We are excited to announce the 2024 WIED Elections!
Voting is open from April 1 – May 1, 2024 for positions on the WIED Executive Board.
How to Vote
You may cast your ballot here.
Voting will be open April 1 – May 1, 2024.
WIED members will need to enter their ASEE member number. If you don’t know your number, log into ASEE using your email and password and you will find your Member ID on the landing page.
Thank you for your support and participation!
Information on the candidates can be found below:
Position: Program Chair Elect
Nominee’s Name: Dr. Suzanne Zurn-Birkhimer
Affiliation: Purdue University, Women in Engineering Program
Dr. Duzanne Zurn-Birkhimer has been a member of ASEE for a decade and is currently holds a Director At Large position with ASEE-WIED. She is excited about the opportunity to become more involved with WIED to ensure a continued focus on promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion of all individuals. Dr. Zurn-Birkhimer has spent her career diligently working towards broadening participation of women and underrepresented groups in STEM fields. She is the Associate Director of the Purdue University Women in Engineering (WiE) Program where she leads retention efforts and conducts research around women student success. She manages the undergraduate and graduate mentoring programs that reach over 1,000 students annually and teaches WiE courses including a Gender in the World study abroad. She also holds a courtesy Associate Professor appointment in the Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences. Dr. Zurn-Birkhimer’s research focuses around understanding the barriers and pathways to success for typically marginalized groups in STEM. She is developing an online training program for engineering students with under-developed spatial skills. She is also working to understand the intricacies of undergraduate women engineering students’ successful navigation to their degrees. Finally, Dr. Zurn-Birkhimer studies the career pathways of indigenous women to better inform practices and policies in the work force. She is a founding Advisory Board member of the Geoscience Alliance, a national alliance committed to broadening participation of Native Americans in the geosciences. In 2019, she was appointed to the Advisory Board of the international organization Diversity in Organizations, Communities, and Nations Research Network. (zurnbirk@purdue.edu).
Position: Secretary
Nominee’s Name: Dr. Margaret Pinnell
Affiliation: University of Dayton, School of Engineering
Dr. Margaret Pinnell is a tenured professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Dayton. She has held a variety of academic administration roles during her 23 years at the University of Dayton including: Assistant Provost for Learning and the Executive Director of the Learning Teaching Center, interim dean in the School of Engineering, Bernhard Schmidt Endowed Chair in Engineering Leadership, Associate Dean for Faculty and Staff Development, Assistant Dean for Recruitment and Outreach, and Director of Ethos. She is actively involved in ASEE, served as the secretary for the Community Engaged Learning Committee, and currently serves as the chair of the Institutional Change Committee for the Committee for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. Her research interests include the scholarship of teaching and learning, particularly in the areas of community engaged learning, and faculty professional development. Additionally, she is involved in K-12 Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) research, outreach and engagement. Margie has over 60-refereed publications on these topics, and has external funding to support this work. Margie serves on boards for Ohio PKAL, and WEPAN. Margie’s technical area of research is experimental mechanics of materials.
Nominee’s Name: Mythili Banka
Affiliation: Egen Solutions AI.
Mythili Banka is a Technology professional with over 13 years of experience in the marketing technology space, specializing in building Decisioning platforms to create Omni-channel customer experiences. Currently serving as a Senior Assistant Director at Egen Solutions AI, Mythili plays a pivotal role in supporting the Drivetime Automotive Group with innovative Decisioning solutions. Her expertise lies in leveraging technology to orchestrate seamless customer journeys across multiple channels. Mythili holds a Master of Science degree in Information Systems and Technology Management from the University of Delaware and a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Sastra University. With her comprehensive understanding of both technical and business aspects, Mythili excels in driving impactful outcomes at the intersection of technology and customer experience.
Nominee’s name: Dr. Monica Quezada-Espinoza
Affiliation: School of Engineering at Andres Bello University, Santiago, Chile
Dr. Monica Quezada-Espinoza is an Assistant Professor at the Andres Bello University’s School of Engineering, Santiago, Chile. She is a researcher within the Educational and Academic Innovation Unit (UNIDA). She has research interests in factors impacting student learning in various engineering domains. Her expertise includes conceptual learning, evaluation tools, and technology integration in educational settings. Monica holds a Ph.D. in Educational Innovation from Tecnologico de Monterrey and a Master’s in Education, with foundational training as a Physics Engineer. Since 2017, Monica has been actively engaged in projects addressing gender issues in STEM education, collaborating with international researchers from Colombia, Mexico, and Chile. Her projects delve into socio-cognitive factors influencing female students’ choices to pursue STEM careers, examining their effects on retention, academic success, and industry entry. Monica also mentors university engineering educators, enhancing their research skills within their disciplines.
