Engineering Academic Diversity: It's the Nondiverse Who Need To Participate

Abstract

It is contended here that success comes from integrating many ideas, viewpoints, and concepts into a solution that is better than any smaller, narrower group could achieve. Diversity is not restricted to including individuals with particular ethnic, racial, or gender backgrounds on a team or in a program. Rather it comes through having a wide variety of experiences, an openness to new ideas, and a willingness to accept someone else's solution as better than your own. The author stresses the importance of acknowledging that everyone knows something that is worth learning. Diversity is described here as a necessary strength in engineering. Its benefits are demonstrated through the creativeness and success of solutions to engineering problems. Diversity is central to expanding the capabilities of engineers and enabling them to overcome their limitations.