Engineers baffled by lack of stereotype

A study by Dr Wendy Faulkner from the University of Edinburgh found that very few engineers fit the classic stereotype. By interviewing 66 men and women engineers working in a range of industries, she found that "women and men engineers alike get excited about technology" and that "many different types of men and women enjoy engineering work".

The study shows in detail how topics of conversation, humour and social activities often reflect men’s interest and ways of bonding. This can leave women on the margins socially, and make it difficult for women to break into the ‘inner circles’ that influence how the job gets done and who gets promoted.

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