Name: Hilary Anderson
Title: President Organization: Leeward Concepts LLC Background:When in high school there was no such thing as the personal computer, the internet, the mouse or the app. So in college I majored in Business (i.e. I had no clue what I wanted to do, just knew that I needed to get a college degree). When I graduated in 1988, the country was in a recession and jobs were hard to find. So I went into Real Estate (told you I had no clue). When that didn't pan out, I ended up doing office admin/management work. Part of this work included using a computer which I took an interest in. One thing led to another and I ended up going back to college at night and getting my Computer Science degree. I have been a software developer for over 20 years and there has never been a time when I was bored or found myself unemployed for long (2 weeks once). The world of technology is growing in leaps and bounds, so you are constantly learning. If you are a person who likes to solve puzzles and needs an outlet for your creativity...this might be the world for you. Each year there are more and more women in the field, but we need more! Name: Melina Moser
Title: Project Manager/Architectural Engineering Organization: AE Design Background: Melina brings her creativity, devotion, and problem solving skills to both her technical electrical designs and creative lighting designs. Melina’s strong commitment to the quality of the project shows through the accurate, timely and detailed coordination among the architectural team, interior team and project owner on every detail. She always works towards the optimal design: practical, energy efficient, and fitting the needs and goals of the client. Name: Kye Holtan-Brown
Title: Project Manager / Construction Organization: National Western Stock Show Background: Kye has over 22 years in construction, with a much of it working in estimating, design management, risk analysis/risk mitigation, procurement and budget management during the pre-construction phase of projects. Her experience has spanned a range of project sizes from $50,000 to $800 million+, and includes office buildings, multi-use projects, parking garages, tenant-finish, schools, labs, and recently, light rail projects and subway stations. She also has worked as an adjunct professor at DU teaching estimating for the Burns School of Real Estate and Construction Management. Recently she took on a new challenge, becoming the owner’s representative for the National Western Stock Show as part of the team that is re-building and significantly expanding the existing complex at I-70 and Brighton over the next decade or so as it becomes the new National Western Center. Name: Kimberly Morrison
Title: President Organization: Morrison Geotechnical Solutions, Inc. Background: Kimberly Morrison is the President of Morrison Geotechnical Solutions Inc. based in Lakewood, Colorado. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Geological Engineering from the Missouri University of Science & Technology, and a Master of Science degree in Civil-Geosystems Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech). Ms. Morrison has 19 years of consulting experience on a variety of geotechnical, civil, environmental and construction projects, specializing in the geotechnical and environmental design of mine waste facilities for clients worldwide, including the US, Canada, Mexico, South America, Asia, Australia, Africa and Europe. Her consulting specialty is the management of large inter-disciplinary mining projects that require high levels of team coordination, cost and schedule control, and frequent interaction with decision makers. Ms. Morrison is a registered professional engineer in six states, and a registered geologist in one. She has authored or co-authored nearly 30 technical publications, and is currently serving on the Board of Directors for the Geoprofessional Business Association (GBA), as well as the Missouri University of Science & Technology Alumni Association. Name: Melissa Montgomery
Organization: Engineers Without Borders USA Background: Melissa is Project Engineer and part of the International Community Programs team which ensures that EWB-USA projects are sustainable and of high quality. In this role, Melissa is responsible for providing guidance and technical assistance to volunteer chapters working on EWB- USA projects throughout the assessment, design, implementation, and monitoring process. This assistance is provided primarily through review of project reports and consistent communication with project teams. Melissa has thirteen years of experience in the water and wastewater, civil and sustainability engineering fields. From 1999-2009, Melissa worked for Kimley-Horn and Associates and Wallace Roberts and Todd on various engineering projects including international master utility planning, commercial and residential site development, sustainable LEED projects, and wastewater treatment plant design. Melissa served as a Peace Corps volunteer in northern Peru from 2009-2011, and also served as a Professional Mentor for the EWB-Princeton Chapter from 2011-2012. Melissa became a project engineer for Engineers Without Borders USA in 2014. Name: Lauren McIntosh
