The lack of diversity in engineering isn’t just a moral problem; it’s a practical one too. “There are too many examples of lack of diversity in teams resulting in products and systems that do not reflect the needs of a sufficiently broad base of users,” says Dr Hayaatun Sillem, CEO of the Royal Academy of Engineering.
After starting out as a biomedical researcher, Sillem moved into science and engineering policy before establishing the Royal Academy of Engineering’s international programme. She co-founded the Academy’s Enterprise Hub, hosted the 10th Young Arab Women Leaders STEM conference in London in December 2017, and was a champion of the UK government's Year of Engineering in 2018.
As part of our Scientists Meets the Media series, Sillem spoke to WIRED about the diversity crisis in science, the blurred line between society and engineering, and why it’s time to re-think our stereotypical image of an engineer.
Hayaatun Sillem On climate change
If we carry on along our current trajectory, the UK will not meet the existing emissions target set out in the Climate Change Act – let alone the more ambitious goal of net zero by 2050. Energy policy is a classic example of where we need to take a whole system approach that can integrate a broad range of perspectives, including technological, governance, economics, regulatory, business and consumer. Without that systems view, it’s impossible to be confident that we’re taking decisions that will actually deliver the outcomes we are seeking.
While developing new technologies is clearly important, we also know that we could do a huge amount through implementing existing technologies at scale. We need engineers and other experts to support a better-informed dialogue so that politicians and the public can be part of an honest conversation about the societal choices that will be involved in moving to a more sustainable future.
On ethics in science
The pervasiveness of technology in our lives, and its growing capability, mean that the intersection between engineering and society has never been more important. I think it’s essential that we equip students with the skills to tackle ethical issues with confidence, as well as making sure that professional bodies and employers are playing their full part in supporting ethical decision making in the workplace. While this is not a new requirement, the complexity and significance of these issues are growing and I do wonder whether our current approaches are still fit for purpose.
On the need for more diversity in science
I am unbelievably frustrated at the slow pace of change on diversity. We talk a lot about attracting girls into STEM but that masks the fact that the problem is in attracting girls into engineering, physics and computing rather than all STEM subjects. Our This is Engineering campaign is trying to challenge the outdated stereotype of an engineer in a hard hat and high-vis jacket so that more people from more backgrounds see a future for themselves in this rewarding, creative and varied career.
However, those from under-represented groups who do pursue STEM careers still face real challenges over progression, especially to the most senior levels. We have also been too slow to look beyond gender to other dimensions of diversity such as ethnicity and race. How can it be right that there were only 25 black women and 90 black men among 19,000 UK professors at the last count?
When you look at the role that engineers and scientists play in shaping the world around us, both digitally and physically, I think it really matters that we have a workforce that reflects the society it serves. From creativity to innovation, motivation, talent retention, health and safety and competitiveness, the evidence base is clear and growing regarding the benefits of diverse teams, and the risks associated with failing to diversify your workforce. And the moral case is at least as compelling: what kind of profession do we want to be part of?
In some parts of the research community, there seems to be a residual concern that prioritising diversity means compromising on excellence. I think we have a strange definition of excellence if we believe that. I really do think that positive, transformative change is possible if funders, decision makers and influencers across all parts of our community can step up and provide the bold leadership needed to raise our ambition level.
On the future of healthcare
As someone who started my career as a biomedical researcher and then moved into the world of engineering, I would really love more people to see the extent to which engineers are at the heart of shaping the future of healthcare. Why does that matter? Because not enough people who are motivated by making a difference and shaping the future realise that engineering could be a fantastic career for them, and this is one of the factors that affects our ability to attract a more diverse intake into engineering.
We rightly celebrate the scientists who uncover new knowledge that can lead to medical breakthroughs, but all too rarely acknowledge that those discoveries would neither be possible, nor actually result in any benefits reaching patients, without the contributions of engineers.
On the best and worst of today’s science
I think this is an extraordinary period for technological innovation. The creativity, ingenuity and vision of today’s researchers and innovators is simply mind-blowing. In terms of the worst of today’s engineering, I would say that there are too many examples of lack of diversity in teams resulting in products and systems that do not reflect the needs of a sufficiently broad base of users. And I sincerely hope our efforts to diversify engineering will mean this is less likely to happen in future.
Scientists Meet the Media at the Science Museum in London was organised with the Royal Society, sponsored by Johnson & Johnson Innovation and supported by the Association of British Science Writers andWIRED.
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
