Aaron C. Clark Named Head of Department of STEM Education

RALEIGH, N.C. — Aaron C. Clark ’97 EDD will be the head of the NC State College of Education’s Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education, effective Aug. 1. He is a professor of technology, design and engineering education and currently the Department of STEM Education’s director of graduate programs and associate department head.

“I look forward to Professor Clark leading and collaborating with his departmental colleagues to develop innovative and integrated approaches to STEM education that will expand and increase the impact of sponsored research and attract and prepare outstanding educators,” NC State College of Education Dean Mary Ann Danowitz said. “His knowledge of NC State and North Carolina will be an important foundation to successfully increase and sustain partnerships within the college and across the university and state.”

As the head of the Department of STEM Education, Clark will oversee a department that is home to more than 20 full-time faculty members and 407 undergraduate and graduate students. They conduct research and study across programs in Mathematics and Statistics Education; Science Education; and Technology, Design and Engineering Education. The department is North Carolina’s largest producer of STEM educators and its faculty rank among the most productive STEM education researchers in the nation.

“I look forward to working with our excellent faculty and students as we continue the growth and development of STEM education and outreach in North Carolina and beyond,” Clark said.

Clark joined the NC State faculty in 1997 as an assistant professor of mathematics, science and technology education. He became a full professor in 2011. At that time, he also began his role as the assistant department head and later as associate department head. He has been the department’s
director of graduate programs since 2008.

He received the 2017 Distinguished Service Award from the Engineering Design Graphics Division (EDGD) of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE). The award is a division’s highest honor and was presented to Clark in recognition of his outstanding and distinguished career as an
educator and scholar. The International Technology Engineering Education Association also has recognized him as a Distinguished Technology Educator.

His teaching specialties are in visual theory, 3-D modeling, technical animation, and STEM-based pedagogy; and his research focuses on graphics education, visual literacy, scientific/technical visualization and professional development for technology and engineering education K-12.

He has been and continues to be a principal investigator on a variety of grants related to visualization and education. Last fall, he was part of a research team that received a three-year, $600,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to improves undergraduate students’ experiences in STEM
fields, particularly for female students, underrepresented minorities, first-generation college students and at-risk students.

Before entering academia, Clark worked in industry and as a consultant in graphics related areas. He went on to teach drafting and computer-aided design technology at Chesapeake College in Wye Mill, Maryland, and eventually became chair of head of the college’s Division of Science and Technology before pursuing his Doctor of Education in technology education at the NC State College of Education. He received his bachelor’s in industrial arts/technology education and master’s in technology from East Tennessee State University.

Clark will succeed Kathy C. Trundle, who left NC State June 6. Lee V. Stiff, associate dean for faculty and academic affairs, will assume responsibility for STEM Education department matters until Clark’s appointment begins Aug. 1.