Women's History at Rose

These accomplished leaders, scientists, athletes, and engineers honor the women who are part of their stories and share wisdom for younger women to write theirs.

Rose-Hulman’s third TEDx Talks event will feature women faculty members and a visiting Fulbright Scholar discussing topics pertaining to engineering, sustainability, art, science, mathematics, and bringing diversity to STEM.

Award-winning Physics and Optical Engineering Professor Sudipa Kirtley, PhD, introduced hands-on laboratory experiences to help students learn physics principles. She also has provided unique research opportunities for undergraduate students.

A supporting campus environment and several undergraduate research opportunities helped physics alumna Michelle Lollie, PhD, achieve her goal of becoming a quantum physicist, now working as an advanced laser scientist with Quantinuum.

Pat Carlson was the first woman faculty member to earn full professor ranking and the Trustees Outstanding Scholar Award. She also founded the PRISM program, which has become a resource for secondary STEM teachers.

Mechanical engineering alumna Marcie Morrison was a member of the inaugural coeducation first-year class in 1995. She is co-owner of a family-owned business that specializes in providing innovative aviation solutions for clients.

Caroline Carvill is amid her 33^rd year at Rose-Hulman as a professor of American literature. During that tenure she has been the first woman professor to receive the Dean's Outstanding Teacher Award (1994), serve as associate dean of faculty, and earn the Alumni Association’s Honorary Alumni Award (2003).

Alumna Tanya Colonna, a 2013 Rose-Hulman alumna, is chief executive officer of Oro Muscles, a Netherlands-based entrepreneurial startup that’s breaking boundaries by connecting muscle activity data to physical action.

Second-year chemical engineering major Courtney Valmore likes to stay active on campus. She is student body president, a Class of 2024 Noblitt Scholar and a member/leader in several campus organizations.

The pandemic hasn’t kept Rose-Hulman’s Society of Women Engineers student chapter members from reaching out through other creative ways to introduce girls to STEM fields, especially those with academic programs on campus. The students’ YouTube video series have been a big hit, maybe even Oscar worthy!

Gabbie Gilbertson, a 2020 mechanical engineering and biomedical engineering alumna, is a ride performance engineer within the Williams Formula 1 race team’s vehicle dynamics group in Oxford, England, where she helps high-tech cars compete in the most competitive level of international open-wheel racing.

Andrea Wynn is a double major in computer science and math, with a double minor in data science and psychology. She has a goal in all the work she does: to understand how things work, how to improve them and how to apply that knowledge to make the world a better place.

The 2003 mechanical engineer alumna, Anne Trobaugh has formed My Best Friend at Work, an online tool to serve as an advisor, coach, cheerleader, and unwavering advocate to help women become more self-confident, address challenging work situations, and advance to their potential in STEM.

Clara Place hails from Bishop, California. A member of the Association for Women in Mathematics, Place always had an appreciation for math, and credits her junior year calculus professor as an inspiration for wanting to study the subject in college. 

Professor of Chemistry Luanne Tilstra is an expert in physical and polymer chemistry. She helped establish and was the inaugural director of what's now known as the Center for Diversity and Inclusion at Rose-Hulman and is currently active in establishing support systems for women faculty and students in STEM.    

Alumna Erinn Reilly has applied educational experiences as a biomedical engineering student and Rose-Hulman Ventures intern to become a leader bringing innovative medical technology to improve the treatment of heart failure and related diseases.

Elenaor Brooks, a first-year student majoring in computer engineering, has only been a student at Rose-Hulman for less than a year. But already, she’s found a place where she feels changed for the better.

Noor Abufares is Biomedical engineering major who embraces community service and performing in the symphony orchestra.

Mary-Helen and Manuella Shomba have always been driven to succeed. They grew up in an environment of support and want to be role models for future generations. Watch as they discuss why it's important to break societal norms and show that anything is possible.

Patsy Brackin is director of Rose-Hulman's engineering design program and a professor of mechanical engineering. Named an ABET Fellow in 2020, Brackin helped develop the Home for Environmentally Responsible Engineering (HERE) program, a living-learning experience for students interested in sustainability and humanitarian engineering.

Kimberly Henthorn identifies with the chemical engineering students in her classes since she was once one of them as member of Rose-Hulman’s first coed incoming class, graduating in 1999. The department head specializes in particle technology and is conducting research with students on the science and engineering of chocolate production.

Over the past 25 years, Rose-Hulman women have excelled – taking campus leadership roles, earning top academic and athletic awards, and blazing new trails as alumni.

Taylor Lueking is president of the Society of Women Engineers and a mechanical engineering major. A licensed pilot, Lueking talks about the support network the campus SWE chapter provides for Rose-Hulman students, and overcoming challenges as a woman breaking barriers.

Rebecca Bercich is an assistant professor of mechanical engineering whose areas of expertise and research are in assistive medical devices, mechatronic systems, and plastic recycling technology for closed-loop economies. Bercich has earned teaching awards throughout her graduate studies and served as a guest speaker at Women in Engineering programs that encouraged high school students to explore STEM careers.