Publication

Science, engineering and technology (SET) are critical to achieving and maintaining a high quality of life, economic growth, global competitiveness, a clean environment and effective governance for the public good-some of the key characteristics of sustainability. A nation's ability to meet these goals significantly depends on the capacity and competency of its workforce to develop innovative products, processes and services that advance prosperity while maintaining and restoring environmental systems. In order to continue towards this paradigm shift, advance sustainability in the long term and supply a skilled and knowledgeable workforce to both the private and public sectors, educating the next generation in sustainability is critical. Engaging women and underrepresented groups in SET will build additional capacity in these fields that are critical to advancing economic, environmental and societal goals. There is an increasing amount of anecdotal evidence which shows that students are remarkably enthusiastic about education for sustainability and are engaged at many levels both within and outside the classroom. There may be several unique characteristics to the ideas and visions of sustainability that may contribute to making this concept especially attractive to women and underrepresented groups.