October 23, 2011
Baltimore, MD - Carol A. Richardson, professor emerita at the College of Applied Science and Technology at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) and ABET 2011-12 Technology Accreditation Commission (TAC) Chair received the Frederick J. Berger Award for her 30 years of leadership in engineering technology. This distinction was conferred by ASEE’s Board of Directors at the awards banquet held at the American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference in Vancouver, BC, Canada. In addition to the Berger Award, Richardson was named an ASEE Fellow, a designation given to members with more than 10 years of service to engineering education and the national organization.
One of a handful of women leaders in the field, Carol Richardson has made dramatic improvements in curricula and laboratories, winning numerous grants in laboratory development. Over the years, she took a very active role in administration, serving as chair, vice dean, and dean. She has served in many roles in many professional societies, including ASEE in numerous ways.
At RIT, Richardson designed and proposed the Bachelor of Science program in Telecommunications Engineering Technology, which was the first ABET-accredited program of its kind in 1993. In 2000, she led the team that developed the Master of Science degree in Telecommunication Engineering Technology. In 1994, she became chair of the department of electrical, computer, and telecommunications engineering technology and was appointed vice dean of the college of applied science and technology and Paul A. Miller Professor in 2005. She served as interim dean of the college of applied science and technology from 2006 to 2008 and returned to teaching in 2009. She had a 10-year career as a design engineer at Collins Radio and General Electric before joining RIT.
Richardson has been active in professional engineering organizations throughout her career at RIT. She served on the ASEE Executive Committee and Board of Directors as vice president, Professional Interest Councils. She is a past chair of the ASEE Engineering Technology Division; past program chair for the ASEE Women in Engineering Division; past chair of the executive committee of the Conference on Industry and Education Collaboration; a former director of both the Engineering Technology Leadership Institute and Engineering Technology Council; and is currently an ABET commissioner. She will be chair of the Technology Accreditation Commission of ABET next year. She has also been active in Rochester, N.Y.-area professional engineering and community organizations.
External funding has helped Richardson advance many of her major initiatives. She received grants from the National Science Foundation, Hewlett Packard Foundation, REDCOM Laboratories Inc., and the International Communication Association to fund development of the laboratory for the telecommunications programs. Richardson also received an NSF grant to study equity issues in technical programs, an issue she has advanced through institute service and professional associations. She was the principal investigator of a successful Computer Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Scholarships program awarded by NSF in the fall of 2004, which provided scholarships for transfer students in engineering technology and engineering programs at RIT. She has regularly presented papers on these activities at ASEE conferences since 1992.
Richardson has a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from the University of Wyoming and a master of science degree in electrical engineering from Union College in Schenectady, N.Y.
The Frederick J. Berger Award recognizes and encourages excellence in engineering technology education. It is presented to both an individual and a school or department for demonstrating outstanding leadership in curriculum, techniques, or administration in engineering technology education.
Announcement courtesy of ASEE's PRISM Magazine, September 2011
About ABET
ABET, the recognized accreditor for college and university programs in applied science, computing, engineering, and technology, is a federation of 31 professional and technical societies representing these fields. Among the most respected accreditation organizations in the U.S., ABET has provided leadership and quality assurance in higher education for more than 75 years.
ABET currently accredits over 3,100 programs at more than 600 colleges and universities worldwide. More than 2,000 dedicated volunteers participate annually in ABET activities. ABET also provides leadership internationally through workshops, memoranda of understanding, and mutual recognition agreements, such as the Washington Accord. ABET is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.