Dr. Brooke Coley is an Assistant Professor in Engineering at the Polytechnic School of the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University. She is also Principal Investigator of the Shifting Perceptions, Attitudes and Cultures in Engineering (SPACE) Lab which aspires to elevate the experiences of marginalized populations, dismantle systemic injustices and transform the way inclusion is cultivated in engineering through the implementation of novel technologies and methodologies in engineering education. She holds a BS degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Maryland Baltimore County where she became a Meyerhoff Scholar and a PhD in Bioengineering with a concentration in Biomechanics from the University of Pittsburgh. Prior to joining the Polytechnic School, Dr. Coley completed postdoctoral training at ASU in Engineering Education. She also served as the Associate Director for the Center for Diversity in Engineering at the University of Virginia and as an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Science and Technology Policy Fellow at the National Science Foundation (NSF) for several years.
Intrigued by the intersections of engineering education, mental health and social justice, Dr. Coley’s developing research interest focuses on employing virtual reality as a tool for developing empathetic and inclusive mindsets among engineering faculty. She is also interested in the lived experiences of marginalized individuals in engineering and seeks to raise awareness of such through non-traditional modes of dissemination. Specifically, she aims to reach broader audiences through arts-based research methods, primarily film. Dr. Coley currently leads two NSF-funded studies addressing the experiences of undergraduate engineering community college students (NSF #1733716), and most recently, an exploration of how engaging in identity-related professional organizations promotes successful navigation of engineering for Black students (NSF #1828659).
Dr. Coley was honored as an Apprentice Faculty Grant Recipient by the Educational Research Methods Division of the American Society for Engineering Education for her commitment to innovation in teaching and potential to make substantial contributions to engineering education. She also received the ASU Centennial Professorship Award, which recognizes faculty on all ASU campuses engaged in scholarship, emerging leadership, dedication to community service, and enrichment of students’ academic experience. Dr. Coley has developed critical curriculum including a graduate-level course addressing the persistent inequities in STEM with a focus on engineering. Outside of the classroom, she is a strong supporter of student organizations and advises the newly formed Poly Chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers. Dr. Coley is committed to transforming the culture of engineering from the inside out to make it a more inclusive realm where all students have the opportunity to thrive.
Outside of academia, Dr. Coley is a film enthusiast and hopes to one day have one of her films premier at the Sundance Film Festival. She is a retired athlete that now coaches youth sports and loves workouts and bike rides with her family.