Kate Youmans is an Associate Teaching Professor in the Colorado School of Mines Engineering, Design, and Society Department. Dr. Youmans holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and an M.Ed. in Science Education from Boston University. She completed her Ph.D. in Engineering Education at Utah State University with a focus on the use of empathic concern as a teaching practice to support students in engineering. Dr. Youmans brings a broad perspective to her work, drawing from her experience design surgical instruments in the medical device industry, leading diversity and outreach initiatives for MIT’s Office of Engineering Outreach and launching STEM programs in Design Thinking, Computer Science and Robotics at a K-12 charter school. As an engineering educator and researcher, she is passionate about breaking down barriers and transforming engineering into a more inclusive field. In addition, her teaching focuses on the implementation of authentic project-based learning to develop students’ 21st century skills such as collaboration and ill-structured problem solving.