Structural Engineering, Engagement, and Equity

Faces of Women in Structural Engineering

Check out the over 60 women nominated as part of SE3's effort "Faces of Women in Structural Engineering" in conjunction with the SEAONC March monthly meeting celebrating women in structural engineering.

Browse the Faces of Women in Structural Engineering

NEW SEAONC SE3 PUBLICATIONS!

SEAONC SE3 Non-Salary Benefits of Northern California Structural Engineering Firms Summary Report

SEAONC SE3 has published a summary report of the data collected from our Non-Salary Benefits Survey of Northern California Structural Engineering Firms. The report includes anonymized data on the average, frequency, and spread of non-salary benefits from over 40 firms with locations in Northern California. In addition, the report explains some of the minimum requirements for certain benefits from federal, state, and local regulations.

The report is meant to be a resource for both firm leaders and engineers looking to evaluate a benefits package at their current firm or as part of a job search.

SEAONC SE3 Civil Engineering Student Survey Topic Briefs

SEAONC SE3 has published three topic briefs presenting data from their 2021 survey of undergraduate civil engineering students from around the US. The purpose of the survey was to better understand the current undergraduate civil engineering experience, including how students were introduced to engineering, challenges they face throughout their undergraduate careers, and their career aspirations.

Topic Brief 1: Demographics
Topic Brief 2: Exposure to Engineering
Topic Brief 3: Challenges and Career Plans

These reports are meant to be resources for leaders, educators, and anyone interested in engagement and retention of students in the structural engineering pathway, especially managers involved in hiring entry level staff. At the end of each topic brief, SEAONC SE3 has included discussion questions as a starting point to spark further conversation around the data and trends presented in the briefs.

2022 SEAONC SE3 Symposium

Missed the Symposium? Read the recap here!

Find all the information on our 2022 SE3 Symposium page.

SEAOSC D&I Committee: Something From Nothing series

Check out the first video in the "Something From Nothing" video series made in partnership with SEAOSC. The first video features Lorena Arce, Co-Chair of SEAOSC’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

NEW SEAONC SE3 Publication!
Racial Demographics of Civil Engineering Pathways in California:
From Undergraduates to Industry Professionals

SEAONC SE3 has published a report presenting data on the pathways into the structural and civil engineering industry, starting at the university level and continuing into the workforce. With this report, SEAONC SE3 sought to understand the magnitude of underrepresentation of Black, Indigenous, and other marginalized racial groups, and how that representation changes throughout the pathways studied.

This report is meant to be a resource for leaders and human resource managers of structural engineering firms, particularly those in California, to understand the student demographics of civil, structural, and architectural engineering programs at California universities. Firms can use this report to help identify universities with demographics that more closely reflect the California population so that they can broaden their recruitment efforts to include these programs. At the end of the report, SEAONC SE3 also provides suggested action items for firms to take to make the profession more equitable and accessible to everyone who may want to enter the structural engineering industry.

What is SE3?

The Structural Engineering Engagement and Equity (SE3) Project was established with the mission of improving engagement and equity in the structural engineering profession.

The project began in 2015 when SEAONC (Structural Engineers Association of Northern California) funded a committee to study engagement and equity in the structural engineering profession. In 2016, this group administered their first national survey of over 2,100 structural engineering professionals. Findings from this study included insight into why engineers leave the profession, the importance of mentorship, and the existence of a nuanced gender pay gap. The results of this study were used to develop the Best Practices Resource Guide - which you can find here on the Best Practices page.

In mid-2017, the NCSEA SE3 Committee was created at the national level through NCSEA (National Council of Structural Engineers Associations) with the primary goal of administering the nationwide study of structural engineering professionals every two years. This biennial survey focuses on measuring engagement and equity with the goal of providing data and best practices to help ensure that every structural engineering professional has a positive experience within the profession.

Today, the local SEAONC SE3 Committee provides local programming on engagement and equity in the structural engineering profession to our Northern California membership. We aim to advance the profession by engaging all structural engineers regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, immigration status, disability status, experience, or job title. We have affiliated groups in several major metropolitan areas.