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Mary C. Verstraete, Ph.D. Awarded 2007 Society of Women Engineers' Distinguished Engineering Educator Award

Posted on: Friday, 26 October 2007, 12:00 CDT

The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) today announced Mary C. Verstraete, Ph.D. the recipient of the 2007 SWE Distinguished Engineering Educator Award. Dr. Verstraete is being recognized for teaching excellence and dedication, development of innovative curricula, and for commitment to helping students succeed in engineering academics and their professional lives.

Dr. Verstraete currently serves as associate professor of biomedical engineering (BME) and Coordinator of the Undergraduate Program for the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Akron, Ohio. Dr. Verstraete began her career at the University of Akron in 1988 as assistant professor in BME.

"This year's Distinguished Engineering Educator, Mary C. Verstraete, has earned an outstanding reputation of excellent teacher and scholar," says Michelle Tortolani, president of SWE. "Through her commitment to biomedical engineering, the University of Akron has developed a B.S. degree in biomedical engineering, with approximately 120 students currently enrolled. Her dedication to the field of biomedical engineering and to the University of Akron has earned Dr. Verstraete the respect of her colleagues in the engineering industry as well as current and graduated students."

Dr. Verstraete began her teaching career as a graduate student at Michigan State University during her second year of her Ph.D. program. During her graduate research, Dr. Verstraete began to work with veterinarians, eventually collaborating on projects regarding canine gait analysis.

Upon graduation, Dr. Verstraete accepted a full-time position at The University of Akron, where she taught five new graduate courses and began advising engineering graduate students.

In 1994, Dr. Verstraete was elected by the faculty in BME to be the department chair. During the next four years, she concentrated much of her administrative efforts on the development of an undergraduate program in biomedical engineering, and in 1998, the B.S. degree in biomedical engineering was successfully approved.

Dr. Verstraete is credited for spearheading the development of a curriculum that would ensure that students who graduated from the program were marketable to industry, to graduate programs, and to medical schools. Her commitment to the program ensured an 87.5 percent placement rate for graduates into their chosen career paths. To date, 40 students have graduated from the program and approximately 120 undergraduates are currently enrolled.

Dr. Verstraete has coordinated all of the department's activities toward gaining accreditation from the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) for the new BME undergraduate program. She has written the self study report for the program presented to the Accreditation Board and organized the department for their first ABET visit. In addition, she has researched ways to improve the assessment processes for the program.

"Dr. Mary C. Verstraete has earned an outstanding reputation as a teacher and scholar," says SWE President Michelle Tortolani. "She is committed to quality graduate and undergraduate education and research, and it is due to her leadership that The University of Akron developed an undergraduate program in biomedical engineering. Her dedication to the field, to the success of her students, and to the university has earned her the respect of colleagues in academia and industry, as well as current and former students."

In addition to teaching, Dr. Verstraete has continuously advised two student organizations, the Biomedical Engineering Society and the Society of Women Engineers, since 1993. In 2004, Dr. Verstraete was elected as a member of Tau Beta Pi and now serves as the BME advisor to this organization. She is also the Honors Preceptor for all the honors students in the department and advises them on requirements specific to the Honors program.

To date, Dr. Verstraete has graduated 13 Master's and three Doctoral students. Dr. Verstraete received her B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in engineering mechanics/biomechanics from Michigan State University.

In 2004 and 2006, Dr. Verstraete was awarded the Outstanding Co-Curricular Advisor by the Office of Student Development at the University of Akron. She is also the recipient of the University's first annual Celebrating Inclusiveness Excellence Award, given to acknowledge attitudes and practices of inclusiveness and for understanding disability as a natural part of the human experience. Dr. Verstraete was recently elected to the Research Board of Directors of the Hattie Larlham Foundation, and organization committed to improving the lives of severely disabled children and adults.

The Distinguished Engineering Educator Award is presented to a woman engineering-educator who has demonstrated excellence in teaching and research, and has made significant contributions to the engineering profession.

This year's Distinguished Engineering Educator Award will be presented on October 27 at WE07, the Society of Women Engineers national conference. WE07 is being held at the Nashville Convention Center, October 25-27, in Nashville, Tenn. The more than 4,000 attendees include professionals from every discipline of the engineering profession and engineering students and educators. The WE08 conference is scheduled for November 6-8, 2008, in Baltimore.

About SWE

The Society of Women Engineers (SWE), founded in 1950, is a not-for-profit educational and service organization. SWE is the driving force that establishes engineering as a highly desirable career aspiration for women. SWE empowers women to succeed and advance in those aspirations and receive the recognition and credit for their life-changing contributions and achievements as engineers and leaders. For more information about the Society please visit www.swe.org or call (312) 596-5223.

Source: Business Wire

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