Karen Wosczyna-Birch delivers WomenTech training for IWITTS to assist state and local communities to prepare women and girls for careers in technology. She has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to gender equity and to preparing students for emerging technologies, and given her own experience as a woman with a PhD in the sciences she brings a unique perspective to participants in her training sessions.
Karen has received several awards recognizing her accomplishments in academia, which include the American Association of University Women Gender Equity Award, the National and Regional Catalyst Award for excellence as a Chemistry Educator, and the Community College distinguished Professor Award. She has presented and published papers regionally and nationally on the College of Technology, curriculum development using industry standards, gender equity and diversity, student recruitment and retention in engineering and technology, professional development for faculty in the workplace and contextual learning.
Karen currently serves as the State Director of Connecticut's College of Technology (COT), as a Professor of Applied Science and Technology and as the Executive Director of the Regional Center for Next Generation Manufacturing. Since 1995, she has provided the leadership for the implementation and growth of the Connecticut College of Technology, from a curriculum concept to two A.S. degree and certificate programs with 12 industry-driven technology concentrations. She was instrumental in the establishment of articulation agreements that expanded the COT's seamless pathway in Engineering and Technology to include Connecticut's 12 Community Colleges, six four-year institutions of higher education and 17 vocational-technical high schools. Her work also included the implementation and development of hybrid, online courses in technology and the implementation of bridge courses between the two-year and four-year engineering programs.
She is currently a co-PI on a professional development ATE grant awarded to the Connecticut Business and Industry Association (CBIA). Karen has received two NSF ATE grants for the College of Technology for program development and currently is the PI of a CSEMS scholarship grant awarded to the College of Technology. Karen has secured funding for the College of Technology including two Southern New England Gender Equity Grants, a NASA space grant as part of the Connecticut College collaboration, a Connecticut TALENT grant for faculty collaboration, a Greater Hartford College Consortium Grant for High School math teachers, a PACT grant for a workshop on chemical engineering, and an ICE affiliate grant and four DOT grants to establish outreach programs for high schools.
From 1980 to 1995, Karen was a Professor and Chair of the Chemical Engineering Technology and Fire Technology Departments at Hartford State Technical College (HSTC), now Capital Community College. She developed skill standards for technology programs and participated on the state department of education statewide School to Career initiative, serving as the chair of the School to Career Curriculum Team for integrating skill standards into Technology Curriculum.
Karen currently serves on a number of state committees, including the Office of Workplace Competitiveness Connecticut Career Council, the legislative Connecticut Career Ladder Committee, the State Department of Education Technology Curriculum committee, the Technical Education Advisory council and the Connecticut COT Site Coordinators and Advisory Councils. She works closely with industry and participates regularly on several Manufacturing and Technology Alliances and Organizations including the Connecticut Center for Technology, CBIA and the Northwest Manufacturers Alliance.
Karen holds a Bachelors of Science Degree in Chemistry with a minor in Physics/Biology, a Masters of Science Degree in Physiology/Neurochemistry and a doctorate in Educational Leadership. In addition, she is a certified DACUM curriculum facilitator and a certified Total Quality Management facilitator.
To find out more or to arrange a training session with Karen Wosczyna-Birch in your state or community, contact our Executive Director Donna Milgram click here.
Karen currently serves as the State Director of Connecticut's College of Technology (COT), as a Professor of Applied Science and Technology and as the Executive Director of the Regional Center for Next Generation Manufacturing. Since 1995, she has provided the leadership for the implementation and growth of the Connecticut College of Technology, from a curriculum concept to two A.S. degree and certificate programs with 12 industry-driven technology concentrations. She was instrumental in the establishment of articulation agreements that expanded the COT's seamless pathway in Engineering and Technology to include Connecticut's 12 Community Colleges, six four-year institutions of higher education and 17 vocational-technical high schools. Her work also included the implementation and development of hybrid, online courses in technology and the implementation of bridge courses between the two-year and four-year engineering programs.
