2024 Collaborative Network for Engineering & Computing Diversity (CoNECD)

1. Dreama Heaven Rhodes Arizona State University
2. Motahareh Darvishpour Ahandani Arizona State University, Polytechnic Campus [biography]

   Motahareh Darvishpour Ahandani is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Engineering Education Systems and Design at Arizona State University. Serving as a research assistant, she brings with her six years of industry experience as a woman engineer. Her research interests focus on the mental health of international engineering graduate students, with a particular emphasis on the experiences of international women of color. Darvishpour Ahandani is deeply committed to improving the well-being of underrepresented groups in STEM, a mission with which she personally identifies.

3. Dr. Brooke Charae Coley Arizona State University [biography]

   Brooke C. Coley, Ph.D. is Founding Executive Director of the Center for Research Advancing Racial Equity, Justice, and Sociotechnical Innovation Centered in Engineering (RARE JUSTICE)—an unprecedented testbed for innovating and modeling antiracist and equitable engineering futures—and Assistant Professor of Engineering, both at Arizona State University. Across several national projects funded primarily by the National Science Foundation, Dr. Coley’s research lies at the intersection of racial equity, mental health and qualitative research methods encompassing critical theory, participatory action research, and arts-based research methods. Her work is anchored in an intentional amplification of the voices of minoritized populations in STEM with the goal of informing disruption of the pervasive systemic inequities found in racialized organizations such as institutions of higher learning. Leveraging the outcomes of this work, Dr. Coley will continue to create exemplars of equity in action across realms of the academic enterprise—lived experience and restorative justice, scholarship generation and metrics, and rewards systems and structures. Dr. Coley recently received the 2021 Diversity and Inclusion Award from the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering for her commitment to creating and fostering a diverse and inclusive environment. Dr. Coley earned her Doctor of Philosophy degree in Bioengineering with a concentration in Biomechanics from the University of Pittsburgh. She also completed her Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering at the University of Maryland Baltimore County as a Meyherhoff Scholar.

4. Dr. Kerrie Wilkins-Yel [biography]

   Dr. Kerrie G. Wilkins-Yel is an Associate Professor of Counseling Psychology at the University of Massachusetts Boston.

5. Dr. Jennifer M Bekki Arizona State University [biography]

   Jennifer M. Bekki is an Associate Professor in The Polytechnic School and the Associate Dean of Inclusive Excellence within The Fulton Schools of Engineering. Her research aims to understand and address inequities arising from racism and sexism within STEM graduate education.

6. Dailynne Major
7. Nicholas A Smith
8. Debalina Maitra Arizona State University, Polytechnic Campus [biography]

   Debalina Maitra is a Post-doctoral Research Associate at ASU. Prior to her current role, Debalina Maitra was employed by CAFECS (Chicago Alliance for Equity in Computer Science), a NSF-funded Research Practice Partnership, for almost two years. She compl

9. Juan David Gutierrez University of Massachusetts Boston [biography]

   Dr. Gutierrez is an emergent scholar and researcher in the field of applied linguistics, with a profound focus on educational transitions and the intricate dynamics of secondary, tertiary, and graduate levels of learning in the United States. His passion lies in exploring the complexities of multilingual racialized communities, addressing the challenges posed by the unequal distribution of educational resources and opportunities.
   With a deep commitment to promoting inclusivity and empowerment, Dr. Gutierrez centers his research on amplifying student voices and valuing the significance of lived experience in shaping educational trajectories. His expertise in narrative and counter-storytelling methodologies has paved the way for a deeper understanding of the experiences and perspectives often marginalized in educational discourse. Dr. Gutierrez is committed to creating a more equitable educational landscape as a testament to his dedication to fostering transformative change.

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