The University of New Mexico (UNM) has announced that Donna Riley, the current Jim and Ellen King Dean of Engineering and Computing at UNM, has been inducted into the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Hall of Fame. Recognized for her significant contributions to the field, Riley's research focuses on engineering education, particularly on integrating ethics, communication, social analysis, and lifelong learning.
As the incumbent dean of the School of Engineering and former head of the School of Engineering Education at Purdue University, Riley has had a profound influence on the discipline. "Earlier this year, she was elected as ASEE's first vice president of scholarship, overseeing ASEE's Scholarly Publications Committee and serving as the point of contact for all scholarly products, including journals, conference proceedings, and new media products like podcasts," according to a press release by UNM.
Riley's pioneering work also includes her tenure at Smith College. There she established an innovative program that integrated feminist and critical pedagogies with engineering and liberal arts while grounding the curriculum in sustainability. She also led the development of a National Science Foundation program, as per another press release by UNM.
ASEE serves as a unique national platform for influential figures in engineering education. It brings together key stakeholders such as engineering deans, engineering technology deans, associate deans for research, and corporate leaders interested in engineering and engineering technology (E&ET) education. The organization facilitates crucial discussions and collaborations through events like the Engineering Deans Institute, Engineering Technology Leaders Institute, Engineering Research Council meeting, and the Engineering Deans Public Policy Colloquium. Furthermore, its annual conference fosters collaboration among approximately 4000 educators, exhibitors, and presenters. On both regional and global scales - organizing local conferences to encourage peer collaboration or hosting international forums for professionals involved in innovative education initiatives - ASEE extends its impact significantly. This information is provided by the 'What We Do' webpage of ASEE.
