Activity:
“Inclusive Micro-Moments”
Time: 15 minutes
Format: Pairs or small groups
INSTRUCTIONS
Read the short case studies from engineering placements
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Spot the moment of bias: Identify what triggered the fast-brain / in-group reaction.
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Interrupt it: Discuss how someone could intervene in that moment, afterwards, or for the future.
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Reframe the response: What could an inclusive leader do differently?
Three Stories
Scenario 1:
The Prototype Debate
Context: A multi-disciplinary team in aerospace is discussing a new prototype design.
Event: Sofia, a junior female mechanical engineer, suggests a modification to improve safety. The senior engineers barely acknowledge her.
Later, a male colleague repeats the exact idea, and the supervisor praises him.
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Scenario 2:
The Hackathon Idea
Context: A university-hosted engineering hackathon team is brainstorming solutions for a sustainability challenge.
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Event: Mei, an international student, proposes a data-driven approach that incorporates local community input. The team quickly moves on, assuming it’s “too complicated.”
Later, a domestic student suggests a simpler solution, and it’s immediately accepted.
Scenario 3:
The Lab Safety Incident
Context: A chemical engineering lab team is testing a new reaction process.
Event: Leo, an autistic intern, notices a potential safety risk but hesitates to speak up because the team is dominated by extroverted voices.
The warning is ignored, and a minor chemical spill occurs.