The first step in addressing cultural diversity is to promote the interest among engineering
professionals and students in investigating and experiencing cultural diversity
firsthand; it might come in the form of personnel exchanges, required learning, or sideby-
side work experience. While the nature of our cultural differences can change from
relationship to relationship, the willingness to seek out information on our own initiative
and to ask questions when a matter may be unclear, and remaining nonjudgmental and
receptive, can go a long way toward promoting understanding. Assigning mentors who
already have experienced and successfully addressed what might be expected by the less
experienced engineer is also an excellent method for addressing issues of cultural diversity.
Such mentors not only can tutor the culturally diverse but also the less-experienced
colleague who is experiencing cultural diversity for the first time.
The value of making use of cultural diversity also should also not be minimized.
Professionals who are involved in a culturally diverse project should seek out experienced
colleagues who are likely to be able to contribute to the specific issues that could face
management and the working professional. While a language barrier is an easily identified
issue where the value of collegial intervention is understood, similar review of project
goals and conceptual design can avert misunderstanding, errors, or failure of the
project and personal or professional discontent.