Career Outcome Expectations Related to Sustainability among Students Intending to Major in Civil Engineering
Publication: Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice
Volume 142, Issue 1
Abstract
Learning more about the career outcome expectations of students interested in civil engineering can help identify gaps between their expectations and sustainability challenges. The authors used data from two national surveys to compare students interested in civil engineering and other engineering disciplines. Those interested in civil engineering are more likely to address such sustainability topics as environmental degradation, water supply, and climate change. However, civil engineering students are less likely to have outcome expectations related to disease and saving lives. Particularly, female students interested in civil engineering have similar expectations to males but also hope to address poverty and opportunities for women and minorities. The gaps in outcome expectations related to disease and saving lives are troubling for a profession that is so instrumental in providing, for example, clean water and safe shelter. Showing the connection between societal needs and civil engineering may broaden participation, including among underrepresented female students. Recruiting more undergraduates using these outcome expectations would bring sorely needed new ideas and ways of thinking to help civil engineering respond to sustainability challenges.
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Acknowledgments
This material is based on work supported by the National Science Foundation, Grant No. 1036617.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice
Volume 142 • Issue 1 • January 2016
Copyright
© 2015 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Nov 9, 2014
Accepted: Mar 20, 2015
Published online: May 12, 2015
Discussion open until: Oct 12, 2015
Published in print: Jan 1, 2016
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