USING QUEER METHODS TO CREATE EQUITY IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION

Engineering education research is widely considered to take positivistic approaches, focussing on objective and observable facts and quantitative data. This grants both authors and readers of papers the reassurance that the evidence presented is sound as it approximates the methods they are familiar with in their technical research. However, evidence-based scholarship, where the best evidence is always considered to be consensus and correlation within a large data set, inherently focuses the voice of the majority, often ignoring outliers. This can be considered contrary to being truly human centred in our design approaches, as we cannot only design for, and support, the needs of the majority. Human centred engineering design should be inclusive and equitable and therefore we must also seek and empower minorities in our processes. Historically, engineering has been dominated by affluent, able-bodied white men, but efforts have been made over the last few decades to diversify. Most of these efforts though have been focussed solely on getting more women into engineering, thus creating a majority group within the minorities, and not addressing other aspects of marginalisation. Furthermore, little work has been done within engineering and design education to address the impacts of intersectionality, with most looking only at how a single interpretation of one aspect of identity impacts success and inclusion.