Dr. Jacqueline McDermott

“

Diversity in Engineering is essential in order to tackle the world's largest research questions. We need different types of people and backgrounds working together to fully recognize and address specific aims that affect communities nationwide and globally.”

Assistant Director of Graduate Recruitment and Retention

College of Engineering Graduate Education Office

Diversity in Engineering is essential in order to tackle the world's largest research questions. We need people with different experiences and backgrounds working together in order to fully address problems that affect our country and the world.

In my position, I support both prospective and current graduate students. This means that I aim to work with students to increase transparency regarding what it is like to be in higher education (i.e. obtaining a degree like a Master’s/PhD or even a faculty position). By demystifying the academic process, I hope to increase accessibility of a career in higher education to all students, especially our Black engineers and those from underrepresented backgrounds.

I also aim to increase dialogue on campus through the Continuing the Pursuit: Community Conversations about the Pursuing Racial Justice Together series. By encouraging everyone to talk about racial justice, we can help make a more inclusive Purdue. I will use my voice to lift up, support, and advocate for our Black Indigenous and students of Color.

Biography

Dr. Jackie McDermott joined Purdue University in August 2018. Jackie completed her B.S. in Biology from Hofstra University with minors in Spanish and Biochemistry, and her Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Biology from Brandeis University. At Purdue, Jackie is enthusiastic about recruiting future graduate students as well as supporting current graduate students in Engineering. She recognizes that more Black Graduate Students in Engineering are needed, and therefore attends and recruits at the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) National Conference each year. To increase the number of Black Engineers coming to graduate school, Jackie helps lead the Pathways Scholars program, which supports underrepresented undergraduates in their summer research. In addition, she works closely with the Sloan Indigenous Graduate Engineering Scholars and is passionate about increasing the diversity and representation of future engineering faculty.