master-slave terminology in engineering education

As engineering programs strive to recruit and retain increasingly diverse student bodies, they often struggle to create an environment where students from historically excluded identities can thrive. While many universities have implemented interventions, training programs, and other mechanisms to reduce micro-aggressions and foster the creation of a more welcoming environment, to our knowledge, little research has been conducted on how common technical jargon of engineering can influence feelings of inclusion and acceptance among a diverse engineering student population.

This study reports specifically on student reactions to the “master-slave” terminology in the classroom, and the self-reported impacts of these terms on students’ sense of community and belonging in engineering education. We find that 42% of students surveyed either agree or strongly agree that use of master-slave terminology makes them feel uncomfortable, including 100% of Female and 100% of African American students, and that the use of the terminology may create conditions to evoke Stereotype Threat. Thus, further research on confronting, addressing, and replacing "master-slave" is warranted.