Dr. Karen Panetta
Dr. Karen Panetta is the Associate Dean for Graduate Education, a Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and the Director of the Simulation Research Laboratory at Tufts University. She is also the IEEE-USA Vice President, Communications, and the IEEE WIE Magazine Editor-in-Chief. She received the B.S. in Computer Engineering from Boston University and the M.S. and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Northeastern University.

As an active IEEE Fellow, Dr. Panetta has several awards for outstanding teaching and mentoring as well as for creative curriculum development and outreach activities. In 2011, President Obama awarded her the nation’s highest award for Engineering, Science and Mathematics Education and Mentoring. Her numerous awards include, but are not limited to, the 2010 Norm Augustine Award from the National Academies of Engineering and Science, American Association of Engineering Societies, the 2011 Women of Vision Award from the Anita Borg Institute, the 2013 IEEE Ethical Practices Award, the 2013 New England Engineers Week Leadership Award, and the 2011 Harriet B. Rigas Award for outstanding female Educator. Dr. Panetta is also the recipient of several NASA and National Science Foundation research grants, including the NSF CAREER Award.

As the founder of the International Nerd Girls Program, Dr. Karen Panetta has conducted engineering outreach activities to over 85,000 children, parents, and educators. She co-founded the first Tufts University School of Engineering start-up company, BA Logix, Inc. based on her own intellectual property. Dr. Panetta designed the App-E-Feat humanitarian challenge for engineers for the Clinton Global Initiative and hosted the web show, “Ask Dr. Karen”, which answers questions from students, parents, and educators from around the world about Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.

Because of her intellectual prowess, Dr. Karen Panetta was the first woman engineer granted tenure in the Tufts University School of Engineering, works in countries such as the US, India, Malawi, and Australia, and is the STEM Advisor to Her Excellency, Joyce Banda, President of Malawi.