The Changing Landscape of Mechanical Engineering: Learning to Embrace My Ecofeminist Identity Within the Elitism of Engineering

Abstract

As a young mechanical engineer, I believed many of the narratives that were embedded throughout my engineering education: Engineering is a neutral and objective profession, rational thought is superior to emotional perspectives, technical problem-solving is a more important skill compared to considering social implications. However, as I developed a thirst for activism in my personal life, I realized that social justice and feminist perspectives also had a place within engineering and in counteracting these narratives. This chapter provides a story of my journey to embracing my own identity and combining activism principles to improve engineering classrooms. Specifically, I provide an overview of how theories from ecofeminism, an idea which recognizes the connections between the oppression of women and the oppression of nature, are useful in deconstructing the elitist, masculine, and hierarchical narratives that exist within engineering education. By reading about my journey, I hope to inspire others to become more aware of engineering culture, and encourage conversations on how we can create transformational change in our profession.KeywordsCareer journeyDeconstructing dualismsEcofeminismEcofeminist theoryEngineering careerEngineering cultureEngineering educationEngineering feminismEngineering identityFeminismHidden curriculumLean manufacturingMechanical engineeringSocial justiceSociotechnical engineeringWomen in engineering