Postsecondary Academic Innovation & Leadership Finalists
Awarded to a woman working in the postsecondary academic setting who has created and fostered STEM programs in curriculum development, student research, and teacher-student collaborations. Each finalist has secured outside funding to support her work and/or received peer recognition for her leadership and innovation.
JACQUELINE DUNCAN
Postsecondary Academic Innovation & Leadership Finalist
Occupation
Clinical Professor in Prosthodontics
Organization
UConn School of Dental Medicine
Hometown
Granby, CT
Passion
Jacqueline is thrilled to be a part of the education of dental students, who are the future of dentistry and who will be instrumental in expanding access to oral health care.
Bio
Dr. Jacqueline Duncan is a clinical professor in prosthodontics at the UCONN School of Dental Medicine (SDM). A native of Connecticut, Dr. Duncan attended Mount Holyoke College before completing her DMD training at UCONN SDM in 1992. In 1996, she was the first graduate of UCONN’s post-graduate prosthodontic residency program where she also received her Master of Dental Science degree. Dr. Duncan currently serves as the director of the predoctoral prosthodontics program in the department of Reconstructive Sciences at the UCONN SDM.
Download or request a printed poster for your school at woi@ccat.us.
ANDREA KWACZALA
Postsecondary Academic Innovation & Leadership Winner
Occupation
Assistant Professor in Biomedical Engineering
Organization
Western New England University
Hometown
Suffield, CT
Passion
Andrea is an engineering educator focused on technical skill development, engineering self-efficacy and growth mindset through design of assistive technology.
Bio
Dr. Kwaczala is a biomedical engineering educator at Western New England University. Her research focuses on assistive technologies for people with limited mobility. She volunteers at Shriners Hospital to build ride-on-cars for GoBabyGo. She inspires her students to persist in engineering by developing strong technical skills using design projects that impact society. As a dedicated member of SWE Hartford, she developed hands-on makerspace workshops for aspiring young engineers throughout Connecticut.
