Suzanne Zurn-Birkhimer has spent her career diligently working towards broadening the participation of women and underrepresented groups in STEM fields. She is the associate director of WiE where she leads retention efforts and conducts research around female student success. She manages the undergraduate and graduate mentoring programs that reach over 1,000 students annually, instructs Women in Engineering courses and oversees the WiE/WISP tutoring center and WiE residential community. She also holds a courtesy associate professor appointment in the Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences (EAPS) where she teaches introductory atmospheric science courses.

Zurn-Birkhimer's research focuses around understanding the barriers and pathways to success for typically marginalized groups in STEM. She is developing an online training program for students with underdeveloped spatial skills. She is also working to understand the intricacies of female undergraduate student's successful navigation to their degrees. Finally, Zurn-Birkhimer studies the career pathways of indigenous women to better inform practices and policies in the workforce. In 2019, she was appointed to the advisory board of the international organization Diversity in Organizations, Communities, and Nations Research Network. She is also serving as the Program Chair-Elect (2024-2026) for the Women in Engineering Division of the American Society of Engineering Education, after formerly serving as a Director-At-Large (2023) for the division.

She has held several positions across academia including deputy director of Purdue's NSF-ADVANCE initiative to increase the number of female faculty in the STEM fields and associate professor and co-chair of Mathematics at Saint Joseph's College in Rensselaer, Indiana, where she implemented a curriculum revision and developed a Mathematics-Engineering dual degree program.

Zurn-Birkhimer earned her BS in Mathematics from the University of Minnesota and an MS and PhD in atmospheric science from Purdue University. She was awarded the 2012 Outstanding Alumni Award from EAPS and the 2019 Distinguished Alumni Award from the Purdue University College of Science.

Why Mentees & Mentors is Great

Zurn-Birkhimer is the associate director of the Women in Engineering Program and oversees the mentoring programs.

"The M&M program allows for students to develop their own tight-knit community with their engineering peers while gaining crucial professional and personal tools they cannot develop in the classroom. We are fortunate to be able to bring in amazing alumnae to engage with the students by sharing their wisdom and experience. The participants leave our meetings confident, inspired and excited to succeed on their path to becoming engineers!"

Grad WiE Network Leadership

Zurn-Birkhimer is the associate director of the Women in Engineering Program and oversees the Grad WiE Network.

"The Grad WiE Network is near and dear to my heart. I was involved in a similar program during my graduate years. Not only did it allow me to build a community of women scholars, I was able to grow personally and professionally. I am excited that we continue to bring these amazing opportunities to students today."

Why ENGR 19400 is Great

"The Women in Engineering Seminar is a unique opportunity for FYE students to meet some of Purdue's amazing alumnae. Students not only learn what being an engineer is all about, they also get valuable tips for perseverance and strategies for success from women who were once in their seats. Plus, they get to know their classmates and start building their community. What's not to love?!"