The College of Engineering is dedicated to helping kindergarten to twelfth grade students learn more about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and exposing them to the University of Arkansas. To support in this effort, Amy Warren has been selected to serve as assistant director of outreach and summer programs. Warren will develop, implement and maintain the college's outreach and summer program initiatives to help maintain a pipeline of high achieving, diverse prospective students. This position reports to Eric Specking, director of recruiting in the College of Engineering.

"It is imperative that we expose more students to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, or STEM, principles and fields in order to create more scientist, engineers, and mathematicians," said Specking. "Most students are not aware of the vast career options in STEM, especially engineering, due to the lack of exposure. This position will help the College of Engineering inform more students around Arkansas of these opportunities. We are excited about Amy's background and skills and have already seen her passion for students and outreach. She has already helped the College create four new camps in Blytheville, Camden, Fayetteville, and Hot Springs in her first three weeks!"

Warren has extensive experience with STEM education in both higher education and K-12 education. Before coming to the University of Arkansas, she was a faculty member at Northwest Arkansas Community College in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences. She has also worked at Ozark Natural Science Center as a teacher and naturalist, and was the BGREEN Science Outreach and Education Program Coordinator at the University of Missouri.

Warren is a doctoral candidate in anthropology at the University of Missouri at Columbia, where she was a National Science Foundation Graduate STEM Fellow in K-12 Education. She earned a master's degree and a bachelor's degree in anthropology at the University of Arkansas.

"I am thrilled to have a position that allows me to use my experience in STEM outreach and education initiatives to introduce engineering concepts to young innovators of the future," said Warren.