In addition to recently being named the Lawrence Giacoletto Endowed Chair of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Indiana, Carlotta Berry, Ph.D., C’92, a professor of electrical and computer engineering, recently received the TechPoint Foundation for Youth Bridge Builder Award.
The Bridge Builder Award recognizes leaders who help underserved students gain access to learning opportunities that will inspire their pursuit of STEM careers. Berry received the honor in April during TechPoint’s 22nd Annual Mira Awards gala.
"I became interested in becoming an engineering professor 20 years ago while sitting in class and realizing that I had never had a professor who looked like me, acted like me, or even seemed interested in me," said Dr. Berry. "I wanted to change the face of engineering by showing that the profession could be cool, interesting, exciting, engaging, and, most importantly, diverse."
Dr. Berry has been committed to excellence and innovation in multidisciplinary robotics education, research and outreach. According to an article honoring on her Vanderbilt.edu, Dr. Berry, "Has brought her expertise in mobile robotics and enhanced human-robot interfaces into the classroom and has been committed to excellence and innovation in multidisciplinary robotics education, research, and outreach. She currently co-directs Rose-Hulman’s multi-disciplinary robotics program, which provides students the opportunity to earn a minor in robotics to recognize their experience and knowledge of robotics-related materials."
When her term as the Giacoletto Chair begins on Sept. 1, 2021, Berry will create an advanced mobile robotics course that will explore a different topic each year throughout the three-year curriculum and afford students an opportunity to construct and program a robot using the Robotics Operating System to integrate human-robot interaction and then industrial robotics applications. The courses will also provide advanced training for students heading into industry as well as prepare students for research.