Elliot P. Douglas is Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering Sciences and Distinguished Teaching Scholar at the University of Florida. His research interests are in the areas of active learning pedagogies, problem-solving, critical thinking, diversity in engineering, and qualitative methodologies. Paul G. RichardsonI studied electrical engineering at UC Irvine and Boston University. I then worked as an engineer at companies including DEC, IBM, Apple and Microsoft as a design/ design verification engineer from 1983 to 2014. Since then I have been working to transition from engineering back to being a student. I am currently pursuing studies in anthropology. AbstractThis Work in Progress paper examines the experiences of Black engineers working in the technology industry. Although technology companies are publically supporting increased diversity among their employees, simply hiring more underrepresented minorities does not ensure an inclusive workplace. Our study examines the question, how do Black engineers navigate issues of power and privilege in their work experiences? We have interviewed Black engineers working in technology companies about their experiences and analyzed those interviews using narrative analysis. The results show that these engineers have experienced instances of overt, covert, and structural racism. Their approaches to dealing with this racism vary, but all involve a distancing of themselves from full inclusion in their companies. As a result their full talent is not being realized and their companies are losing out on the skills and ways of thinking of an entire population of engineers.

is an undergraduate in Environmental Engineering Sciences. She is conducting narrative analysis of Black engineers' experiences in technology companies. Her work seeks to illuminate the ways in which these experiences are racialized despite the public pronouncements of these companies supporting increased diversity.