Engineering · 6th Year · Great Engineers and Innovations · 3.º Período

Women in Engineering History

A study of trailblazing women in engineering, focusing on figures like Alice Perry, the first woman in Europe to graduate with an engineering degree. Students will discuss the historical barriers women faced in STEM.

TL;DR:Women in Engineering History focuses on the often-overlooked contributions of women to the field. A central figure is Alice Perry, a Galway native who became the first woman in Ireland and the UK to graduate with an engineering degree in 1906. This topic connects to NCCA SESE History (Life in the Past) and SPHE (Myself and the Wider World) by discussing equality, perseverance, and breaking barriers.

• NCCA Curriculum Specifications
• SESE History: Life, society, work and culture in the past
• SPHE: Myself and the wider world

About This Topic

Women in Engineering History focuses on the often-overlooked contributions of women to the field. A central figure is Alice Perry, a Galway native who became the first woman in Ireland and the UK to graduate with an engineering degree in 1906. This topic connects to NCCA SESE History (Life in the Past) and SPHE (Myself and the Wider World) by discussing equality, perseverance, and breaking barriers.

Students examine the historical context that made it difficult for women to enter STEM fields and celebrate the pioneers who succeeded. They also look at modern Irish women making waves in engineering today. Students grasp this concept faster through structured discussion and peer explanation of how diversity in engineering leads to better problem-solving for everyone.

Key Questions

1. Who was Alice Perry?
2. What challenges did early female engineers face?
3. How has the role of women in engineering changed over time?

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Women only started becoming engineers recently.

What to Teach Instead

Women like Alice Perry were qualifying over 100 years ago. Highlighting these historical figures helps students realize that women have always had the talent for engineering, even when they lacked the opportunity.

Common Misconception

Engineering is only about 'heavy' work that requires physical strength.

What to Teach Instead

Engineering is primarily about logic, design, and problem-solving. Discussing the work of software engineers or structural designers helps students see that engineering is an intellectual pursuit open to everyone.

Active Learning Ideas

Formal Debate

Barriers to Entry

Students are assigned roles (university board members, aspiring female students, etc.) from the year 1900. they debate whether women should be allowed to study engineering, highlighting the arguments of the time.

40 min·Whole Class

Gallery Walk

Trailblazing Women

Post profiles of Alice Perry, Beulah du Pont, and modern engineers like Norah Patten. Students move in pairs to find one 'engineering achievement' and one 'challenge' each woman faced.

25 min·Pairs

Think-Pair-Share

Designing for Everyone

Students consider a product (like a car seat or a tool). They discuss how having both men and women on the engineering team might change the design, then share their thoughts on the importance of diversity.

20 min·Pairs

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was Alice Perry?

Alice Perry was a pioneering Irish woman from Galway. In 1906, she became the first woman in Ireland and Europe to receive a degree in engineering. She went on to work as a County Surveyor, a very senior engineering role at the time.

Why were there so few women in engineering in the past?

In the past, many universities did not allow women to enroll in science or engineering courses. There were also social expectations that women should focus on domestic roles, and many engineering workplaces were not welcoming to women.

How many women work in engineering in Ireland today?

The number is growing, but women still make up only about 12-15% of the engineering workforce in Ireland. Organizations like Engineers Ireland are working hard to encourage more girls to choose engineering as a career.

What are the best hands-on strategies for teaching this topic?

Using role-play and structured debates helps students empathize with the historical struggle for equality. Additionally, inviting a guest speaker (a female engineer) or watching interviews with modern women in STEM allows students to see engineering as a diverse and inclusive modern profession.