Biography

Dr. Amy Freeman is director of the Millennium Scholars Program under the Office of the President at the Pennsylvania State University. The Millennium Scholars Program provides a strong continuous four-year learning community for a diverse population of undergraduates who are preparing to ultimately pursue doctoral degrees in STEM fields. The graduation rate for the B.S. degree is at 91%, with over half of these graduates admitted directly into STEM Ph.D. programs across the nation. Prior appointments include Associate Provost and Chief Diversity Officer at Tufts University and Assistant Dean in the College of Engineering at Penn State, where she provided leadership for the Center for Engineering Outreach and Inclusion serving about 4000 students across 15 campuses. Dr. Freeman’s academic credentials include a B.S. in construction management from Washington State University, an M.S. in architectural engineering, and a Ph.D. in workforce education, both from Pennsylvania State University (Penn State). This unusual combination has prepared her well for research in engineering education. Her most substantial mentorship and research of STEM students has focused on scholarly success initiated through nine unique summer bridge program models. Her work also includes several international initiatives where the students have introduced sustainable engineering practices to improve residential and community infrastructures. Dr. Freeman is a co-founder of the Collaborative Network for Engineering and Computing Diversity (CoNECD) and a previous President of the Women in Engineering ProActive Network (WEPAN) and of the National Association of Multicultural Engineering Programs Advocates (NAMEPA). She holds two Golden Torch Awards through the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE).