Julie Kientz, Professor and Chair of Human Centered Design & Engineering at the University of Washington, has been selected for the Class of 2022-2023 of Drexel University’s Executive Leadership in Academic Technology, Engineering and Science (ELATES) fellowship program.

Julie Kientz, right, with other members of the Executive Leadership in Academic Technology, Engineering and Science (ELATES) 2022-2023 Fellows Cohort

The ELATES program is a national leadership development program designed to promote women in academic STEM fields, and faculty allies of all genders, into institutional leadership roles. The Class of 2022-2023 ELATES Fellows is a prestigious cohort of 30 faculty members from over 25 institutions of higher education across the U.S. and Canada. The ELATES Fellows include experts in engineering, mathematics, and science, all of whom have significant administrative experience on top of their scholarly accomplishments.

Dr. Kientz was nominated by senior leadership for this intensive, yearlong program, which includes eight to 10 hours per week of personal and leadership development work as well as three series of on-site work in the Philadelphia area.

Dr. Kientz is an expert in human-computer interaction and has served as department chair of HCDE since 2019. She has also served as graduate program chair in HCDE, steering committee chair of the UbiComp conference, and senior editor for the IMWUT journal.

“As soon as I heard about the ELATES program, I knew it was something I wanted to do. Peer learning and mentorship has been key to my career thus far, and I’m excited to engage with and learn from the other fellows and senior leadership at a wide variety of institutions. I’m grateful to Dean Nancy Allbritton for her nomination for this program.”

Facilitated by leaders in the fields of STEM research and leadership development, the ELATES curriculum is focused on increasing Fellows’ personal and professional leadership effectiveness, from the ability to lead and manage change initiatives within institutions, to the use of strategic finance and resource management to enhance organizational missions. Pairing online instruction and discussion with intensive, in-person seminar sessions, the program encourages Fellows to apply what they’ve learned at their home institutions. Ultimately, it aims to create a network of exceptional faculty who bring broad organizational perspectives and deep personal capacity to the institutions and society they serve.

Sharon Walker, PhD, executive director of the ELATES program and dean of Drexel University’s College of Engineering, shares her excitement for welcoming the newest class of Fellows.

“I am thrilled to welcome this talented new cohort of ELATES fellows as they join the community of distinguished alumnae who are committed to lifelong learning and leadership development. I am excited to see what impact they will not only have this year on their home campuses, but more broadly to the higher education STEM community in the future.”

To learn more about ELATES at Drexel, visit ELATES online at Drexel.edu/ELATES.