Announcing the Joanne Pransky Scholarship Winners for October 2024
The Joanne Pransky Scholarship was established to honor the legacy of Joanne Pransky, a pioneer and advocate for women in robotics. This scholarship supports young women pursuing careers in robotics and aims to foster inclusivity and diversity in the field.
We are very grateful to all of Joanne’s friends and family for their contributions to the fund, and want to call out The Joseph F. Engelberger Foundation and A3, the Association for Advancing Automation for their very generous donations!
Joseph Engelberger is renowned as the “Father of Robotics” creating the first commercial robot arm company in 1961. Engelberger later moved on to creating the first service robot called HelpMate, and one of his key team members was a woman, Bala Krishnamurthy, who was the chief software and navigation engineer. Bala Krishnamurthy was featured in our “2020 women in robotics you need to know about” list.
The Joanne Pransky Scholarship is open to juniors, seniors, and undergraduates and now to graduate students who demonstrate exceptional talent and dedication in robotics, particularly students who have overcome difficulty to pursue their dreams. The next round of scholarships is now open with a deadline of February 1st 2025.
About the Winners:
I am absolutely overjoyed and deeply humbled to be selected as this year’s winner. As a Sri Lankan undergraduate student at Yale studying electrical engineering, this recognition feels particularly meaningful. It has been a journey shaped by curiosity and passion for robotics, and being acknowledged in this way is a profound honor. I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity and the platform you provide to celebrate the achievements of women in robotics. This award strengthens my commitment to contribute meaningfully to the field, especially as someone from a background that is often underrepresented in STEM. Thank you for inspiring and supporting women like me, and for the work you do to elevate diversity in robotics.
Amadie Gajanaike, Yale University
Amadie is no stranger to winning prizes for excellence but the judges were particularly impressed by her passion for advocacy and philanthropy.
Wisena Joseph, Northeastern University
I am determined to continue my pursuit of higher education in the field of engineering, specifically in robotics. I want to understand the different aspects of constructing a technology such as its manufacturing, circuitry, and programming; thus, robotics. My goal is to be able to solve societal issues such as aid for the elderly by providing engineering solutions such as domestic robotics. As a low-income student, I plan to use the scholarships here to be a foundational step in my career.
Susie Diaz Ferrera, Stevens Institute of Technology
I am a first-generation immigrant from Honduras, on the path to becoming a robotics engineer. This fall, I will begin my Master of Engineering in Robotics at Stevens Institute of Technology. Despite earning a partial scholarship, I still have to take out loans to cover the remaining costs. Since arriving in the U.S. as an international student in 2014, I have earned degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Project Management. I am deeply passionate about promoting STEM education, particularly within the Latino/Hispanic community and among women, where representation is critically low, especially in robotics engineering.
Chelsea Wiredu, Osbourn Park Senior HS
I was born on November 6, 2006. On that day, NASA took a picture of “The Ghostly Tail of Comet SWAN”. When I see that picture, I think of a beautiful comet soaring through endless and infinite space, shining and glistening so brightly and elegantly. It’s seen as ghostly because of its ion tail, which is made of ionized gas, energized by ultraviolet light from the Sun, and pushed outward by the solar wind. My goal in life is to be like the ghostly tail of comet SWAN because it absorbs so much light from the Sun, and I would like to absorb education, happiness, and love throughout my life. I’ve always wanted to work at NASA because I have always been interested in space, stars, and technology, and that is what NASA is all about!
Kayla Carlson, University of Advancing Technology
I am a proud member of SAG/AFTRA since 2005, working primarily in film, television, commercials, and modeling. While I love the entertainment industry, work is challenging, requiring two full-time jobs on the side to support myself. It’s always been a dream of mine to work in the entertainment industry whilst pursuing a career in science and technology. For this, I look to Hedy Lamarr. Hedy Lamarr crusaded against gender stereotypes of the 1930’s and 1940’s, opening doors for women around the world in her careers as an actress and later, inventor. She patented “Spread Spectrum Technology” which we now know today as Wifi, Bluetooth, and GPS, proving that women can be both creative and intellectual. While Hedy Lamarr’s impact as a Hollywood icon was evident, but she, unbeknownst to many, served a greater lasting impact in the fields of science and technology with her invention of Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum technology, opening doors for women in science and challenging gender norms of World War II. It is my dream to follow this path and continue my journey in the field of entertainment while also returning to school to complete my Bachelor’s in “Robotics and Embedded Systems.”
About the judging:
The judging panel is comprised of Dr Robin Murphy, Brenda Cooper (science fiction author), Kathryn Myronuk, Mary Jesse, Dana Whalls, Allison Thackston and Andra Keay. Applicants are asked to write a short science fiction story, or essay, about the role of robotics in society, and we particularly commend the stories from Kayla Carlson and Susie Diaz Ferrera. You can read them on on their profiles on Bold.org.
The judges found it hard to pick five winners from 12 wonderful finalists and we really hope that all the finalists will reapply for the next round of scholarships.
The Next Round of Scholarship Applications Is Now Open!
Applications are now open for the next round of scholarships and the deadline is February 1st, 2025. We encourage eligible WiR members to apply and take advantage of this valuable opportunity to support their education and career in robotics.
For more information and to apply, visit our Scholarship Page.
