Engineering in search of women

Studies” “Where are the women?” Patrick Juvet’s song might have served as a soundtrack, Saturday, at the open day of the University of Engineering and Architecture of Friborg (HEIA-FR), in Fribourg. At least, in some areas of the establishment. This is particularly the case in the civil engineering sector, as confirmed by Fabienne Favre Boivin, who has been teaching there for fifteen years: “The number of female students varies little, it goes from two to six out of a class of thirty. Women remain in the minority in all science professions”, observes the engineer in rural engineering and the environment. Like around 750 professors, researchers or collaborators, she was present on Saturday to make schoolchildren, especially schoolgirls, want to do their future studies at HEIA-FR.