Women in Engineering

The Women in Engineering Program at the University of Maryland has received an award from the NerdScholar Favorite Women in Engineering Programs.   These top programs give great resources and opportunities for female engineers.  In Fall 2013, 30% of the people enrolled in the U of M Engineering programs were female.  Keep reading and go to UMD for more information.


The A. James Clark School of Engineering's Women in Engineering (WIE) Program at the University of Maryland has been featured as one of NerdScholar's Favorite Women in Engineering Programs, a list of programs that provide unique resources and opportunities for female engineers.

According to NerdScholar, men earn the overwhelming majority of degrees in engineering (82 percent) from the top 50 academic institutions that award them. Furthermore, total enrollment of women in engineering programs dropped from 19.8 percent in 1999 to 17.9 percent in 2009. NerdScholar's list of women in engineering programs features schools, such as UMD, that are tackling this problem head on and can serve as inspiration for other programs hoping to close the gender gap.

WIE's efforts, along with the university's push for diversity and inclusion, have resulted in a steady increase in the enrollment of female engineers over the past decade. As of fall 2013, 29.4 percent of UMD's first-year engineering students are women, placing the university well above the national average.

As quoted by NerdScholar, WIE's director Paige Smith says, "Diversity and the inclusion of women are critical to the field of engineering. Diversity inspires creativity, which in turn drives innovative design. Inclusion ensures that all people have a seat at the table. At the University of Maryland, we send a clear message to prospective engineering students that engineering is not only an exciting career, but one that is critical for improving lives and the world around us."

UMD's Women in Engineering Program was established in January 1995 through a grant from the Sloan Foundation. WIE is actively involved in the recruitment of women to the Clark School and holds an annual DREAM Conference designed to show high school students the innovations and opportunities engineering has to offer. WIE offers scholarships, fellowships, and volunteer opportunities. WIE students are also able to participate in a living-learning community, which allows them to live and connect with each other in a setting conducive to study groups, networking, and social activities.