Rate My Professor Lizabeth Thompson

Thompson's research interests encompass equitable classroom practices, critical reflective dialog, institutional change, social-technical integration, and change management. As principal investigator or co-principal investigator, she has secured $11.8 million in National Science Foundation funding for initiatives including Eco-STEM, which promotes equity and social justice in STEM; ENGAGE, a mentorship program supporting underrepresented transfer students, particularly Hispanic and Latino students, from community colleges like Allan Hancock and Cuesta; KIND, a CSU-wide equity project; Breaking the Binary with the Computer Engineering department; and I-Corps for student entrepreneurship. Since 2011, she has obtained nearly $10 million in NSF grants focused on diversity and inclusion in engineering education. Her contributions have earned her the Society of Women Engineers Distinguished Engineering Educator Award and Cal Poly’s Provost's Leadership Award for Partnership in Philanthropy, recognizing her work in donor engagement and transformative student opportunities. Thompson emphasizes ethical engineering design that considers community impacts, environmental sustainability, and inclusivity, aligning with Cal Poly’s Learn by Doing philosophy.