Women in Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology:
An Experimental Approach in an Undergraduate Course

by Diane Benjamin

A few years ago, an opportunity arose for me to teach a three-credit undergraduate course entitled Women in Science and Engineering. Delighted and somewhat daunted by this opportunity— my qualifications arise from a longtime personal interest in the subject, as well as from my own experiences as a mathematics scholar, both bitter and sweet—I couldn't resist. Since that time, I have taught the course three consecutive spring semesters to classes of ten, then twenty, and most recently almost thirty students. The primary purpose of this article is to share my working process—that is, the organization of the course as well as the design and development of its curriculum, pedagogy, and methodology—and to reflect upon the results. To give life to this structure, a variety of examples of classroom learning activities, projects, and resource materials are shared. In addition, I have included snapshots of moments from past classes.