I was surprised and not surprised to see the Substack post arrive in my inbox that questions the idea that women need to reinvent themselves. In their post Is reinvention just another way to make us feel not enough?, Sam Baker and Megan Dalla-Camina look closely at the language we use to help women succeed, that asks them to change their way of being yet again. I question it too: what stops us from accepting women the way they are?  

It’s been almost a decade since my research project about female Physics 11 students choosing to leave physics education behind. With that project, I identified the impact of our behaviour — the behaviour of educators, that is — on the sense of belonging that students feel in our classrooms. I’ve been presenting on that impact and producing infographics ever since, so I had hoped that by now these ideas would take root.

Earlier this year, I had the honour of speaking with a BCIT engineering law & ethics class facilitated by Bob Gill, Program Head of Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology –Telecommunications and Networks Option. Only one woman was present, which I had worried might be the case but had hoped would be different.

I had secretly hoped that my research would be outdated by now, but I suppose the increasing number of citations of my work should have given me a clue. Well, the post in The Shift made it clear and unavoidable: attitudes and behaviours in physics and engineering education persist.

I must admit, I was surprised and gratified to see the students’ interest in my research. It highlighted for me that I need to keep working to fulfill my promise and publish the Edge Book. I had begun thinking it unnecessary. I was clearly wrong.

The Edge Book is for more than engineering educators. It is for all of society that continues to limit the futures of subsets of our population, whether women or Indigenous people or immigrants or any other minority group in a company, community, organization or institution. I am motivated again to write.

It is time.