Project Space Duenez1

Project Space
Machine Shop
Andrea Dueez
University of Texas at El Paso





Abstract
A three part research was conducted on a gender space place which I chose to be the machine
shop to proved that this is a space that is mainly occupied by males. The first part that was
conducted was the observation, here I was to go and see the visual appeals of the place were and
if it effected who was at the shop. The second part I was to return to the shop and determine a
group of people that worked here, observed their behavior and interactions with one another. In
the third part a interview was conducted with someone who worked in the shop, in this case it
was the instructor of the shop.
Although it is said that more and more women are simultaneously entering the field of
engineering, based on a three part research conducted at The University of Texas at EL Paso's
machine shop, men still dominate the engineering field.
In the entrance of the Machine shop on UTEP's campus it has large glass windows that
people can look into the shop. The shop has a very metallic smell as well the smell of paint.
Immediately as one enters the instructors office to the right hand side. His office also has large
glass windows. The shop is painted with gray with a mixture of blue paint, and the floors match
the color of the walls. Towards the right there is an area where one can find tools in the large tool
boxes. All the tools are neatly put away and separated based on the tool. For example all the flats
head screwdrivers in one area, and all the brushes to clean the machines in another area. On the
floors there is absolutely no long wires on the ground circling the machines or the room or lose
objects for that matter, this is safety hazard. The first machine that is visible is the vertical
cutting machine this machine is towards the right hand side of the shop. On the left in front of the
instructors office there is a sign in notebook sitting a small podium. Straight there are more
machines such as the milling machine. On a right turn into another part of the shop one will see
the CNC machines, which are very large and boxy metal machines. In that same area there is
also another milling machine, a sanding machine and about six more machines. There is another
cabinet where more tools can be located. In the shop mainly males work in there for projects.
The instructor is also male. In fact when I went to visit the shop on Friday I was the only female
in the shop.
Returning to the machine shop on UTEP's campus the people working at the machine
shop are on average men. I noticed there were no women when I returned. According to the
machine shops' instructor " For every class there is about two to five girls". He also believes that
the reason why the machine shop is full of males is because males seem to like the machine shop
more than females. In most cases the way a space is set up effects who attracts to that space. In
this case the instructor of the shop doesn't think the way the shop is set up has anything to do
with it having more males. He says that the type of work that is done at the shop may interfere
with more females going to the shop. As mentioned by Robert D. Sack(1993) "Sanity and
personality need the stimulation of nature, society, and meaning to give them form", (p.329).
This statement supports the instructor's comment about women no going to the machine shop
because of the work done. Females do have to want to do that type of work in order to go to the
machine shop and continue going to the machine shop.
The environment is not a very social space because the men are very focus on finishing
what they need to finish. Communication is usually "small talk". The men usually respond with
"yeah" or with a chuckle if something comic is mentioned, then they continue working. If this
wasn't such a male orientated place and it was more common for women to be at the shop, it
would probably be like a gym where men are trying to show off in front of the women by
displaying their incredible strength by lifting the most weights. In fact the "males at the shop
would enjoy having more women around" said the instructor of the shop.
Many people often believe that with more women entering a engineering field of
predominantly males, it will cause the males to feel threatened. I actually was one of these
people to believe that.. I think this is a common misconception that is often carried by those few
who would actually feel threatened by more women becoming engineers. Robert D. Sack
mentions in his article (1993) geography, social power, meaning and intellectual standing can
determine the effect a space can have. (Sack, 1993, p.328) This is true because men shouldn't
feel threatened if they have the same amount of knowledge that a female can offer, they are both
equally equipped. The instructor of the shop actually encourages those few females he has for
class to continue being in the field of engineering and says having more females would benefit
the engineering field. It would mean more engineers, and to him it would mean more students no
matter the gender.
There are many rules about being careful with the machines in order to prevent accidents
from occurring. Such as no horseplay in the shop, keep the area tidy, and always have someone
looking out while working on a machine in case anything goes wrong. The strict rules enforce
the machine shop to be a serious environment, which is good when trying to finish a project.
According to Robert D. Sack (1993), "Territorial rules about what is in or out of place pervade
and structure and provide specific examples of how place has power", (p.326). In this case the
place had power because the shop's main objective is to keep everyone safe.
When going to the machine shop the instructor will ask if one has experience with the
machines because it is very common for people to have experience with machinery, so it is kind
of expected to for one to know how to work machinery. The instructor will help those who are
not as experienced, but with the more sophisticated machinery, he will usually operate the
machine and have the student stand by and watch until he or she is ready to perform the task.
There was one student who was there when I visited the first time who was there
working and was there again when I returned. He seemed to be very experienced with the
machines and didn't need any help. He always kept to himself. There was a class Engineering
Leadership that was there working on a project. I noticed that some students were going to use a
certain machine and immediately he came and moved them to another machine that was similar
to the one that the students were going to use because he said he was going to use it. The entire
time that the Engineering Leadership class was there he didn't use the machine he claimed he
would be using. Instead he was on another machine cleaning it. It reminded me of a young child
not wanting to share his toys with strangers. I think this can be a barrier for those who are new at
the shop especially women per say who are trying to become experienced using technical
machinery because they may feel that they are being pushed away instead of encouraged.
Currently males still dominate the engineering field, but in time females and males will
both equally dominate the engineering field just like any other field we see in our society today.
Females are gaining support from those who we thought were excluding them out. However, the
female has to decide whether she is willing to change this cycle of male dominating the
engineering field.
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Resources
Sack R. D.(1993). The Power of Place and Space
Geographical Review, Vol.83, No.3. 326-329