Position: Assistant Web Manager
Nominee’s Name: Chiamaka Asinugo
Affiliation: Washington University in St. Louis
Chiamaka Asinugo – Hello! I am honored to be considered for nomination as the Assistant Web Manager and look forward to contributing to the WIED mission.
I have more than four years of experience in website design and web management for our courses and engineering makerspace. Through these experiences, I have developed a passion for creating functional and accessible websites, streamlining the user online experience, and maximizing organizational impact. I have a solid background in HTML and CSS and can effectively develop and maintain content management systems like WordPress. Moreover, my problem-solving skills and attention to detail have allowed me to troubleshoot technical issues and integrate new technologies efficiently.
Thank you for your consideration of my nomination as your Assistant Web Manager. As a collaborator and effective communicator, this role would also be a great way to promote and foster strong relationships with the division. I am excited to commit my expertise, leadership, and enthusiasm to further enhancing WEID’s online presence.
Position: Director At Large
Nominee’s Name: Dr. Sarah Jayasekaran
Affiliation: University of Florida, Department of Engineering Education
Dr. Sarah Jayasekaran is the current secretary for ASEE-WIED. Sarah has been an Instructional Assistant Professor in the Department of Engineering Education at the University of Florida since August 2019. She is a TEDx speaker. She received her Ph.D. in Civil Engineering and her M.S. in structural engineering from the University of Florida and a Bachelors in Civil Engineering from Anna University, Chennai (India). Sarah was born and raised in the city of Chennai, India. She came to the United States to pursue her passion for teaching. Her teaching goals include creating an inclusive environment and increasing student retention in Engineering. Her research interests are in the area of Women in engineering, leadership, diversity, course improvements and the implementation of smart concepts in engineering education. Sarah is passionate about animal rescue and welfare. She loves devoting time to fitness and mindfulness.
Nominee’s name: Dr. Annalisa Scacchioli
Affiliation: Rutgers University, School of Engineering
Dr. Annalisa Scacchioli is an Associate Teaching Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Rutgers University. Her background is in electrical engineering and computer science, and the focus of her research is on design, analysis, and implementation of control and optimization algorithms in transportation systems. She is also interested in research in education with a focus on student success in engineering. Her experience in teaching large-size classes in mechanics, robotics, and controls is extensive. In the classroom, she applies active learning strategies based on a systems approach aimed at fostering problem solving while focusing on foundational knowledge in engineering. At Rutgers Annalisa received, among several other recognitions, the prestigious 2021-2022 Chancellor-Provost Faculty Excellence Award for Excellence in Teaching Innovations, and the Engineering Governing Council Students’ Professor of the Year Award for two years in a row, 2020-2021 and 2021-2022.
Nominee’s name: Dr. Janis Terpenny
Affiliation: Professor of SEOR and ME at George Mason University, Program Director at NSF in CMMI Division
Janis Terpenny is program director of the Manufacturing Systems Integration program at the National Science Foundation (NSF). She is also professor of Systems Engineering & Operations Research and Mechanical Engineering at George Mason University. Her research focuses on smart integrated systems and processes for design and manufacturing, and on engineering education. Janis has served as professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering and Dean of Engineering at the University of Tennessee, department head of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering at Penn State, department chair of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering at Iowa State, director of the NSF Center for e-Design, program director for NSF’s Division of Undergraduate Education, and professor at Virginia Tech and the University of Massachusetts. She has industry work experience with General Electric (GE). She is fellow and member of ASME and IISE, and member of AAAS, Alpha Pi Mu, ASEE, INFORMS, SME, and Tau Beta Pi. She is area/associate editor for 2 journals, chairs the ASME Intelligent Manufacturing Technology Group, and Governor elect for ASME’s Board of Governors. Janis served as NSF Advance professor at Virginia Tech and has been an innovator and leader of many initiatives for the professional growth and success of women in engineering.