Search What it's Like Out There What the Future Holds for Women Scientists and Engineers

Statistics are generally used to identify and address needs such as the inclusion of more women and minorities in engineering. In this paper, the authors synthesize the experiences of thirty-six engineers and six computer scientists in order to understand some of the positive and negative factors in these women's lives, and explore ways of teaching and advising in engineering schools that would allow the increasingly diverse student population to be better served. The students who reach college are a select group who have overcome the early barriers and are set on a potential track to becoming an engineer. College advisors and teachers need to reaffirm the methods and thinking these students have evolved, but which may be challenged by the system based on a "normative student" model. The authors present a theory that begins to explore these aspects.