Volpe, E (2024) Exploring inclusive spaces for early career women in civil engineering. PhD thesis, University of Florida, USA.
Abstract
The exclusion of women from civil engineering limits the industry’s ability to leverage gender diversity for innovation. This research investigates the underrepresentation of women in civil engineering and identifies strategies to enhance their inclusion and retention. Through a qualitative narrative study following seven early-career women civil engineers over six months, the research examines the factors influencing their decisions to stay in or leave the field. Participants shared their experiences through semi-structured interviews, reflective diaries, field observations, and AI-generated visualizations of their ideal workspaces, revealing deeper insights into the barriers and enablers of workforce sustainability for women.Key findings highlight that inclusive environments, characterized by mentorship, work-life balance, professional development, and collaborative spaces, are essential to fostering retention. In contrast, the absence of these factors leads to high turnover, with three of the seven participants leaving the profession by the end of the study. Analyzing these experiences through the workforce sustainability model underscores the need to prioritize community, health, connectivity, and equity within engineering environments.This research also critiques AI-generated representations of engineering workspaces, which often reinforce the male-dominated narrative of the profession. In response, participant-inspired visualizations advocate for more inclusive spaces, designed to support diverse workstyles and well-being.Contributing to broader diversity and inclusion efforts, this study offers actionable recommendations for industry and academia to improve retention and create more supportive environments for women in civil engineering. By addressing workplace culture, mentorship, and policy reforms, the research aims to cultivate more equitable and sustainable engineering careers. Findings are being shared through academic publications and industry outreach to help reshape engineering workspaces and strengthen diversity efforts.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Thesis advisor: | Simmons, D R |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | careers; civil engineering; culture; diversity and inclusion; gender; innovation; policy; professional; sustainability; women; work-life balance; workforce |
| Index terms: | profession, civil engineer, critique, diversity and inclusion, narrative, diary, women, professional development, retention, strategy, work-life balance, well-being, collaborative space, connectivity, publication, interview, workspace, career, academia, turnover, visualization |
| Subjects: | qualitative and interpretive research, design practice, institututions, business management, evaluation and assessment methods, management, profession, research dissemination and communication, data collection methods, educational institutions, networking, sociology, professional development, mental health and wellbeing |
| Topics: | Human Resources, Health and Safety, Information Management, Stakeholder Management, Design Practice, Digital Applications, Roles and Professions, Business Strategy, Education, Research Practice |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here