Universities across the United States (U.S.) are perplexed as to why fewer women than men study engineering and why even fewer complete the curriculum and earn an undergraduate degree in engineering. The percentage of undergraduate engineering degrees awarded annually to women in the U.S. since 2000 has remained relatively constant at around 20%. However, some engineering disciplines have had much greater success in graduating women, with some programs awarding 50% or more of their bachelor’s degrees to women. The purpose of this research was to gain a better understanding of why women preferred certain engineering disciplines over others. Up to 17 years of undergraduate engineering department data from the University of Florida (UF) and national averages from the National Science Foundation (NSF) were reviewed to evaluate graduation rates for women in engineering. The total number of graduates at the undergraduate level were compared to the number of undergraduates who identified themselves as women. Linear regression of the data was used to identify trends. In the last 17 years, there has been little change in the overall percentage of women engineering undergraduates, but there is a great disparity between the engineering disciplines. Women earn larger proportions of undergraduate degrees in engineering disciplines where they perceive a societal benefit. How can engineering departments improve their enrollment and retention of women? One way is by providing early-on specific real life examples of how engineers solve society’s most challenging problems.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the sustainability of an academic library 3D printing service. Originally intended to introduce students to an emerging technology, the 3D printing service at the University of Florida (UF) libraries expanded to support teaching, learning and research, allowing faculty, staff and students to engage in the maker movement. Design/methodology/approach This paper analyzed usage data collected by the library’s 3D printing service from April 2014 through March 2018. These data include the number of prints produced, amount of filament consumed, user academic demographics and whether it is for academic assignments, research or personal projects. Findings The data show that the initial 3D printing service users were predominantly engineering students; however, over the four-year period, the service has built up a consistent and diverse user base and expanded the number and types of printers. With grants covering the purchase of the 3D printers and a modest charge for printing ($0.15 per gram of model weight), the 3D printing service has achieved a sustainable level. Originality/value UF was one of the first academic libraries to offer 3D printing services and has collected four years of data to evaluate the sustainability of the service. These data demonstrate that the service is a valuable and sustainable asset, allowing students and researchers to visualize and innovate in such diverse fields as anthropology, archaeology, art, biology, chemistry and mathematics.

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is an Associate Engineering Librarian at the University of Florida (UF). She assists students with research, data support, and citation management. She investigates and integrates creative technologies, such as 3D printing into the STEM discipline library services. She has a BS in chemical engineering and MS in environmental engineering from UF, over 20 years of experience in industry and consulting, and is a licensed professional engineer in Florida.

Purpose A citation analysis was conducted on publications of the faculty from the University of Florida (UF), Department of Chemical Engineering. The analysis was undertaken to gain a better understanding of the research programs in chemical engineering and to examine how the library aligns its research support through resources and journals to the needs of the department’s faculty. The analysis focused on where the faculty published, their most frequently cited resources, and what growth patterns were evident. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach Five years of publications (2011-2015) by the UF chemical engineering faculty were included in the analysis. Web of Science was used to compile a list of the articles published in peer-reviewed journals as well as the citations. Findings Faculty were found to have published 279 articles in the last five years, with 27 percent of those articles shared by five journals, and with an average impact factor of 3.459. Applied Physics Letters was the most cited journal and Advanced Materials had the highest impact factor of 17.493. The library owned 95 percent of the publications in which faculty published their work and at least 82 percent of the resources cited in their publications. The pattern of the publications was not consistent and the most articles in one year (69) were published in 2013. Originality/value Since this study focused on the current patterns regarding where the faculty are publishing and citing, it should be a fairly accurate indicator of their future needs. Therefore, the study impacts decisions regarding future directions by enabling the library to maintain a high-quality collection for the faculty.