When asked why she joined the UMass iCons Program, Kathryne (Kitty) Lovell ‘23 said, “I joined iCons because I wanted to find a group of people who are interested in making the world a better place within their field of STEM.” Through her senior thesis work, Kitty is working towards this goal and helping to make the world of STEM education a more inviting and inclusive atmosphere.
Kitty is a Civil & Environmental Engineering student on the Renewable Energy track of iCons who is graduating in May 2023. Collaborating with fellow iCons student, Brady Bell, Kitty is working to build a stronger and more inclusive community in academic engineering settings. She has been holding events for UMass Engineering students to create a final portfolio project.
Their project has included events such as a non-hierarchical hike, a celebration of Hispanic heritage month, and a College of Engineering formal event. The Bell-Lovell research team also conducted a survey to be used as a baseline for future work. Kitty’s project will culminate with a website that contains a list of events, how they were organized, and reflections on why community is needed in engineering and how their research helps build community.
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