On International Women in Engineering Day, Engineering for US All (e4usa) is proud to celebrate the women whose work is expanding opportunities for future generations of engineers. Few individuals embody that mission more fully than Dr. Stacy Klein-Gardner, Executive Director of e4usa and Adjunct Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Vanderbilt University.
Dr. Klein-Gardner's path into engineering education was anything but conventional.
Growing up in Oxford, Mississippi, she was identified as a gifted student and participated in the Duke University Talent Identification Program (TIP). While studying biomedical and electrical engineering at Duke University, she discovered something that would shape the course of her professional life. At age 18, she began working as a teaching assistant for the TIP program. By age 19, she was teaching her own middle school mathematics classes.
Teaching had become more than an interest. It had become a calling.
After earning engineering degrees from Duke University, Drexel University, and Vanderbilt University, Dr. Klein-Gardner faced a difficult decision. Although her research focused on biomedical engineering and medical imaging, she realized her greatest passion was not conducting research, but helping others learn.
She accepted a position teaching high school students and completed her doctoral dissertation during her first year in the classroom.
While teaching mathematics and science courses, a question emerged that would guide much of her future work:
Why weren't there engineering courses available for high school students?
That question led to decades of leadership in engineering education.
Through work with the NSF-funded VaNTH Engineering Research Center, Dr. Klein-Gardner developed engineering curriculum, conducted engineering education research, and prepared teachers to bring engineering into their classrooms. She later became a national leader in NSF Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) programs, helping expand opportunities for educators to engage in authentic engineering research and bring those experiences back to their students.
Throughout her career, she has remained committed to a simple but powerful idea: engineering should be available to more students, in more schools, taught by more educators.
That commitment ultimately led to the creation of Engineering for US All (e4usa).
What began as a National Science Foundation-funded initiative has grown into a national nonprofit organization serving thousands of students and educators. Today, e4usa partners with schools, universities, and industry leaders across the United States and beyond to provide year-long engineering courses that emphasize authentic problem solving, community engagement, and engineering design.
Under Dr. Klein-Gardner's leadership, e4usa has expanded to more than 100 high school partners, engaged over 15,000 students, and established pathways for students to earn college credit and placement through university partnerships. These opportunities reflect a core belief that engineering education should not be limited by geography, background, or prior experience.
Her influence extends beyond curriculum development and organizational leadership. Colleagues, teachers, and students frequently describe Dr. Klein-Gardner as a mentor who creates opportunities for others, builds professional networks, and helps individuals see possibilities they had not previously imagined for themselves.
As e4usa continues to grow, Dr. Klein-Gardner remains focused on the same question that first emerged during her years as a high school teacher: How can we create more opportunities for students to discover engineering?
On this International Women in Engineering Day, we celebrate not only her accomplishments but also the lasting impact of a career dedicated to helping others see themselves as problem-solvers, innovators, and future engineers.
This article was adapted from a nomination statement written by Pamela S. Lottero-Perdue, Ph.D., Professor of Engineering Education at Towson University, and is published with permission.