As evidenced by a large body of research within the engineering education community,
those individuals who do not maintain a sense of belonging, identify with engineering
groups, or perceive themselves as engineers are more likely to leave the profession.
However, little is known about the ways in which engineering students construct or develop
their personal and professional identities as influenced by the disciplinary values, behaviors,
and practices learned during the undergraduate education experience. In order to deepen …

Background Engineers' identification with their profession is crucial for persistence among
engineering students and career professionals. Significant research has been conducted on
various dimensions of identity in the engineering field. However, little is known about the
ways students negotiate these dimensions as they construct professional identities within a
single engineering discipline such as civil engineering. Purpose/Hypothesis The purpose of
this study is twofold in that we not only seek to enhance our understanding of professional …