Women often face different issues than men when they pursue careers in science and engineering. This case study of a computer-mediated group dedicated to issues concerning women in science and engineering explored how some women in these fields are using computer-mediated groups as resources for social support, information, role models, and mentors. The findings suggest that online groups can be helpful for promoting professional development and satisfaction and that affiliation with an online group can be especially beneficial when a person's face-to-face social network is unavailable or non-existent. A striking finding was the degree to which lurkers derive social identity benefits.
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