Dr. Karan Watson, Regents Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Texas A&M University, has been selected as a 2020 recipient of the Bevlee A. Watford Inclusive Excellence Award.
Presented by the Women in Engineering ProActive Network, this impactful award honors those who actively support and bolster the success and inclusion of women of color in engineering at the undergraduate, graduate and professional levels.
“It feels great to be recognized and appreciated,” said Watson. “For a long time, I have wanted people to have better access and inclusion to engineering – men and women – but especially underrepresented groups. This award recognizes not only striving to make organizations more inclusive of women, but also of women of color. And when you're a double minority, or triple minority, depending on identity elements, it's a really lonely place and it's an empty place, sometimes, so I am pleased to have worked in that arena.”
Adding that she is humbled to be selected for the award when so many great people are also working toward inclusivity in engineering and education, Watson explained that her passion for embracing diversity and inclusion started long before she became a professor. When she was an undergraduate student, women made up less than 4% of the engineering student body. While that has changed, Watson is determined to continue to increase that representation and invite new ideas, backgrounds and perspectives into engineering.
For years, Watson has done this by taking an active role in recruitment and leadership – reaching out to women of all ethnicities as a mentor, guide and resource. She has worked diligently to seek out students to apply and enroll in engineering, encouraging them to take the next step in their educational journey and helping them navigate the opportunities and support available to them.
“Once they see a door open, it’s them, not me, that does great things,” said Watson.
Looking ahead, Watson will continue her pursuit to keep opening doors and inviting people to step across the threshold into engineering. With each new mind and perspective, innovation grows and education expands, making her cause a vital one for the future of research and ingenuity.
“Our work’s not done,” she said. “So, if more people want to work in this arena to make engineering more inclusive of everybody – and especially of women of color – let's do it.”