Elizabeth (Beth) McGrath - JOINT LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION By Assemblymen GARCIA and MUKHERJI and Senator STACK

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH.

Elizabeth (Beth) McGrath, Chief of Staff and Director of Community and State Relations at Stevens Institute of Technology has been cited for her accomplishments by a Joint resolution from the New Jersey Senate and Assembly.

Elizabeth McGrath has served more than a quarter century in leadership roles to advance participation and success of K-12 and post-secondary students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics education and carreers. Her work at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken and Hudson County, nationally, and internationally, has earned recognition from the White House and resulted in federal- and state-sponsored programs benefiting more than 250,000 students—most in disadvantaged and underserved schools—and hundreds of teachers in Hoboken, Jersey City and other Hudson County school districts, as well as in 23 states and 10 nations around the globe.

Beth currently manages the implementation of the university’s ambitious, 10-year Strategic Plan entitled, The Future. Ours to Create.  In this role, Beth is responsible for ensuring that the university is on track to meet its strategic priorities: to increase the size and academic profile of its undergraduate and graduate student populations, with emphasis on women and underrepresented minorities; to strengthen and build research capabilities in areas of significance and urgent societal need, including in healthcare and medicine, energy, financial systems, and defense and security; and to enhance the engagement of alumni, friends, and corporate and government constituents.

As Director of Community and State Relations at Stevens, Beth is the liaison with the City of Hoboken on town-gown issues and collaborative efforts, and leads all Trenton-based initiatives on Stevens’ behalf.

Beth spent 19 years in leadership roles culminating as Executive Director at the Stevens Center for Innovation in Engineering and Science Education (CIESE).  In this capacity, Beth led dozens of local, state, national and international education and research projects totaling more than $26 million aimed at improving teaching and learning and increasing the participation and success of students in the STEM fields.  She launched New Jersey’s first statewide K-12 engineering education program, Engineering Our Future NJ, and led one of the nation’s first Internet-in-science education initiatives in the early 1990’s.  This body of work was recognized by President Obama in 2011 with a Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM).

Among her many accomplishments, Beth has published or contributed to dozens of academic and scholarly papers and conference proceedings on K-12 engineering education and the use of technology in schools.  She has given invited talks at the National Academy of Engineering and other U.S. and international forums.  She recently served on the National Academy of Engineering/National Research Council Committee on Integrated STEM Education, the Steering Committee of the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) Technology and Engineering Literacy Assessment 2014, and on the advisory boards of several NSF-funded projects.

“Beth McGrath is a leader who defines involvement in her community and makes a positive impact for people on the local, national and world stage”, stated Garcia.