Rate My Professor Gretchen Dietz

Gretchen Dietz serves as Assistant Professor and Director of the Engineering Discovery Program in the School of Engineering + Technology within the College of Engineering and Technology at Western Carolina University. She earned her Ph.D. in environmental engineering sciences with a certificate in engineering education from the University of Florida and her B.S. in civil engineering with a minor in mathematics from the University of Mount Union in Ohio. Prior to her current role, which she assumed in spring 2025, Dietz was an assistant professor of teaching at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where she focused on first-year student development, recruitment, and outreach in engineering. At Western Carolina University, she teaches the introductory engineering course, designs and hosts outreach events through the Engineering Discovery Program, and develops initiatives to build enthusiasm for engineering among high school students and prepare them for college-level studies. Her efforts emphasize hands-on learning, collaborative design challenges, and connections to real-world engineering applications to support student success and broaden access to the field.

Dietz's research centers on diversity, equity, and inclusion in engineering education, employing qualitative methodologies to explore engineering identities, racial dynamics, and community cultural wealth among underrepresented students. She has authored or co-authored several peer-reviewed publications, including 'Manifestations of Racism in the Engineering Workplace' (2023, cited 17 times), co-authored with Randy D. Brown, Elliot P. Douglas, Erica D. McCray, and Paul G. Ranky; 'Learning from Antiracist Theories to Reframe Engineering Education Research on Race' (2022, cited 15 times), with Elliot P. Douglas; 'Interpersonal Relationships Formed by Black Men in Engineering' (2022), with Erica D. McCray, Renata Revelo, Elliot P. Douglas, Alice Pawley, and Joel Mejia; 'A Narrative Exploration of the In/Authentic Experiences of Black Engineering Interns' (2022), with Elliot Douglas; and 'WIP: Assessing Community Cultural Wealth and Funds of Knowledge for Students Attending a Co-op Based Engineering Program' (2021). More recently, she presented 'Increasing Opportunity in Pre-College Engineering Camps Using Research Partnerships' at the 2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, co-authored with Kelly Anderson, highlighting strategies to enhance accessibility through research collaborations. Her 15 research works have garnered 58 citations. Dietz also contributes to pre-college engineering programs, such as teaching introductory engineering in summer camps.