Katie Krause is originally from Saskatoon, where she completed undergraduate degrees in Engineering Physics and Computer Science. Her interest in science and engineering led her to Ottawa, where she worked for several years in an optical research and development group at Nortel and completed her MSc in Electrical Engineering. During this time she was active as a mentor to students in her group, a business adviser for the Junior Achievement program and a volunteer with the Ottawa Jazz Festival. She especially enjoys working with young students and introducing them to concepts of technology, research and productization of new ideas.
Katie is currently a Professional Engineering with the Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists, and Geophysicists of Alberta (APEGGA) and a PhD candidate at the University of Alberta in the department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Her PhD research involves the creation, characterization and application of nano-scale structures that cannot be seen with the eye, but impart devices that they are made of with fascinating optical, electrical, sensing, and surface properties. Katie has loved working as part of an interdisciplinary team and learning a whole new range of engineering skills as part of her research.
During her PhD studies she has been very active in the UofA Women in Scholarship, Engineering, Science and Technology (WISEST) program. Involvement in this program has not only provided her with amazing female mentorship, but has also her to act as mentor to young women pursuing careers in science and engineering. Her contributions to WISEST have included being a board member, liaison to the undergraduate WiSE group, co-founder of the WISER community for early career researchers and professionals, a coordinator for several networking events, and a volunteer with WISEST’s many programs aimed at attracting and retaining women in science. She has also been a supervisor for two high school WISEST Summer Research Program students – a program which taught her as much about enthusiastic research and novel experimentation as it did her students!
Upon completion of her PhD Katie hopes to continue in the area of engineering research and product development, all the while encouraging women to consider engineering and science as exciting career options.
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