Organization: Women in Manufacturing Background: Lauren McIntosh is the current Chair for the Colorado Chapter of Women in Manufacturing and the Operations Manager at CPI Card Group based out of Littleton, Colorado. Name: JVA Group
Organization: JVA, Incorporated Background: "JVA, Incorporated is a consulting engineering firm with offices in Boulder, Fort Collins, Winter Park, Glenwood Springs, and Denver, Colorado. Since 1956, JVA has provided engineering services to architects, owners, building departments, and general contractors in Colorado and nationwide. Our Structural, Civil, and Environmental engineering departments offer highly skilled services. We take pride in our commitment to providing excellent service. In addition, JVA takes pride in giving back to the community. We are excited to have individuals participate in GO Engineering by sharing both our personal and professional experiences with young women who have amazing future opportunities awaiting." Name: Terri Fead, P.E., CFM
Title: Project Manager Organization: Urban Drainage and Flood Control District (http://udfcd.org) Background: She has over 35 years of experience in water resource engineering, primarily related to floodplain and stormwater management including analysis, planning, project design and construction, and regulation. Terri’s career has been divided between the private sector and public agencies. She has significant experience in all facets of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Terri is responsible for technical review of local floodplain delineation studies, and as part of the Cooperating Technical Partners (CTP) program works with Region 8 of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to obtain updated Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps (DFIRMs). Name: Dr. Kat Penzkover
Title: Director of High School Programs Organization: University of Colorado Boulder Background: At every stage of my education I have sought out opportunities that put me in a teaching or mentoring role and now I am transitioning to make that my primary focus. I am managing the High School programs at CU Science Discovery. I received my Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering and I have a strong foundation in the core engineering principles. The bulk of my research has been in Biomedical Engineering with experience in Gene Therapy, Drug Delivery, Hernia Repair, Tissue Engineering Materials and Alleviation of Chronic Pain. I am a true believer that if you can express scientific concepts in a fun, creative way you can get people engaged to critically think about science. I'm also realistic in that not everybody is going to be interested in science as a career, (nor should they, it’s not for everyone) however, I think that it's fundamentally important not to be scared of scientific topics. I want to help make science accessible to everybody so we can have national conversations about scientific topics in an informed way (i.e. stem cell research and climate change). Name: JoAnna Fulton
Title: Aerospace Engineering Graduate Student Organization: Women In Aerospace at CU Boulder Background: JoAnna Fulton is an aerospace engineering graduate student at the University of Colorado at Boulder and received her bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Florida in 2014. She is pursuing her PhD under Dr. Hanspeter Schaub in the Autonomous Vehicle Systems Lab at the Colorado Center for Astrodynamics Research. She is a Smead Graduate Fellow and an NSF Graduate Fellow. Her research interests include deployable structures, large scale space structures, and flexible, multi-body dynamics modeling. Name: Teena Bergstrand
Title: Senior Marketing Manager Organization: Saunders Construction Background: Teena Bergstrand has in-depth experience in the construction industry developing award-winning marketing communications as well as successful proposals and interviews. Ms. Bergstrand has a Master of Science in Marketing from the University of Denver and a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and Business Administration from the University of Colorado Boulder. Her responsibilities include developing marketing research, acquiring of new business, developing compelling communications and graphics, and managing the department budget. Ms. Bergstrand is also an alumni of Northglenn High School, Class of 2000! Name: Mandy Rasmussen, P.E.
