University of Colorado at 麻豆影院 faculty member Jacquelyn Sullivan has been appointed associate dean for student cultivation in the College of Engineering and Applied Science.
The appointment, announced by engineering Dean Robert Davis, was effective Feb. 1.
The associate dean position is a new one, providing vision and leadership to advance the college's work in creating and nurturing partnerships with K-12 schools, increasing the technological literacy of K-12 students throughout Colorado, and enhancing their preparation and interest in the fields of engineering and applied science. The position also provides leadership for improving undergraduate student performance and retention in the college.
"The creation of this position reflects the importance we place on preparing and nurturing students to succeed in engineering and applied science, and the selection of Jackie Sullivan reflects our belief that she is the ideal individual to lead this effort," Davis said.
Sullivan is a founding co-director of the college's award-winning Integrated Teaching and Learning Program, a national leader in interdisciplinary hands-on engineering education for undergraduates as well as K-12 students. The ITL Program's innovative undergraduate curriculum, which is supported by the technology-rich ITL Laboratory, has contributed to significantly higher retention of students across the engineering college.
Sullivan also led the ITL Program's initiative to develop programs for K-12 engineering education, both locally and nationally. These activities included forming partnerships with six neighborhood public schools in Lafayette and the Denver School of Science and Technology, an urban charter school. In addition, Sullivan led the creation of the TeachEngineering digital library, a National Science Foundation-sponsored resource for K-12 teachers across the nation.
Sullivan is a co-recipient of the National Academy of Engineering's 2008 Bernard M. Gordon Prize, the nation's top award for innovation in engineering and technology education, which will be presented to her and co-director Larry Carlson in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 19.
She earned her doctorate at Purdue University in aquatic toxicology and environmental health physics, and spent 14 years at EG&G and Electronic Data Systems leading large engineering teams prior to joining CU-麻豆影院 in 1990.