Diversity as a Necessity

06/08/2004

"Love is something you and I must have. We must have it because our spirit feeds upon it. We must have it because without it we become weak and faint. Without love our self-esteem weakens. Without it our courage fails. Without love we can no longer look confidently at the world. We turn inward and begin to feed upon our own personalities, and little by little we destroy it ourselves. With it we are creative. With it we march tirelessly. With it and with it alone, we are able to sacrifice for others." - Chief Dan George

Diversity as a Necessity

Engineers are not known as the most socially radical professionals in the world. But in The Bent, the magazine of the Engineering Honor Society, William A. Wulf makes this case for the importance of supporting diversity...

"The usual arguments for diversity in the engineering workforce are about simple equity and the demographics of our population, which is less and less white male. But I think there is a much more powerful argument. We will find better, more elegant solutions to engineering problems if we work with a diverse team.

"That may startle you, but remember...engineering is a profoundly creative activity. Researchers in psychology have looked into the nature of creativity. Although there is no absolute unanimity on the subject, there is a strong consensus that creativity is simply making unexpected connections between things you already know, between life experiences you already have had. Men, women, underrepresented minorities, and the handicapped experience life differently. Almost by definition, the life experiences of a diverse team are more varied and thus offer greater opportunities for making unexpected connections."

To consider Exchange resources on diversity, go to http://mail.ccie.com/go/eed/0210

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