Work of female Tec engineers and scientists goes international

Just over one year after a group of visionary female professors from Tec de Monterrey’s School of Engineering and Sciences (EIC) began promoting “Women in Engineering and Sciences“ (MIC), this initiative has achieved some important objectives.

One of them has to do with the positioning of the brand both nationally and internationally, said Professor Gabriela Ortiz Martínez, leader of the movement.

This initiative was started in August 2019 with the intention of forming an body responsible for ensuring gender equality and promoting the participation of women in Tec activities.

“The Tec was one of the first universities in Mexico to create an organization of this nature, with a membership of female professors.”

“We have managed to set a precedent and different areas of the Tec have told us they’re satisfied that the EIC has taken the lead on this,” added the professor from the Tec’s Monterrey campus.

OUTCOMES

The work of the members of this movement has resulted in scientific publications in collaboration with other universities, the chapter of the book: “Matilda and women in engineering in Latin America 2“, as well as support for the “Matilda Professorship“.

Gabriela Ortiz shared that MIC has also established agreements for collaboration with the “LBJ Institute for STEM education and research“ at Texas State University, the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, and LACCEI.

Another important achievement was the development of the pilot mentoring program: “Women Mentoring in STEM”, led by Professor Ileana Ruiz Cantisani.

“One of the challenges we faced during this first year of work was the development of our mentoring model, which is designed to encourage and guide talented young women when they’re making decisions about their professional future”, said the leader of the MIC.

A total of 55 female students, from 25 different educational institutions in Mexico, Honduras, and Peru, were individually supported by a group of 27 EIC professors specially trained to carry out this role.

“We need to cultivate these vocations and make sure that the young women who are now studying high school can fulfil their vocations,” said Gabriela Ortiz, leader of Women in Engineering and Sciences.

The leader of the movement shared that the outlook for the second year of work is related to the contribution of MIC to the Tec’s Equality Plan. The School of Engineering and Sciences will present proposals to promote women’s participation and their inclusion in management positions.

MIC formally emerged on August 19, 2019 through the work of female EIC professors and employees in coordination with the Dean of the School, Manuel Zertuche.
 

“The Tec was one of the first universities in Mexico to create an organization of this nature, with a membership of female professors.”

It has five different committees: Steering, Guidance, Outreach, Promotion, and the SHE-STEM Professorship. The nature and activities of this initiative are recorded in the Te Annual Transparency Report.

Events in which MIC participated during its first year of operation

• International Day of Women and Girls in Science
• HerStory 
• Sisters in STEM across the World
• L’Oreal-UNESCO For Women in Science
• Research like a woman: a women in science panel
• Research Methodologies in Engineering Education

The committees forming the MIC initiative and their leaders

• Steering Committee: Dr. Luz María Martínez Calderón.
• Guidance Committee: Dr. Ileana Ruiz Cantisani.
• SHE-STEM Professorship: Dr. Rocío Díaz de la Garza.
• Outreach Committee: Dr. Vianney Lara Prieto.
• Promotion Committee: Dr. Laura Romero Robles.

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