Title: Sr. Project Engineer Organization: JVA, Inc. Background: With no other engineers in my family, I was a little slow to learn the differences between mechanical, civil, and all the other types of engineering. As it turns out, they are all so different! After a few years in college as a mechanical engineer, I was lucky to end up finding an environmental engineering program at Colorado State University with a focus on water and wastewater utilities. It’s a good thing I took some time to explore my options; I would have never known in high school how much I’d enjoy solving problems in the world of water and wastewater! At JVA I get to work with small and medium sized towns in Colorado to help them make improvements to their water and wastewater treatment facilities, buried pipelines, elevated tanks, and to prepare planning strategies for how the towns will afford to maintain service for new and existing neighborhoods. Name: Carrie Farberow
Title: Research Engineer Organization: National Renewable Energy Laboratory Background: Carrie is a research engineer in the Catalysis Research and Engineering group within the National Bioenergy Center at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. In this role, she applies her expertise in experimental kinetics, quantum chemical calculations, and kinetic and microkinetic modeling toward the design of improved heterogeneous catalysts for the production of biomass-derived fuels and chemicals. Carrie received her B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Oklahoma and worked as a Process Engineer at Chevron Phillips Chemical Company prior to completing her Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. Name: Kate Seppala
Title: Undergraduate Program Manager Organization: CU Denver Background: Kate Seppala is a mechanical engineering graduate from The University of Texas at Austin. After some time in industry, Kate was drawn back to the higher education environment to work with engineering students. She is now the Undergraduate Program Manager for the bioengineering department at The University of Colorado Denver. She enjoys the opportunity to work daily with aspiring engineering, helping to provide them experiences essential to an engineering education. Kate is currently completing a Master’s in Education to better inform her work with undergraduate students Name: Shaylah Mutschler
Title: Aerospace Engineering Graduate Research Assistant & Student Organization: Women In Aerospace at CU Boulder Background: Shaylah Mutschler is an aerospace engineering graduate student at the University of Colorado at Boulder and works as a research assistant for the Colorado Center for Astrodynamics Research. She was raised in Dayton, Ohio, where she received her bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering from Wright State University. She worked as a software engineer in the space industry for two years between undergraduate and graduate school. She is pursuing a PhD under Penina Axelrad and is in her second year. Her research interests include tracking and modeling orbital debris, space environment sensing, and multi-sensor multi-target tracking. Name: Dr. Randi Brazeau, PE
Title: Assistant Professor Organization: MSU Denver Background: I received B.S. and M.E. degrees in Civil Engineering at the University of Florida in the Geotechnical Engineering concentration. After working as an engineering analyst with Kimley-Horn and Associates for two years in Charlotte, NC, I completed a Ph.D. in 2012 in Civil Engineering – Environment and Water Resources from Virginia Tech. My area of study was premise plumbing, water quality and energy efficiency in water heaters, and green infrastructure. Currently, I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at Metropolitan State University of Denver in the Environmental Science program area. My main research interests include decontamination of premise plumbing and public health after contamination events, urban water quality, surface water quality in response to mining and hazardous waste spills, water quality in brewing operations, and learner centered pedagogies in undergraduate STEM disciplines. I love teaching and doing field work and have even taken students to Alaska to explore glaciers and ecology. I hold and maintain licensure as a Professional Engineer in North Carolina. Lastly, but most importantly, I am also mom to my 3 year-old son Logan and soon-to-arrive daughter! Name: Amy West
Title: Manufacturing Manager Organization: Hach Company Background: When I was younger, I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that I wanted to be an aerospace design engineer. In high school I loved math, and even more so physics, so I went to college for mechanical engineering. I graduated with a BSME from Lehigh University in 2007, but my interests had shifted from design work to manufacturing and production. The things I love best about engineering are solving puzzles and improving processes, and being involved in a hands-on environment, right where the work is being done. Currently I oversee a team that manufactures components for instruments that test water quality, both here in the U.S. and globally, where many areas don't have access to clean water. There's a need for STEM-related support in just about any field you can imagine, so my advice is to pick an industry or cause that's important to you, and use your skills to make the world better! Name: Sylvia Liles
