Those first introductions to STEM in the classroom 鈥� whether through simple pattern recognition, launching water balloons across a football field or the classic 鈥渆gg drop鈥� project 鈥� all serve as formative learning experiences that lead children to shape the future of engineering.

For Borowczak, it鈥檚 why she鈥檚 been passionate about developing new ways to incorporate early introductions to engineering education in the classroom and beyond.聽 In honor of her 20-plus years of this work, Borowczak was peer-nominated and selected for the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Society for Engineering Education鈥檚 (ASEE) Pre-College Engineering Education (PCEE) division.

The Lifetime Achievement award is given to a PCEE Division member who has provided a high standard of service in support of pre-college engineering education, and who has made significant and sustained contributions to the field. In her 20 years with PCEE, Borowczak held multiple leadership roles for PCEE, served as associate editor for ASEE鈥檚 Computers in Education journal for six years, and led and published many research studies on engineering education.

鈥淲inning this award was very humbling, and I’m extremely grateful,鈥� she says. 鈥淭here’s still a lot of work that I want to do, but I’m so incredibly appreciative of all the mentors that I’ve had who gave me the support that鈥檚 allowed me to do the work that I’ve done with teachers and students.鈥�

Borowczak’s research centers on integrated STEM education, often focusing on how engineering, technology and math can be woven into the classroom at all levels. That work has earned her more than $11 million in grant funding over her career, including support from the National Science Foundation.

鈥淭o really understand any subject, you have to understand the adjacent subjects,鈥� she says. 鈥淓ngineering education is a fantastic way of bringing real-world application front and center. I was already doing engineering-like projects before I even realized I was doing engineering education.鈥�

The contribution she’s most proud of is demonstrating that teachers across subjects and grade levels can integrate STEM disciplines into their existing instruction plans without it becoming extra work. She believes that giving students the opportunity to see themselves in STEM starts with teachers.

鈥淲hether we’re talking about kindergarten or a university class, there are ways to integrate different subjects effectively,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 think I’m most proud of showcasing how that’s happened and having the evidence and the data to back it up.鈥�

That same systems-level thinking now informs her leadership of 麻豆原创’s School of Teacher Education. For Borowczak, a lifetime achievement award is far from the finish line. She plans to keep building partnerships across disciplines and is currently exploring how AI should be integrated into classroom teaching and learning.

Her work continues this summer through the School of Teacher Education’s inaugural 鈥淓clipse鈥� STEM Summer Camp, which will be hosted at Orange County Public Schools Academic Center for Excellence (ACE) in Downtown Orlando. The camp is dedicated to learning through STEM, including two engineering education-focused sessions each day of the two-week experience.

鈥淥ur whole country is beholden to our pre-K-12 teachers,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hey’re at the front lines of every engineering education movement and every STEM movement. Every time we as a society decide something is important, teachers are the ones who make it happen.鈥