Biography:
Carlotta Berry is an American academic in the field of engineering who has made significant contributions to promoting diversity and inclusion in STEM fields. As a professor of electrical and computer engineering at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, she has dedicated her career to empowering underrepresented populations and encouraging greater participation in the engineering profession.
Born and raised in the United States, Carlotta Berry developed a passion for mathematics and technology at a young age. She earned her bachelor’s degrees in mathematics and electrical engineering through a dual degree program between Spelman College and Georgia Tech. While studying at Georgia Tech, Berry observed the scarcity of female and African-American students and faculty within the engineering program, which inspired her to become an engineering professor and advocate for diversity in the field.
After completing her undergraduate studies, Berry worked in industry to repay her student loans while simultaneously pursuing a master’s degree at Wayne State University. In 1996, she obtained her master’s degree in control systems, and a year later, she embarked on a journey to pursue a doctoral degree at Vanderbilt University. At Vanderbilt, Berry became part of the Vanderbilt University Intelligent Robotics Laboratory (IRL) and was advised by Kazuhiko Kawamura and Julie Adams. Her doctoral thesis focused on human-robot interface development for a mobile robot, specifically enhancing the interface through graphical visualization of the robot’s short-term memory.
Throughout her career, Carlotta Berry has been actively involved in promoting diversity and inclusion in engineering education. As a professor at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, she has focused her research on educational mobile robotics, human-robot interaction, and strategies to recruit and retain underrepresented populations in engineering. In 2008, Berry co-founded the Rose Building Undergraduate Diversity (ROSE-BUD) program at Rose-Hulman, which provides scholarships and activities to attract talented female and minority students in computer science and electrical, computer, and software engineering.
In addition to her work at Rose-Hulman, Berry has been a prominent guest speaker at various Women in Engineering outreach events. She has shared her experiences as a professor from an underrepresented group in articles for the New York Times and ASEE Prism magazine, bringing attention to the importance of diversity in STEM fields.
Awards:
Carlotta Berry has received numerous awards for her outstanding contributions to increasing diversity in STEM fields. She has been recognized with the Women and Hi Tech Leading Light award and the INSIGHT Into Diversity Inspiring Women in STEM award. In 2020, Berry was named Indiana FIRST Game Changer and was listed as one of the 30 Women in Robotics You Need to Know About. She also received the Reinvented Magazine Interview of the Year award for her work on purpose and passion.
In 2021, Carlotta Berry was appointed the Dr. Lawrence J. Giacoletto Endowed Chair for Electrical and Computer Engineering, acknowledging her profound impact on the field. She was also honored with the TechPoint Foundation for Youth Bridge Builder award as part of the TechPoint Mira awards.
Through her dedication to promoting diversity and inclusion, as well as her significant contributions to engineering education and research, Carlotta Berry has become a respected figure in her field and an inspiration for future generations of students and professionals.