Nebraska Engineering earns Silver-level status in ASEE Diversity Recognition Program

By Phil Carter

We are committed to providing an inclusive and diverse community as we work to fulfill our mission to meet the workforce demands and drive economic development in Nebraska

Lance C. Pérez Dean and Omar H. Heins Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering

The College of Engineering was recently bestowed a prestigious honor by the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) in being one of only three institutions nationally to achieve Silver Award status within the ASEE Diversity Recognition Program.

“In the College of Engineering, we are committed to providing an inclusive and diverse community as we work to fulfill our mission to meet the workforce demands and drive economic development in Nebraska,” said Lance C. Pérez, dean and Omar H. Heins Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering. “We will continue to enhance and grow our diversity and inclusion efforts through our deep commitment to engineering, computing and construction education, research and engagement.”

The ASEE Silver Award honor recognizes sustained and measurable increases in diversity, inclusion and degree attainment outcomes by students from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups. Dartmouth and Oregon State University are the two other institutions receiving Silver-level status from the ASEE Diversity Recognition Program.

The College of Engineering has made significant progress in increasing diversity and enhancing inclusion among faculty and the student body by:

• Increasing the percentages of women faculty, women undergraduates, and undergraduates from racial and ethnic backgrounds who are underrepresented in science and engineering;
• Improving diversity in leadership positions with women leading three of the college’s six academic units; and
• Enhancing student recruitment initiatives with programs such as the Peter Kiewit Foundation Engineering Academy and the Kiewit Scholars Program whose combined scholars are 70 percent women and 44 underrepresented students in science and engineering

Prior to receiving this honor, the college was a Bronze-level recipient in 2019 – one of the first cohort of colleges and universities to receive such recognition. To achieve Bronze-level recognition, the college created a DEI plan that adhered to creating timelines and meeting deadlines with desired outcomes; a review of goals and metrics as related to demographics; and the Dean signing the ASEE Deans Diversity Pledge.

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