Title: IT Client Liaison Organization : National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Background: Sylvia serves as an IT Client Liaison in the Information Technology Services group at NREL which provides technical resources and services to support the needs of scientists, engineers and analysts performing renewable energy research. She works closely with these researchers to understand their technology-related business needs and collaborate with IT technical groups to provide solutions. Sylvia has leveraged her technical background and interpersonal skills in several different positions, each helping to prepare her for the next. She has been able to follow her passion of addressing customers’ technical needs in her earlier local government roles as IT Director at Park County Government and Manager of IT Project Management at Arapahoe County Government, where her customers included internal groups such as the Sheriff’s Office & Jail, 911 Communications Dispatch Office, and Assessor’s Office. Before moving to Colorado from the Midwest, she worked for several manufacturing companies as a Computer Integrated Manufacturing Engineer identifying system requirements, developing software, and providing software support for automated assembly lines and engine test cells for both Cummins Engines and GE Aviation, and as a consultant to Navistar and Caterpillar. Sylvia holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN and an MS in Industrial Engineering from the University of Cincinnati, which she earned while working full-time. Name: Carrie Farberow
Title: Research Engineer Organization: Catalysis Research and Engineering Group Background: Carrie is a research engineer in the Catalysis Research and Engineering group within the National Bioenergy Center at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. In this role, she applies her expertise in experimental kinetics, quantum chemical calculations, and kinetic and microkinetic modeling toward the design of improved heterogeneous catalysts for the production of biomass-derived fuels and chemicals. Carrie received her B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Oklahoma and worked as a Process Engineer at Chevron Phillips Chemical Company prior to completing her Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. |
Name: Jackie Sullivan
Title: Program Director Organization: CU College of Engineering & Applied Science Background: Dr. Sullivan is founding co-director of the Integrated Teaching and Learning Program and the General Engineering Plus degree program at the University of Colorado Boulder’s College of Engineering and Applied Science. She received her PhD in environmental health physics and toxicology from Purdue University and held leadership positions in the energy and software industries for 13 years. She founded CU’s extensive K-12 engineering initiative and spearheaded the Engineering GoldShirt Program for high potential students now quite prepared for the standard engineering program. Sullivan led the founding of the ASEE K-12 Division in 2004, was awarded ASEE’s 2005 Lifetime Achievement Award, was conferred as an ASEE Fellow in 2011 and was awarded NAE’s 2008 Gordon Prize for Innovation in Engineering and Technology Education. She has served on several National Science Foundation and National Academy of Engineering advisory boards. Dr. Sullivan is a founding board member for the Denver Schools of Science and Technology, and currently is launching a CU Teach Engineering initiative targeted at producing 20-30 secondary science or math teachers annually, all with design-based engineering degrees. Name: Sarah Carlson
Title: Chemical Process Engineer Organization: Ball Corporation Background: My name is Sarah Carlson and I am currently a Chemical Process Engineer at Ball Corporation. I graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a Bachelor's degree in Chemical and Biochemical Engineering and a minor in Bioengineering and Life Sciences. Prior to my career at Ball, I worked as a Business Process Manager in the Operations department at the Anheuser-Busch Brewery in Fort Collins. Name: Amanda Parker
Title: Director of Access and Recruiting, Engineering Organization: University of Colorado Boulder Background: As the College of Engineering and Applied Science’s Director of Access and Recruiting, Amanda works to provide pathways and support to prospective engineering students. Her focus, working in collaboration with the Office of Admissions, is to increase the number of underrepresented minority, women, first-generation college-bound, low-income and talented scholars pursuing engineering at our College. Amanda is an alum of CU-Boulder, with a BS in Chemical Engineering and an ME in Engineering Management. Feel free to contact her to talk about opportunities within the College Name: Emily Allen, P.E.
Title: Project Manager Organization: Kennedy/Jenks Consultants Background: I design water and wastewater systems for public agencies. My specialties are in groundwater supply wells, pump stations and pressurized piping systems. I attended the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, CO and graduated in 2005 with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering, with specialties in Civil and Environmental Engineering. I fell into Engineering through my love of math and science. When I was a senior in High School I took a Physics class and that is when I first learned about Engineering as a career option. I love working as an Engineer today. I get to work on a large variety of challenging projects. My day-to-day job includes managing projects, working with colleagues to design innovative solutions for our client’s water and wastewater challenges, visits to construction sites and meetings with clients. Name: Jennifer Snelling
Organization: Sierra Nevada Corporation Background: I graduated from the University of Colorado in 2008 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. I worked at Johnson Space Center in Houston for 4 years and have been working with Sierra Nevada Corporation on the Dream Chaser program since 2012. Name: Marla Dowell
