Celebrating our Engineering Leaders

On International Women鈥檚 Day, we鈥檙e highlighting the engineers who are shaping our college and inspiring future leaders.

At the College of Engineering and Applied Science, we believe women and non-binary people belong. They belong in the classroom. In the lab. In leadership roles. In STEM. In all places where decisions are being made and innovation is essential. Our women faculty members are National Academy inductees, international research stars, devoted family members, and mentors to aspiring engineers. They choose to challenge convention, to persist in their endeavors against the odds and to lead by doing what they love to do. 

The accomplishments of our engineering faculty members are many, and there鈥檚 still work to be done. We are taking steps together to grow our ranks and achieve equity 鈥 because we choose to challenge, and we're committed to change.

Choose to Challenge: Stories of Progress

This ongoing project, launched on March 8, 2021, highlights stories of progress within our college. We invited engineering students to interview current faculty members they respect and admire about their journeys into engineering, the challenges they've overcome and their advice for younger generations.

We invite you to read, be inspired and help us raise the voices of these and other women and non-binary engineers in pursuit of a more just future.

Our Engineering Leaders

Anderson has been fascinated by space since third grade. Her research now involves spacesuit design and biomedical issues in space and aviation. 

By Madisen Purifoy-Frie

鈥淜eep your eyes looking forward, surround yourself with people that are supportive, and don鈥檛 be afraid to seek out good mentors.鈥

By Sarah Fischer

Axelrad credits many of her 鈥渋nspiring and supportive鈥 mentors for setting her on her career path. 

By Jane Manalo

鈥淚 love math and science, but I also loved everything else鈥攑oetry, reading.鈥

By Yamelit Medina-Lopez

A conversation with a relative who was an electrical engineer at NASA became the catalyst for Bryant to study chemical engineering.

By Sarah Kim

Cox would advise her younger self to try to be more relaxed about certain things. Opportunities lend themselves. 

By Tanvi Gopalabhatla

Hind's research is fueled by her love for biology. 

By Erica McNamee

Hoenigman鈥檚 journey in engineering began through self-teaching powered by curiosity.

By Cathleen Samson

Ignited by the disastrous Haiti earthquake that coincided with the start of her career at CU 麻豆影院, Javernick-Will leveraged her experience in working with global companies into her current research.

By Elif Deniz Oguz Erkal 

Her advice to her younger self would be to 鈥渂e authentic.鈥

By Mia Miller

Recent Honors


Distinguished Professor
Member of the the National Academies of Engineering, Medicine and Sciences

L鈥橭real-UNESCO For Women in Science


Distinguished Professor

National Academy of Engineering

Michelsen's research focuses on soot from flames and atmosphere and their effect on the environment.

By Kimberly Fung

鈥淕rowing up in a family of public servants in the backdrop of the civil and women鈥檚 rights movements led me to get involved in equity issues across campus.鈥

By Keith Molenaar

Sprenger's research is focused on a holistic approach to infectious diseases such as HIV.

By Jacqueline Rodriguez Mora

鈥淣othing is more fulfilling than empowering other people, and that鈥檚 the amazing thing about being a professor.鈥

By Mia Miller

鈥淎 commonly walked, well-articulated path, might not be the most rewarding.鈥

By Sasha Hall

Tsai discovered her engineering 鈥渁h-ha鈥 moment when she was invited to join her high school robotics team.

By Kimberly Fung

Being a woman in STEM has its challenges; to be successful, Young says to treat others with respect.

By Katelynn Thammavong

Zarske is a personal professor who looks out for the good of her students.

By Erika Antunez

This is just the beginning.

Want to help us highlight another CU 麻豆影院 woman or non-binary engineer who inspires you? Complete this form to get started.

Participate


Special thanks to those who contributed to this project.

Thank You