This week we talk with Dr. Carlotta Berry about increasing diversity in STEM.

Dr. Berry co-founded Rose-Hulman’s Building Undergraduate Diversity (RoseBUD) program, which encourages students from underrepresented groups to seek STEM careers; helped student scholars organize an annual SPARK! campus event that brings together high school and college students to work on hands-on projects (this year’s virtual event is scheduled for March 20); and has been co-director of the institute’s multidisciplinary robotics academic program. 

At Rose-Hulman, Berry has taught courses from mobile robotics to human/robot interaction to electrical engineering design. She has encouraged students to learn by tinkering, hacking, and making mistakes. She has even shipped low-cost kits to students’ homes to facilitate online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.