ME Undergrad Wins Clare Boothe Luce Fellowship
Roxanna Walker (ME '11)
The Clare Boothe Luce Foundation, the largest source of private funding for women in science, mathematics and engineering, has awarded Roxanna Walker (ME ’11) a Clare Boothe Luce fellowship. The fellowship covers full tuition for two years, plus an additional stipend to cover other academic costs.
Walker was nominated for the award by Assistant Professor Sean Andersson (ME). Upon graduation, she hopes to pursue a career in robotics, in either roller coaster design or to follow in the footsteps of her mother, Lela Walker, a chemist and quality assurance officer at NASA-contracted Wyle Laboratories.
“For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been interested in the mechanical and manufacturing aspects of engineering,” Walker said. “And as I’ve gotten more and more interested in robotics, I realized that this could be something I’d like to make a career out of.”
In a field where women are outnumbered by men by a ratio of almost four to one, Walker recognizes the importance of Clare Boothe Luce — the late journalist, social activist and congresswoman — and a legacy that benefits the advancement of women in science and engineering.
“Winning the fellowship was surreal,” Walker said. “It’s part of a larger effort to get women more involved in science and engineering. In a sense, it’s a lot to live up to, but I take it as motivation. It’s a challenge to see how far I can go.”
By Jason London