HOW DO ENGINEERING EDUCATION SOCIETIES ENGAGE WITH DEI CONCEPTS? A PRELIMINARY THEORETICAL ANALYSIS OF FORMAL DEI STATEMENTS

Paper in proceeding, 2024

The growing emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion in engineering education shows the need for substantive changes within academic institutions and professional sectors. Despite numerous initiatives, traditional approaches often fail to address systemic barriers hindering the full participation of historically marginalized groups. Moreover, the global context adds complexity to DEI efforts, necessitating a deeper understanding of how DEI initiatives align with theoretical frameworks. This paper explores the alignment between theoretical underpinnings and DEI statements in engineering education. The preliminary study aims to enhance the alignment of DEI commitments with theoretical foundations. The study utilizes results from a previous scoping review of literature which identified five emergent themes in the use of theories in engineering education DEI research: Institutional and Organizational Theory, Constructivist and Developmental Theory, Social Identity and Intersectionality Theory, Community and Cultural Theory, and Critical Theory. Three DEI statements from prominent engineering education organizations are analysed through these thematic lenses. The analysis reveals varying degrees of alignment between the DEI statements and theoretical frameworks, highlighting the importance of context in understanding and prioritizing DEI topics. While each statement demonstrates alignment with DEI theories, differences in focus and extent suggest opportunities for intentional writing of DEI statements. The paper provides an initial discussion on how to critically write DEI statements, underscoring the importance of theoretical foundations in guiding effective DEI initiatives. Further research could expand this analysis to other DEI policy documents to gain deeper insights into DEI efforts in engineering education globally.