The Baskin School of Engineering recognized Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Colleen Josephson as the 2023-24 recipient of the Sung-Mo Steve Kang Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award. Each year, this award recognizes a faculty member who is making positive strides toward more inclusive teaching and education at Baskin Engineering. Josephson’s fresh and energetic approach to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion has brought meaningful change to the culture of engineering education at UC Santa Cruz.
Josephson has made a concerted effort to diversify the recruitment of speakers for the electrical and computer engineering seminar series, which has doubled the amount of presenters who come from communities historically underrepresented communities in STEM. This helps the series more accurately reflect the diverse student population. She also hosts a weekly “Womxn in Computing” luncheon—a gathering fostering community and belonging among students.
Josephson has introduced student-centered learning approaches and updated technical language in her curriculum to reflect today’s inclusive standards. She is reshaping computing language by removing the terms “slave” and “master” from computing models of asymmetric communication and control. In the classroom, Josephson has reimagined lab courses to prioritize creative final projects over traditional exams, giving students more control over their learning experience.
Josephson’s commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion extends beyond UCSC through her work with the Computing Alliance of Hispanic-Serving Institutions (CAHSI), where she helps build new pathways into engineering careers.
Through these initiatives and more, Josephson embodies the spirit of innovation and inclusion that the Sung-Mo Steve Kang DEI Award celebrates.
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