Laura Bottomley

Laura Bottomley
Born (1964-01-17) January 17, 1964
Kinston, North Carolina, USA
Spouse
Gregory E. Bottomley
​
​
(m. 1984)​
AwardsSharon Keillor Award for Women in Engineering Education
Academic background
EducationBSc, MSc, electrical engineering, 1985, Virginia Tech
PhD, 1992, North Carolina State University
ThesisTraffic measurements on a working wide area network (1992)
Academic work
InstitutionsNorth Carolina State University
AT&T Bell Laboratories
Duke University
Websiteengr.ncsu.edu/theengineeringplace/

Laura Lynne Jones Bottomley[1] (born January 17, 1964) is an American electrical engineer. She is the founding director of the "The Engineering Place," a K-12 outreach program, and an associate teaching professor at North Carolina State University.

Early life and education

Bottomley was born on January 17, 1964, in Kinston, North Carolina. She was born into an academically involved family; her father was an engineer, and her mother was an English major.[2] After being inspired by Star Trek in middle-school,[2] Bottomley earned her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in engineering from Virginia Tech.[3] In 2024, Bottomley was inducted into the Virginia Tech's Academy of Distinguished Alumni.[4] While she interviewed at NASA following her Master's degree, Bottomley chose to work at AT&T Bell Laboratories in New Jersey.[2] After two years at Bell Laboratories, she enrolled at North Carolina State University (NCSU) and earned her PhD in electrical and computer engineering.[3]

Career

Upon receiving her PhD, Bottomley began teaching undergraduate and graduate electrical engineering courses at Duke University.[3] She joined the Faculty of Engineering at NCSU in 1997, and founded an engineering outreach program called "The Engineering Place" in 1999.[5] While she originally used her grant to develop an outreach program aimed at high schoolers, she found that earlier intervention was necessary to encourage women to join STEM fields. As such, Bottomley and 23 engineering graduate fellows went to every elementary school in the United States to redevelop science lessons so they would appeal to children with different learning styles.[6] She also became director of NCSU's Women in Engineering program and served as a consultant to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and Wake County Public Schools.[7] In recognition of her efforts, Bottomley was awarded the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring in 2007 and 2009.[7][8] She also received the 2009 Meritorious Achievement Award In Informal Education from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) for "leadership in developing and implementing programs that increase interest in science, math, technology and engineering education in elementary and secondary students."[9][10]

In 2012, Bottomley was named the 2011 Woman of the Year by the NC Triangle Chapter of the Women’s Transportation Seminar.[11] Bottomley was also named a Fellow of the American Society for Engineering Education.[5] In 2016, Bottomley was named a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers for increasing student interest in STEM education.[12][13] She was also the co-recipient of the a Claire L. Felbinger Award for Diversity for the College's Women and Minority Engineering Programs from ABET.[14] In 2023, Bottomley received the Sharon Keillor Award for Women in Engineering Education in recognition of her efforts to encourage women to join the field of engineering.[15]

Personal life

Bottomley married Gregory E. Bottomley in 1984.[1] They have two children together.[2] In 2016, Bottomley appeared in a Super Bowl commercial entitled "Doing Good with STEM."[16]

References

  1. ^ a b "Marriage of Jones / Bottomley". The Roanoke Times. February 1, 1984. Retrieved May 10, 2025 – via newspapers.com.
  2. ^ a b c d "Tar Heel of the Week". The News and Observer. March 4, 2012. Retrieved May 10, 2025 – via newspapers.com.
  3. ^ a b c "Laura Bottomley". National Academy of Engineering. Archived from the original on May 10, 2025. Retrieved May 10, 2025.
  4. ^ Lancaster, Brent (May 2, 2024). "Bottomley honored by Virginia Tech as an outstanding alumna". North Carolina State University. Retrieved May 10, 2025.
  5. ^ a b McBlief, Kathi (May 16, 2014). "Bottomley named ASEE Fellow". North Carolina State University. Retrieved May 10, 2025.
  6. ^ Goforth, Sarah (April 6, 2005). "Classroom Science Gets a Makeover: NSF Fellows Bring Hands-on Lessons to Young Students". National Science Foundation. Archived from the original on February 28, 2025. Retrieved May 10, 2025.
  7. ^ a b "President Obama Honors Outstanding Teachers and Mentors at White House". webwire.com. January 7, 2010. Retrieved May 10, 2025.
  8. ^ "NC State Engineer Wins Presidential Award for Excellence". North Carolina State University. July 13, 2009. Retrieved May 10, 2025.
  9. ^ "Educational Activities Board (EAB) Award Recipients by Last Name". IEEE. Archived from the original on January 4, 2025. Retrieved May 10, 2025.
  10. ^ "Bottomley Wins IEEE Award". North Carolina State University. June 28, 2010. Retrieved May 10, 2025.
  11. ^ "Transportation group names Bottomley Woman of the Year". North Carolina State University. February 22, 2012. Retrieved May 10, 2025.
  12. ^ "2016 Newly Elevated Fellows" (PDF). IEEE Fellows Directory. p. 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 23, 2015.
  13. ^ "ECE Alumna Recognized as Leader in STEM Education by IEEE". North Carolina State University. December 11, 2015. Retrieved May 10, 2025.
  14. ^ McBlief, Kathi (March 1, 2016). "Women and Minority Engineering Programs win diversity award". North Carolina State University. Retrieved May 10, 2025.
  15. ^ "Sharon Keillor Award for Women in Engineering Education 2023 winner: Laura Bottomley". American Society for Engineering Education. Archived from the original on December 12, 2024. Retrieved May 10, 2025.
  16. ^ "Stars in Super Bowl commercial encourage STEM for girls". ABC11. March 15, 2016. Retrieved May 10, 2025.
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