Dr. Thole featured on White House Blog

Dr. Thole was recently featured on the White House Blog with her contribution entitled:  "Building a Diverse Community of Engineers to Face Tomorrow's Engineering Challenges". 

Department Head of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, Dr. Thole

In her entry, Dr. Thole remarks on the need for diversity in Engineering. She highlights the work of the Engineering Ambassadors to show middle and high school students the importance and excitement of being an engineer. The Engineering Ambassadors use marketing lessons from "Changing the Conversation"developed by the National Academy of Engineers. In addition, she references other groups that strive for a more diverse enrollment in engineering.


Check out the Dr. Thole's entire Blog Post here!

President Obama honors Dr. Thole as "Champion of Change"

Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering's Dr. Thole was honored by President Obama for her work in recruiting and retaining women in the fields of science and engineering. 

"These 'Champions of Change' are community heroes, helping to build the ranks of women in the nation's STEM workforce and ensuring that America's science and engineering enterprise is fueled by the diverse talents of all its citizens," said John Holdren, assistant to the president for science and technology and director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

Check out Dr. Thole's panel discussion about the Engineering Ambassadors!

Click here to read more from Penn State Live!

Engineering Ambassadors featured in Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Engineering Ambassadors visited North Allegheny's Baierl Center to show middle school students another side of science and engineering, the FUN side. Students used conductive Play-Doh to make circuits and found innovative ways to cleanup a mock oil spill. Another group of students set a record by sending a marble safely down a five-looped roller coaster created from foam tubing halves.

Students work with an EA to problem solve the
best ways to clean up a mock oil spill.

Click here for the full story at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Engineering Ambassadors Build a Support Wall to Stand Against Child Abuse

Engineering Ambassadors set up a table in
front of Old Main to gather signed
handprints from students, faculty and
staff in support against child abuse.
The handprints were collected into
a support wall (foreground).

The Engineering Ambassadors showed their support for the children of The Second Mile Organization in front of Old Main.  About 2000 people signed handprints to show support for the victimes and families from the Penn State Community. 

“The handprints were an active and visual way for each person to take a stand against child abuse and to support all of the affected families, which I think helped a lot of people feel like they were doing something,” said Gibilterra.


Click Here for the Full Story from MNE News


Read a story on the Support Wall from the Centre Daily Times

View photos of the event posted on Penn State Live

Engineering Ambassadors Spreads to Other Universities

Danielle DaSilva (right) mentors participants
in the crafting of their presentations.

The Engineering Ambassadors program is expanding to UConn, WPI and RPI sponsored by the United Technology Corporation! Over a three day workshop Penn State ambassadors shared their experiences and taught advanced presentation techniques to 22 ambassadors-in-training.

“I learned a great deal from the Penn State workshop, and I feel motivated to be that great speaker Melissa Marshall was to me,” says RPI ambassador Anda Lupse. “I am excited to present the research projects I worked on to high school students and inspire them to become engineers.”

Click here to read more!

EA Adviser wins PSEAS Award

Melissa Marshall, Faculty Adviser of the Engineering Ambassadors and Program Coordinator for the Toshiba-Westinghouse Fellows Program, received an Outstanding Advising Award by the Penn State Engineering Alumni Society (PSEAS) for outstanding service to the University.

(L to R) Brennan, Kralik, Litzinger, Marshall
and Dr. Karen Thole, Dept. Head

Click here to read more!

Engineering Ambassador wins WISE Award

The ambassadors with their award, along 

with Dr. Karen Thole (L) and Dr. Renata 

Engel (R)

Penn State Engineering Ambassadors were presented with a 2011 Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) Outstanding Service Award at the 6th Annual WISE Recognition Awards Reception. The Engineering Ambassadors are growing and making an impact that is getting noticed by the Penn State community!

Click here to read more!

Engineering Ambassadors Kirsch and DaSilva win MNE Senior Awards

Two Engineering Ambassadors received awards at the MNE Senior Recognition Reception.  Danielle DaSilva was one of the two winners of the Thomas Briggs Hunter Memorial Award for Student Leadership in Mechanical Engineering. DaSilva is pursuing a concurrent degree in bioengineering and mechanical engineering.. The Dr. John P. Karidis Department Head’s Award for Research Achievement in Mechanical Engineering (Karidis Award) went to Katie Kirsch, a senior mechanical engineering major pursuing a minor in engineering leadership.

Dr. Karen Thole (left) presents Danielle
DaSilva with the plaque commemorating her
award.

Click here to read more!