MATH IS HARD: Profs fear engineering exam may be ‘biased’ against women.

Not all engineering fields require the PE exams. But in fields where the engineering design cannot be tested prior to use, such as roads, bridges, and buildings, the PE exam is typically required as a “stamp of approval” for the individual prior to hire.

According to Keen, it functions in the same way as the bar exam for lawyers, or the CPA exam for accountants, making it crucial for professional development, and yet one of the many ways women are kept from advancing in the field of engineering.

More research is needed to determine why exactly women are passing the PE exam at lower rates than men, but in an interview with Campus Reform, Keen suggested that the timing of the exam may pose a problem for women, as they may have less time to study due to family obligations.

Women in engineering may also have spent less time developing technical skills, Keen said.

Shouldn’t “less time developing technical skills” matter on an exam focused on, you know, technical skills?