Conference Agenda

This study analyzes the influence of secondary school background and, consequently, socioeconomic status on the gender gap within Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programs in Chile. Although women constitute the majority of higher education enrollment (55.4%), their presence in STEM fields remains below 30%, highlighting persistent vocational segregation. The research adopted a quantitative, exploratory, and longitudinal approach, utilizing the Higher Education Information Service (SIES) database for the period between 2007 and 2025. A total of 408 programs across 47 universities were analyzed using the Global Gender Gap Index (GGGI) and a multiple linear regression model to evaluate the impact of school origin on female participation in engineering careers.

Results reveal a 67% increase in total STEM enrollment; however, female representation showed only moderate growth, rising from 17% in 2007 to 20.7% in 2025. The longitudinal analysis by school type indicates that private paid schools achieved the highest level of parity (GGGI = 0.46), while delegated administration institutions remain the most masculinized (GGGI = 0.35). The regression model confirmed that originating from municipal or delegated administration schools has a negative and statistically significant effect on the female participation index. It is concluded that while school origin is an influential factor, its low explanatory power regarding total variance (4.3%) suggests the existence of other structural and socioeconomic factors that must be addressed in future research to mitigate the gender gap in engineering

Imposter syndrome is a persistent issue in computing education, shaping how students perceive their abilities, belonging, and potential place within computing-related subfields. Artificial intelligence (AI) tools have become increasingly common in tertiary education coursework and are often assumed to support learning and confidence. However, their growing presence raises questions about how learning, effort, and competence are evaluated in academic work. Little is known about how students experience them in relation to imposter syndrome, which centers on doubts about competence and legitimacy. This mixed-methods study examined how AI use relates to imposter syndrome experiences among computing students. Quantitative survey data were collected from N = 285 computing students from historically marginalized racial and ethnic backgrounds across three U.S. institutions. Measures included the Clance Imposter Phenomenon Scale, items aligned with Valerie Young’s imposter syndrome subtypes, and questions assessing AI-related legitimacy concern focused on authenticity and independence. Results indicated that AI use–related concerns are common and positively associated with all imposter syndrome subtypes. Perfectionist and Natural Genius beliefs emerged as the strongest predictors of AI-related concerns. Concern varied with imposter belief intensity rather than subtype classification. Qualitative analysis of open-ended responses (N = 254) demonstrated that students rarely described AI as reassuring. Instead, AI use often intensified concerns about authenticity and independence. Together, these findings suggest that AI tools do not uniformly build confidence. Instead, imposter beliefs shaped how AI was interpreted, highlighting the need for clear instructional guidance and attention to legitimacy as an equity concern.

This study aimed to determine the effect of perceived teacher support and classroom climate on persistence among women in engineering programs, assessing the mediating role of academic self-efficacy through a structural equation model in universities in northern Peru. A quantitative, explanatory, non-experimental, cross-sectional design was employed with a sample of 350 female engineering students. Four reflective latent constructs (teacher support, classroom climate, academic self-efficacy, and persistence) were measured using 16 Likert-type items. The measurement model showed high reliability and adequate convergent and discriminant validity, while the overall model fit was excellent (CFI=0.975; TLI=0.968; RMSEA=0.048; SRMR=0.035). Structural results indicated that teacher support and classroom climate positively and significantly predicted academic self-efficacy (β=0.42 and β=0.31), and self-efficacy, in turn, predicted persistence with a substantial effect (β=0.48). Additional direct effects from teacher support and classroom climate to persistence were also significant, and indirect effects confirmed partial mediation via self-efficacy for both contextual predictors. The findings suggested that pedagogical context fostered persistence through motivational pathways and complementary direct influences. Recommendations included strengthening faculty development in actionable feedback and academic encouragement, promoting equitable and psychologically safe classroom climates, and extending evidence through longitudinal designs and subgroup analyses.

This article has two objectives: the first is to understand, through a literature review, the impact of gender stereotypes, self-perception, and educational experiences on women's participation and students' perceptions of STEM disciplines. The second objective is to conduct an exploratory study to understand students' perceptions of STEM. This study highlights the importance of early interventions, the presence of female role models, and inclusive strategies to foster interest in these disciplines. The findings suggest that equitable educational practices and interdisciplinary approaches are key elements in reducing inequalities.

Immersive Virtual Reality (VR) has emerged as a transformative tool in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education, offering new pathways for student motivation, engagement, and conceptual exploration. Nonetheless, limited research addresses how learners from vulnerable communities, particularly girls with limited prior exposure to advanced technologies, emotionally and behaviorally respond to VR-based immersive learning. This study introduced a novel model to represent the pathway Technology Acceptance → Emotional Engagement → Re-Engagement Intention within a short VR-STEM activity conducted among girls (N = 11, ages 8–18) from rural Colta, Ecuador. Using the Meta Quest 3 headset, participants completed two structured sessions (“Oasis Home” and “First Steps – Dancing Robot”). Emotional assessments were collected before, immediately after, and one-hour post-immersion. Results revealed a rise in Excited emotions (20% → 80%), absence of confusion or boredom, and strong re-engagement intention (93–100%). These findings underscore the potential of intuitive, emotionally positive VR experiences to promote sustained engagement among girls in underserved settings, informing the design of inclusive VR-STEM frameworks.

Female student retention in engineering education remains a persistent structural challenge despite expanded participation initiatives in STEM. This study conducts a systematic literature review to synthesize existing evidence on female mentoring as a strategy for student retention in engineering programs. Guided by a structured search process across Scopus and Web of Science and applying PRISMA criteria, 48 peer-reviewed studies were analyzed. A bibliometric and thematic examination was conducted using Bibliometrix to identify structural patterns within the field. The findings indicate that mentoring is primarily conceptualized as a structured support intervention integrated into undergraduate contexts, particularly during first-year experiences. Retention outcomes are frequently associated with mediating mechanisms such as belonging, academic motivation, and institutional support. However, variability in program design, contextual implementation, and outcome measurement reveals conceptual fragmentation. The thematic structure suggests that while curricular and transitional themes are well-developed, mentoring-specific constructs remain partially specialized rather than fully central within the field. These results support the need for an integrative conceptual framework to strengthen theoretical coherence and guide future empirical research on gender equity and persistence in engineering education.