Engineering & Society
ASEE President: Sarah A. Rajala
ASEE newest board president, Sarah A. Rajala, addresses ASEE members and colleagues about its’ work in promoting engineering and technology education excellence. You can find the President’s message on the ASEE website.
In 2009 Rajala noted the importance of ASEE’s efforts to unite members abroad and work internationally, as well as ASEE’s challenge to reach K-12 engineering education. She brought attention to the need for diversity and reminded members of ASEE’s pioneering efforts to help transform engineering education. She writes:
“During 2006-2007, ASEE engaged in a Year of Dialogue addressing how we can advance engineering and engineering technology education based on the collective wisdom and experience of its more than 13,000 members. This dialogue began with a plenary session at the 2006 Annual Convention and was followed by discussion at each of the twelve section meetings. These efforts provided the foundation for an NSF-funded project to create a blueprint for transforming engineering education through educational scholarship and to initiate substantive actions to advance the proposed recommendations. Over the next year a team of more than fifty ASEE members and educational leaders will develop draft recommendations and plans for converting these recommendations into actions. Public distribution of the draft report for feedback will begin in early 2009”
Through out her life, Rajala has sought to open up the field of engineering to women and she serves as a role model for female students as she continues to move into traditionally male dominated roles. More information about President Rajala and her past accomplishments can be found in ECE News on the NC State University website. Rajala is currently the department chair and dean at Mississippi State University.
