NEWS
COES associate dean earns national distinguished service award
Dr. Jenna Price Carpenter, associate dean for undergraduate studies and the Wayne and Juanita Spinks Professor of Mathematics and Statistics in Louisiana Tech University’s College of Engineering and Science, has won the prestigious Distinguished Service Award from the Women in Engineering Proactive Network (WEPAN).
The award, presented at the WEPAN National Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, last week, recognizes WEPAN members whose individual service has made a significant impact on the organization. The national conference is an annual forum for ideas, training, research and best practices focused on advancing women in engineering.
WEPAN is the nation’s leading organization and catalyst for transforming culture in engineering education to promote the inclusion and success of diverse communities of women. The organization is focused on propelling higher education to increase the number and advance the prominence of diverse communities.
“Dr. Carpenter is a national leader in promoting and supporting the success of women in engineering and science and is very deserving of this recognition,” said Dr. Hisham Hegab, interim dean of Louisiana Tech’s College of Engineering and Science. “This award is the latest in a number of honors she has received for her work in engineering and science education.
“The College of Engineering and Science is very fortunate to have access to her expertise and is benefiting greatly from her leadership in recruiting, retaining, and mentoring students.”
Carpenter has held numerous positions in WEPAN including chair of the Knowledge Center, serving two terms on the WEPAN Board of Directors where she worked to strengthen the Network’s relationship with both ASEE and ABET.
WEPAN’s 880 members are based in 140 engineering schools as well as corporations, government agencies and not-for-profit organizations. The Network’s engineering school members reach 43,900 or 60 percent of U.S. women engineering students each year with a range of retention-focused programming. Written by Catherine Fraser – cfraser@latech.edu