What You Need to Succeed: Examining Culture and Capital in Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Education

Abstract Despite increased efforts to diversify the field of engineering, women and minorities remain underrepresented in the profession. Studies of engineering culture highlight how the persistence of women and minorities is linked to norms and assumptions of engineering cultures (e.g., Fouad et al. 2016, Singh et al., 2018). For example, some engineering cultures have been characterized as masculine, leading women to feel that they must become 'one of the guys' to fit in and be successful (e.g., Faulkner, 2009). In the U.S., engineering cultures are also predominantly white, which can make people of color feel unwelcome or isolated (Long Dika & Martin 2018). Educational cultures that assume everyone possesses the same kinds of capital (i.e. that of white, American, high SES, and continuing generation students) construct barriers for students from diverse backgrounds. Thus, we propose that examining culture is essential for understanding the underlying assumptions and beliefs that give rise to the challenging issues surrounding the lack of diversity and inclusion in engineering. This case study examines the culture of a biomedical engineering (BME) program at a large Midwestern university and its underlying assumptions regarding what sources of cultural and social capital undergraduate students need to be successful. Eighteen BME students were interviewed, and the data were thematically analyzed by the first author. By tracing when and how students draw upon these forms of capital during their professional development, we discuss the implications for students from diverse backgrounds, particularly FGC and URM students. References N.A. Fouad, R. Singh, K. Cappaert, W.H. Chang, and M. Wan, "Comparison of women engineers who persist in or depart from engineering," Journal of Vocational Behavior, vol. 92, pp. 79-93, 2016. R. Singh, Y. Zhang, M. Wan, and N.A. Fouad, "Why do women engineers leave the engineering profession? The roles of work–family conflict, occupational commitment, and perceived organizational support," Human Resource Management, vol. 57, no. 4, pp. 901-914, 2018. W. Faulkner, "Doing gender in engineering workplace cultures: II Gender in/authenticity and the in/visibility paradox," Engineering Studies, vol. 1, no. 3, pp. 169-189, 2009. L.L. Long and J.A. Mejia, "Conversations about diversity: Institutional barriers for underrepresented engineering students," Journal of Engineering Education, vol. 105, no. 2, pp. 211-218, 2016. D. MacPhee, S. Farro and S. S. Canetto, "Academic self-efficacy and performance of underrepresented STEM majors: Gender, ethnic, and social class patterns," Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy, vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 347-369, 2013. T.J. Yosso, "Whose culture has capital? A critical race theory discussion of community cultural wealth," Race Ethnicity and Education, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 69-91, March 2005. S.L. Dika and J.P. Martin, "Bridge to persistence: Interactions with educators as social capital for Latina/o engineering majors," Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, vol. 17, no. 3, pp. 202-215.