Dayton Engineer

By Karen Updyke, School of Engineering

In honor of Women's History Month, the Women's Center coordinates an annual exhibit highlighting the contributions women have made at the University of Dayton community and beyond, both past and present. The exhibit features trailblazing women who embody both "firsts" who broke proverbial glass ceilings in an array of areas and fields and those who lead the way for new initiatives, policies and practices that make our campus more inclusive and equitable. 

The 2022 theme, Adapting to Uncertainty, recognizes faculty, staff and students who adapted to these unprecedented times not only for themselves but also for others around them. The ongoing impacts associated with the pandemic, continued social unrest and looming challenges ahead for higher education present opportunities to support one another and our community. 

Congratulations to School of Engineering Honorees: 

Sama Wathiq Ahmed

Undergraduate student, Mechanical Engineering Major, Human Movement Biomechanics Minor, Class of 2023

". . . over Winter (2021) Break, I mustered up the courage to start my own thing. I started an organization called ‘Womanist Empower’ for underrepresented women on campus, to hold different educational series and social events.”

Marie Dock

Undergraduate student, Civil Engineering (CEE) Major, Sustainability (SEE) Minor, Class of 2022

". . . as the President of UD’s Asian American Association (AAA) at this time I had to represent and advocate for my community. A lot of this work had me prioritizing the needs and wants of my community over my own, and this in turn led to the creation and organizing of the "Hate is a Virus" Open Dialogue Event."

Marie Schleppi Gaeke

Sr. Administrative Assistant, Engineering Management, Systems, and Technology, School of Engineering

. . . one of her 2022 Women of UD nominators calls her 'the heartbeat of the EMST department.' . . . the uncertainty of the past few years has had a definite upside, she says. “I have gained additional family members. They all have different last names, titles and responsibilities, but we love each other and that’s a cool quality to find in the workplace.”

Beth Hart

Principal Lecturer, School of Engineering, Director for Women Engineering Program, Diversity in Engineering Center.

As the coordinator for the 12 sections of Engineering Innovation and Design, offered in Fall 2020, she went to the classroom with a tape measure and schematically arranged face-to-face seating for all the registered students, while adhering to the prescribed 6-foot distance protocols. With these configurations, she said, “they had at least one class their first year they were attending in person, to see each other and meet other people.” Then, as testament to her determination to create support structures for women STEM students, Hart retooled the way members of her WISE ILLC (Women in Science and Engineering Integrated Living and Learning Community) experienced connection. 

Congratulations to all Honorees!

For more information and to read about the 15 Honorees, visit the Women's Center "March is Women's History Month" website.