Numerous data have been gathered by many different organizations over the past several decades tracking the number of females obtaining college degrees in engineering. Data maintained by the Society of Women Engineers indicate that as recently as 1966 only .4 % of bachelor's degrees in engineering were awarded to females. The percentage had risen to 18 % by the year 2000 (SWE, 2004). Similarly, data collected by Scientific American Magazine indicate that approximately 22 % of doctoral engineering degrees were awarded to females by …showed first 75 words of 3036 total…

…showed last 75 words of 3036 total…indicated by the initial research data) a belief among women that this bias against them does exist. If so, then it would seem that the findings from this study and future supporting studies may very useful in high school and college level orientiation programs to inform young women that, in fact, there is a welcoming attitude toward them in this mostly male dominated profession. This knowledge could be the key to reversing the persistant under-representation