During the month of March, Metro Workology focused on the engineering field and what it means to the aspiring engineer and the world as a whole. We hope you enjoyed it and thanks for reading.

Everybody knows Bob can build it, but what about Barbie? For career number 125, the iconic doll has mastered the geek-chic look and become Computer Engineer Barbie, according to Mattel.com.

The doll comes with a cellphone headset, laptop bag and pink laptop and was the first professional Barbie chosen by popular vote. So how do real-life women engineers feel about engineer Barbie?

Elizabeth Croft, associate head of engineering at the University of British Columbia, says Barbie is a good ambassador for women engineers.

“I don’t see the downside to this. Barbie’s been a doctor and a lawyer. It’s only natural that she should also be an engineer,” Croft says.

Croft noted only about 10 per cent of the engineering workforce is female and about 18 per cent of engineering students are female. She had no female engineering role models when she started in the profession.

She says it’s a cultural issue, with people unconsciously thinking of engineering as a man’s job.

That changed with doctors and she says it’s time for engineering to catch up. Perhaps Barbie can help engineer social change.

“I don’t have any issues with Barbie. Barbie’s come a long way,” she says, noting she was a Lego girl herself.

In Halifax, Corinne MacDonald, assistant engineering professor at Dalhousie University, laughs when she sees the image of Computer Engineer Barbie.

“Actually, I like it. She’s not even wearing heels,” she says.

Like Croft, MacDonald didn’t have any female engineering role models.

“That’s probably one of the biggest problems we have in engineering. It’s catch-22: There aren’t a lot of women in engineering and to attract more women to engineering, we need more women in engineering,” she says. “I think any opportunity we have to put that thought in girls’ heads is a good thing.”

MacDonald was a stellar math and science student in high school, but engineering never crossed her mind until she took a computer career test. Its top suggestion was engineering.

“At which I point I went, ‘What’s that?’” she recalls. Her guidance counsellor filled her in and MacDonald started on the engineering path. Female role models, even plastic ones, help young women visualize themselves as engineers, she says.

“I liked to play with Barbies, but I liked to play with building blocks, too. Maybe Barbie could run the project and boss all the other Barbies around,” she laughs.