New director chosen for
engineering program
By Luis Jiménez
Summer
Reporter
Members of the Schools of Engineering committee
recently elected a new director of the Women in Engineering Program.
Beth Holloway will be the next director of the
Women in Engineering Program when she steps in on August 1, replacing
interim director Janine Reklaitis. Holloway was chosen out of three
candidates that applied for the position, which became vacant after
former director Jane Daniels left the directorship last spring after
20 years in the position.
Klod Kokini, assistant dean of the Schools of Engineering,
said the position was nationally announced last spring along with the
creation of a committee to study the candidates' qualifications.
"There were three candidates reviewed," said Kokini.
"All three candidates were excellent, but it was a general consensus
that Holloway was the one that best suited the position."
Holloway is not unfamiliar with Purdue's campus
as she is a Purdue graduate. Kokini said Holloway obtained her undergraduate
degree in mechanical engineering in 1992 and a master's degree in the
same field in 1997. Since then, she has been working at Cummins Engine
Co., located in Columbus, Ind.
Kokini said she possesses a lot of experience dealing
with women engineers.
Her experiences as a representative of Cummins
on the advisory board for the society of women engineers and her efforts
mentoring women engineers over her career makes her an excellent candidate,
Kokini said, especially with women students in engineering.
Her strong interest in helping other engineers,
such as herself, has also brought her previously to Purdue; she has
involved in giving informational seminars to prospective women engineering
students.
"We are very excited that she'll be joining us,"
Kokini concluded. "We think that she'll do an outstanding job."
The Women in Engineering Program was founded more
than 30 years ago to attract, educate and mentor women in their pursuit
toward a career in engineering. The program has established high school,
undergraduate and graduate programs for this purpose.
|
