UC dean awarded for engineering change
Whitney Gaskins is associate dean of UC's College of Engineering and Applied Science
The University of Cincinnati's Whitney Gaskins, Ph.D., has been awarded the Engineering Change Individual Award sponsored by the Peer Group. This award, built on the premise of Yvette E. Pearson's Engineering Change podcast, recognizes an individual who focuses on equity, diversity and inclusion and how it relates to STEM fields.
Dean Whitney Gaskins
Gaskins has recently been promoted to associate dean of UC's College of Engineering and Applied Science (CEAS), where she leads the director of Inclusive Excellence and Community Engagement, is responsible for CEAS faculty professional development, and the organization and maintenance of student retention programs.
"I am excited about this award. It feels wonderful to be recognized for being innovative in a space that can be slow to change at times," Gaskins said. "It takes faith to fully trust yourself and receiving this award makes me feel empowered to push for innovative solutions to the challenges we are facing in our college and community."
A three-time alumna of UC, Gaskins holds a bachelor's degree in biomedical engineering, a master's in quantitative analysis and a doctorate in biomedical engineering. She has worked at the university for nearly a decade and is highly decorated in her field. Gaskins is also the Principal Investigator for the ROSE Research Lab and has a team of two postdoctoral fellows and three graduate students.
Along with her work at the university, Gaskins is engineering change in the community. Her nonprofit organization, the Gaskins Foundation, is dedicated to providing STEM education opportunities for underrepresented youth in the Cincinnati area. Gaskins' work at the university and through her foundation align with Pearson's mission of redefining engineering and re-imagining who we see as engineers.
At the 2023 American Society for Engineering Education Conference, Gaskins was given the Best Video for Community Engagement Award for a video she made highlighting one of the youth STEM programs within The Gaskins Foundation.
She was also celebrated with the Women Who Mean Business Award from the Cincinnati Business Courier in 2022.
Featured Image at top: Baldwin Hall at the University of Cincinnati.
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