August 18, 2022

Anna Erickson, Associate Chair for Research and Woodruff Professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology, has been selected for the Class of 2022-2023 of Drexel University’s Executive Leadership in Academic Technology, Engineering and Science (ELATES) program. The ELATES program is a national leadership development program designed to promote women in academic STEM fields, and faculty allies of all genders, into institutional leadership roles.

The Class of 2022-2023 ELATES Fellows is a prestigious cohort of 30 faculty members from over 25 institutions of higher education across the U.S. and Canada. The ELATES Fellows include experts in engineering, mathematics, and science, all of whom have significant administrative experience on top of their scholarly accomplishments. Erickson was nominated by senior leadership for this intensive, yearlong program, which includes eight to 10 hours per week of personal and leadership development work as well as three series of on-site work in the Philadelphia area.

Erickson is the Director of the Consortium for Enabling Technologies and Innovation, a $25M Consortium sponsored by DOE National Nuclear Security Administration and composed of twelve institutions of higher education and twelve national laboratories. Her research is focused on bridging a critical gap between reactor engineering and nuclear nonproliferation communities by integrating theoretical reactor analysis and design and experimental detection. Erickson was named Associate Chair for Research in the Woodruff School earlier this year. In this role, she is responsible for working with the Woodruff School’s faculty to develop a strategic research plan for future growth and investments within the School.

“I am humbled and so excited to be part of this incredible cohort of women leaders in STEM. The first week of ELATES was intense and fulfilling, and I am looking forward to continuing this experience. I am thankful Georgia Tech leadership nominated me for this opportunity,” said Erickson.

Facilitated by leaders in the fields of STEM research and leadership development, the ELATES curriculum is focused on increasing Fellows’ personal and professional leadership effectiveness, from the ability to lead and manage change initiatives within institutions, to the use of strategic finance and resource management to enhance organizational missions. Pairing online instruction and discussion with intensive, in-person seminar sessions, the program encourages Fellows to apply what they’ve learned at their home institutions. Ultimately, it aims to create a network of exceptional faculty who bring broad organizational perspectives and deep personal capacity to the institutions and society they serve.

Sharon Walker, PhD, executive director of the ELATES program and dean of Drexel University’s College of Engineering, shares her excitement for welcoming the newest class of Fellows.

“I am thrilled to welcome this talented new cohort of ELATES fellows as they join the community of distinguished alumnae who are committed to lifelong learning and leadership development.  I am excited to see what impact they will not only have this year on their home campuses, but more broadly to the higher education STEM community in the future.”

To learn more about ELATES at Drexel, visit ELATES online at Drexel.edu/ELATES.