College of Engineering News • Iowa State University

Three engineering women join group recognized for impact at Iowa State

Diane Rover, Andrea Dvorak and Julia Anderson-Lee pictured in calendar published by Catt Center for Women and Politics

The ninth annual Women Impacting ISU calendar will honor 12 women from Iowa State. Three people affiliated with the College of Engineering are honored to be part of the new calendar, which was unveiled on Wednesday, January 14, 2015.

Diane Rover
Diane Rover

Diane Rover has had many innovative experiences during her time as professor of electrical and computer engineering. Her passions lie in creating the best undergraduate experience, which motivated Rover to develop a program to provide scholarship support for engineering undergraduates, called IINSPIRE Alliance, where she serves as director. Rover also works as faculty director of SP@ISU. She is known across Iowa State as a longtime innovator.

Rover feels honored by the nomination, “It’s gratifying to have your colleagues write a nomination about your impact. I care a lot about Iowa State, so it’s especially nice to be recognized for my impact on campus.”

Andrea Dvorak
Andrea Dvorak

Andrea Dvorak, senior in civil engineering, has a passion for helping female undergraduates in STEM find success. In addition to being active in Habitat for Humanity and the Green Energy Challenge Team, Dvorak has many experiences in Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE) Learning Community and Alpha Sigma Kappa-Women in Technical Studies. She has served as peer mentor for three years in WiSE and recently worked to develop Campus Leadership Development, a leadership class sponsored by the Student Activities Center. Dvorak served as president and sisterhood chair for Alpha Sigma Kappa-Women in Technical Studies.

”I feel honored to be recognized amongst this group of women who have positively impacted so many on this campus. It is a great feeling to know that in my time here, I have been able to impact other women in STEM and better their adventures at ISU,” Dvorak said.

Julia Anderson-Lee stands with Catt Center director Dianne Bystrom
Julia Anderson-Lee stands with Catt Center director Dianne Bystrom

As an undergraduate, Julia Anderson-Lee attended Spelman College, a historically black, all-women’s college that taught her the importance of mentoring. She was encouraged by a professor to pursue a graduate degree in mathematics, and she has now been at Iowa State for five years, studying mathematics and civil engineering. Anderson-Lee is active in mentoring within the mathematics department. She focuses on enhancing climate issues for women, minorities and graduate students through the groups Enhancing Diversity in Graduate Education, Mathematicians of Color Alliance and Math Graduate Student Organization. She is also on the planning committee for AGEP Fellowship Students and a member of the Graduate College Enhancing Leadership Academy Cohort and Black Graduate Student Association.

“It is truly an honor to be selected as one of the 12 Women Impacting ISU. The activities I’ve participated in were things I did to make the journey of graduate school easier for those beginning after me. The real honor is knowing these efforts have made a difference.”

Visit the Catt Center website to learn more about the calendar.

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