Contact: Robbie Ward
STARKVILLE, Miss.--The head of Mississippi State's department of electrical and computer engineering is adding the prestigious title of Fellow of the American Society for Engineering Education to her list of professional achievements.
Sarah A. Rajala also has been selected as an educator of the year by the international organization.
Rajala will officially receive the rank of fellow--the society's highest level of recognition--in June at the organization's annual conference in Honolulu, Hawaii. As a prelude to these honors, members of the society earlier this year chose her for the position of president-elect.
A 1979 Rice University doctoral graduate in electrical engineering, she stressed the importance of encouraging more U.S. engineering majors to help advance the nation's science and technology leadership in the face of tightening global competition.
"Raising awareness of the engineering profession among our nation's youth and encouraging them to earn an engineering degree and work in the field is essential for America to keep its competitive edge," Rajala said.
Founded in 1893, ASEE is a non-profit organization composed of more than 12,000 members committed to furthering education in engineering and engineering technology.
Rajala was selected as educator of the year in the society's division of electrical and computer engineering. Specifically, she was recognized for excellence in instruction, research, public service, and the fostering of technological education.
Glenn Steele, interim dean of MSU's Bagley College of Engineering, said leaders in the college recognized by their peers for research, public service and teaching help make Mississippi State a top choice for students preparing for careers in the field.
"We're extremely honored to have Dr. Rajala leading our ECE division," Steele said. "Her experience and accomplishments are an example of high-level faculty we will recruit to ensure that the college is rated as one of the top 50 engineering colleges in the country."
Rajala joined the MSU faculty in late 2006 after nearly nine years at North Carolina State University, where she generated more than $22 million in grants for electrical engineering research. She also has authored more than 185 books, refereed publications, technical reports, and invited papers and presentations that have been published and used throughout the country.
She was named Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers in 2001. A year earlier, she and two other NCSU colleagues were recognized by the National Science Foundation with Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring.
NEWS EDITORS/DIRECTORS: For more information, contact Dr. Rajala at 662-325-3912 or rajala@ece.msstate.edu.
For more information about Mississippi State University, see http://www.msstate.edu/.