Professor, School of Literature, Media, and Communication
Co-director, Center for the Study of Women, Science, and Technology
Carol Colatrella
The Early Years:
“In the early ’90s, there were not many women faculty or even many women students. I was struck by the fact that the person who was running Women in Engineering organized a get-together for women faculty on campus, and we met in a small room. As I recall there were no women school chairs, no women deans, and only one woman with a significant administrative appointment in the academic realm beyond the Library. That was Catherine Ross in Architecture, who also worked with the provost.”
Proudest Achievements:
“I’m proud of the collaboration around Women, Science, and Technology (WST), which is like an incubator. WST helped develop the ADVANCE Program, which produced resources that made a difference around promotion and tenure. Putting a woman in each college to network with women in her college and to keep pressing on hiring women and improving conditions for women was important.
WST founded the first campus living learning community and the first program of research grants for undergraduate women across Georgia Tech. The WST learning community inspired Grand Challenges and it inspired giving research grants. Complementing Women in Engineering, the Women’s Resource Center, and the Society of Women Engineers, WST created initiatives to support women across Georgia Tech.”
Changes I Would Like to See:
“Look around because there are so many exciting opportunities. And be careful where you choose to contribute. Try to contribute to areas that align with your own faculty and students, your own research portfolio, your own plans for what you want to do, or something that you are passionate about. It’s important to spend your time carefully; it’s your capital. It’s good to find niches where you can help things grow and advise people on so that progress continues after you are gone.”
