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In this paper, we discuss the preliminary results of a project that explored the effect of internship experiences on racial and engineering identity development for nine Black engineering students, four women and five men. Specifically, within this paper we highlight the narratives of three participants and outline how their internship cultures affected the extent in which they could authentically be themselves in the workplace. This was done through an extension of Faulkner's concept of in/authenticity as a theoretical framework [1], [2]. To understand the experiences of the engineering students, our methodology followed steps outlined by narrative analysis approaches [3]. Shortened narratives of three participants Stanley, Maya, and Evie (pseudonyms) are presented within this paper. Each of these participants had influential internship experiences that had explicit moments of in/authenticity, which is why we highlighted their narratives. These narratives illustrate how professionalism defined by whiteness was the catalyst for their inauthentic experiences. For example, Evie described masking parts of her identity and culture in the workplace, stating, "there's a mask that has to go on because it's just part of being a professional." The participants experienced authenticity when the workplace provided them comfort and they personally had strong identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work explores formative experiences and various aspects of one female undergraduate student's Kayla's time in university, from her first to last year of school. Studies have shown that normative engineering culture can make women feel "visible as a woman, yet invisible as engineers" [1]. Some women who persist in the field of engineering have been shown to have an "engineering identity" [2]. This study focuses on how various aspects of one student's lived experiences formed her engineering identity and assisted in her ability to feel authentic in the field of engineering. The work presented in this paper examined Kayla's experiences with multiple internships, the importance of peer relationships, and the role of extracurricular activities in identity development. The concept of in/authenticity by Faulkner [3] and the engineering identity framework by Godwin & Lee [2] were used to explore her experiences. This autoethnographic account used a co-constructed approach [4] between the student Kayla and her mentor Gretchen and followed autoethnographic steps outlined by Chang [5]. This work demonstrated how various aspects of a female undergraduate student's experiences, including internships, involvement on campus, and peer relationships, can build an engineering identity and create a feeling of authenticity in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This theory paper continues an ongoing conversation about the use of critical theories to examine race in engineering. Critical race theory was popularized in the 1980s for its use in legal studies [1] – and a decade later in education. Although three decades have passed since this movement of race research ignited, the engineering profession still lacks diversity. Whites are still the majority within engineering, which in turn culturally defines the field. In this setting, one potential response from Blacks is that they hide their Black identity to blend into the dominant White workplace culture. To study this situation, we offer an extension to the work of Wendy Faulkner and her concept of in/authenticity that women in engineering experience in a maledominated field. We shift this lens to the experiences of race rather than–and in some instances in addition to - gender and focus on Blacks within engineering. This paper also presents a framework derived from Ibram X. Kendi's Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America. Kendi expresses three stances on race: segregationists, antiracists and assimilationists. We use these personas to investigate their occurrences and effects on the experiences of Black engineers. We are using these two complementary frameworks in our own work to interrogate the personal and structural aspects of racialized experiences in the engineering workplace. The workplace culture that surrounds Black engineers is expected to shape their in/authentic experiences. Together, these frameworks provide a means to uncover how the in/authentic identities of Black engineers result from anti/racist ideas in the workplace. We are in the beginning stages of data collection; therefore, this paper will solely focus on how we aim to apply the theories of race that are outlined. The overall intention of this presentation is to provide conceptual and theoretical guidance to others in studying various aspects of engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The computer and information technology industry has received much attention in recent years due to its lack of diversity and the toxic culture in these companies. The United States population is 13% Black, but this representation is not reflected in the technology workforce. In fact, fewer than 5% of tech company employees identify as Black. These factors lead many Black employees to leave, costing companies billions of dollars to fill their positions-not to mention their perspectives and expertise. The lack of diversity can also affect worker wellbeing, productivity, and innovation. To interrogate this issue, our study examines the experiences of Black engineers through their own narratives. We aim to interview 40 engineers within the technology industry to understand their working conditions. The interviews will be held with 10 each of: Black males, Black Females, White males, and White females, in order to attend to the intersectional nature of race and gender. Each participant will provide their own individual experiences, which will allow us as researchers to examine, compare, and contrast across all accounts. Specifically, we will conduct narrative analysis using three different frameworks: Faulkner's in/authenticity, Helms and Piper's pairing of racial identity theory and vocational psychology, and Kendi's history of racist ideas. Our findings will add to the depth of research on diversity by presenting our findings to stakeholders within the industry through different modes including presentations to industry leaders and at professional conferences. The end goal of this project is to create a more welcoming and diverse community within the computer and information technology industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]