Organization: National Institute of Standards and Technology Background: Marla Dowell is Chief of the NIST Applied Physics Division. The Applied Physics Division supports the advancement of measurement science and technology throughout in areas of critical importance to national priority needs, such as manufacturing, national security, medical applications, and communications. Dr. Dowell has demonstrated hands-on leadership of the division's measurement services – from performing bench-level calibrations to implementing a highly-rated 17025 quality system. Internationally, she has represented NIST on national and international standards committees for optics and photonics. She received her B.S. from the University of Michigan, her Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and her M.B.A. from the University of Colorado. Her breadth of technical expertise and superior people management skills have been recognized by several prestigious awards: Department of Commerce Silver Medal, NIST Equal Employment Opportunity/Diversity Award, Judson C. French Award, Allen V. Astin Award, and the Arthur S. Flemming Award from George Washington University. Name: Amy Kramer
Organization: Engineers Without Borders USA Background: Amy L. Kramer focuses her practice on intellectual property litigation, with specific emphasis on disputes relating to patents, trademarks and copyrights. Amy’s patent cases have involved a wide range of technologies, including cellular phones, optical disc drives, semiconductor manufacturing, and vehicle wheels. She also advises clients on the selection and clearance of trademarks and trademark enforcement. Name: Christina Henderson
Title: President and Director Organization: Suncor Energy USA Pipeline Company Background: Christina Henderson is the President and Director of Suncor Energy USA Pipeline Company. She has worked for Suncor for more than 15 years, holding a number of positions in both Suncor’s Upstream and Downstream divisions, spanning from process engineering to product trading, to plant operations and transportation. She has held leadership positions with the company for 11 of those years and is one of only two U.S.-based employees to transfer to Suncor’s Oil Sands operations in northern Alberta, Canada. While there, she oversaw one of the extraction plants at the 5,000+ employee facility. Christina was recently appointed to the Board of Directors for Girls in STEM, a non-profit organization that partners with schools to expose middle and high school-age girls to STEM careers, and to provide role models and mentors to young girls who may seek STEM professions in the future. Christina holds a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering from the Colorado School of Mines. She has two young spunky daughters that keep her on her toes. In her spare time, she enjoys running, cooking, and trying to ski. Name: Stacey Forsyth
Title: Director Organization: CU Science Discovery Background: Stacey Forsyth is the director of CU Science Discovery, a K-12 STEM education outreach organization based at CU Boulder, and the chair of the Colorado Collaborative for Girls in STEM, Colorado's statewide affiliate of the National Girls Collaborative (ngcproject.org). At CU Science Discovery, Stacey oversees a broad portfolio of STEM outreach programs for K-12 students and teachers, including summer camps, after-school classes, school programs, teacher workshops and community outreach programs. Currently, she is also helping to manage the 'Build a Better Book' project, an NSF-funded initiative to engage youth and library Maker Spaces in the design and production of accessible picture books. Stacey has worked in the field of STEM education for more than ten years but her first career was in the field of ecology and conservation biology. She received her B.S. in Ecology, Behavior and Evolution from the University of California, San Diego, and her Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Arizona. Name: Alexandria Kayl
Title: Microbiologist Organization: TG Labs Background: My name is Alexandria Kayl and I graduated from Northglenn High School in 2012. I went on to attend the Colorado School of Mines and graduated in May 2016 with a B.S. in Chemical & Biochemical Engineering and a minor in Biomedical Engineering. I'm currently working as a microbiologist at TG Labs, a medical device and specialty chem company, where I work on developing disinfectants for endoscopes. Name: Christina Volpi
Title: Renewable Energy Markets & Policy Analyst Organization: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Background: Christina Volpi is currently a Renewable Energy Markets & Policy Analyst at NREL. She is also completing an MBA from the University of Colorado Denver specializing in managing for sustainability. Christina came from a science and engineering background gathered through her academic and professional background. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Geological Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines as well as a Master of Science degree in Marine Science specializing in Physical Oceanography. Her professional experience includes consulting, working for non-profit organizations, and the federal government. Having a solid foundation in science and engineering has allowed her to pursue many opportunities and excel in a variety of areas. Name: Jiovanna Toppie
Title: Project Manager Organization: Colorado Department of Transportation Background: Jiovanna Toppi is a graduate of Youngstown State University with a degree in civil engineering. Currently, Ms. Toppi serves as the Project Manager for the C-470 Express Lanes Project for the Colorado Department of Transportation. Jiovanna’s enthusiasm for the project coupled with her civil engineering background and her love of the Colorado outdoors makes her a perfect match for a project that will relieve traffic congestion while providing user choice and preserving recreational trials. She is happy to call Colorado her home and takes pride knowing her efforts will impact the daily lives and safety of Colorado citizens. Previously Jiovanna lent her civil engineering expertise working at CDOT’s Incident Command Center in Loveland, Colorado with the 2014 flood repairs. She is also a contributing author[TJ1] to an article Storm-Water Solutions: Complete Agreement in Roads & Bridges Magazine 2012 http://www.roadsbridges.com/storm-water-solutions-complete-agreement. Ms. Toppi is a former member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and Toastmasters. “I love that I can utilize my experience in civil engineering to contribute to making a great place even better while helping young engineers pursue their interests in building infrastructure for the future.” [TJ1]It’s stated as Contributing Author in the article. Name: Elizabeth Gillmor
