Cerasela-Zoica Dinu, an assistant professor of chemical engineering at West Virginia University, was selected as one of 65 innovative early-career educators to participate in the National Academy of Engineering’s second Frontiers of Engineering Education symposium.

Chosen from a highly competitive pool of applicants, Dinu was nominated by the Dean of the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, Gene Cilento.

“We are delighted that our early career faculty continue to be accepted into prestigious workshops and symposium that help advance their careers and education agenda of the College,” said Cilento.

Dinu will join young educators representing a variety of engineering disciplines at the conference on Nov. 13-16 in Irvine, Calif. Participants will familiarize each other with the educational innovation they developed, the underlying need that the developed method addresses, how it fits in the curriculum and any progress made to date.

Participants will also exchange ideas, learn from research about the best practice in education and leave with a charter to bring about improvement in their home institution.

“The Frontiers of Engineering Education program creates a unique venue for engineering faculty members to share and explore interesting and effective innovations in teaching and learning,” said NAE President and WVU College of Engineering and Mineral Resources alumnus Charles M. Vest. “We want FOEE to become a major force in identifying, recognizing and promulgating advances and innovations in order to build a strong intellectual infrastructure and commitment to 21st-century engineering education.”

This year’s program will focus on teaching leading-edge engineering knowledge, project-based learning, active and self-directed learning and assessment of student learning and education innovation.

“I am honored to have been selected for this prestigious symposium in engineering education,” Dinu said. “We prepare every student for success in college, career and life; I am excited to share my experiences with a larger audience, and gain knowledge from others as we take on the educational challenges in an ever more diverse environment.”

“Chemical engineering has a long tradition of innovative teaching sustained by award-winning educators,” said Rakesh Gupta, chair of the Department of Chemical Engineering. “Professor Dinu’s selection to participate in the FOEE symposium is recognition of both her talent and her potential. She has a very bright future ahead of her.”

Dinu earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degree from the University of Bucharest in Romania. She completed her doctorate at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics and Dresden University of Technology in Germany. Her research focuses on nano/micros devices and systems and biotechnology/bioengineering.

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CONTACT: Mary C. Dillon
304-293-4086; mary.dillon@mail.wvu.edu