Title: President / Architecural Engineer Organization: Energetics Consulting Engineers, LLC Background: Elizabeth Gillmor is the founder and president of Energetics Consulting Engineers, an energy consulting firm in Denver. A graduate of the University of Colorado’s Architectural Engineering program with a focus in illumination and a minor in Applied Math, Elizabeth builds energy models to analyze envelope, lighting, HVAC, controls, and everything else in a building that uses energy. Then she helps architectural and engineering design teams make decisions based on energy cost savings and potential rebates for different energy efficiency opportunities. Her current projects include multifamily buildings, affordable housing, office/retail, schools, and medical offices/labs. She is a certified ASHRAE “Building Energy Modeling Professional”, and a Professional Engineer (PE) in Colorado and Louisiana. Name: Angela Sheehan
Title: E-Textile Education Specialist Organization: SparkFun Electronics Background: Angela is the E-Textile Education Specialist at SparkFun Electronics, where she focuses on developing content around wearable technologies. She has helped facilitate over 40 e-textile workshops, including sessions at Fashion Institute of Technology, SparkFun National Tour, WEAR (Smart Fabrics), USA Science and Engineering Festival, National Science Teachers Association, STEAM Innovation Summer Institute, E21 conference, and CBS4 Girls & Science events. Name: Amber S. Gell
Title: Spacecraft Systems Engineer Organization: Lockheed Martin Space Background: Amber S. Gell was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and currently works for Lockheed Martin Space Systems. She has always been extremely interested in space and exploration, especially human spaceflight, which is her ultimate goal. Ms. Gell’s academic background and career experience depicts her active pursuit of that goal. She has worked on various programs for major Aerospace contractors. Ms. Gell is currently part of the Civil Space team and has been pivotal in designing and building the Orion Spacecraft, NASA’s spacecraft for Deep Space Exploration that will be used to take humans to the Moon, Asteroids, Mars, and beyond. Ms. Gell’s broad range of experience includes her work as a Spacecraft Systems Engineer, designing and developing numerous subsystems for the Orion Spacecraft and other Advanced Programs; and an Experiment Support Scientist, conducting Physiological Research on Astronauts in Microgravity for the International Space Station (ISS) Medical Program. She has contributed her expertise to various areas such as: Space Life Sciences; Bioastronautics, Human Performance in Extreme Environments, Rendezvous, Proximity, and Docking Operations, Landing and Recovery Systems, Engineering Integration, Flight Test, Risk Management, and Leading Proposal Development efforts. Driven by her passion; she thoroughly enjoys taking on new challenges and approaches them with a great attitude and a willingness to learn. She thrives on performing meaningful work that positively contributes to the overall success of her team. Ms. Gell splits her time between “Rocket Science,” numerous Education Outreach efforts, Microgravity Research, lifelong learning, and fitness activities. She is an alumnus from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, where she received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Aerospace Engineering and a second Bachelor of Science Degree in Aerospace Studies, with minors in Human Factors, Psychology, and Advanced Mathematics. Ms. Gell has also received her Masters of Science Degree in Physiology & Human Performance from the University of Houston – Clear Lake. Her Master’s Thesis on the Use of the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) to Predict Deficits in Bilateral / Unilateral Force, Power, and Rate of Force Development was formally published. Other areas of her research include Optimal Crew Selection for Long-Duration Spaceflight focusing on gender, culture, and personality characteristics, in which she contributed academic papers and presented her work at the Human Performance in Extreme Environments (HPEE) Conference; and Exothermic Welding in a Reduced Gravity Environment. Additionally, Ms. Gell has a Masters of Engineering Degree in Systems Engineering, with a Certificate in Space Systems Engineering, from Stevens Institute of Technology. She has also graduated from the University of Houston – Clear Lake, obtaining both a Master’s of Science Degree in Finance and a Master’s of Business Administration (MBA) Degree, specializing in International Business. Ms. Gell has also received the 2013 Women in Space Science Award for her outstanding contributions to the Aerospace Community. Outside of work, she is a Wilderness First Responder (WFR), Master Scuba Diver, Certified Group Fitness Instructor, and a competitive Triathlete. Ms. Gell genuinely enjoys helping people recognize their potential and achieve their personal goals in all areas of life. She is especially passionate about participating in Education Outreach Activities that engage the engineers of tomorrow and inspire the bright minds of the future. With her diverse range of background knowledge and experience, she brings an innovative perspective to any subject and is someone people can relate to. Ultimately, Amber plans to join the Astronaut Corps and continue her passion to explore and contribute to discoveries beyond Earth, lifting not only hers, but the entire Human spirit. |