Wonder Woman of the Week: Shaundra Daily

Dr. Shaundra B. Daily is a distinguished educator and researcher in the fields of electrical and computer engineering, renowned for her pioneering work in promoting equity and inclusion within STEM education. Currently serving as the Cue Family Professor of the Practice in Electrical and Computer Engineering and Computer Science at Duke University, she is also the Faculty Director of the Duke Technology Scholars Program and a core faculty member in Innovation & Entrepreneurship. Dr. Daily's academic journey began with a B.S. in Engineering from Florida State University in 2001, followed by an M.S. from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University in 2003. She then earned an S.M. (2005) and Ph.D. (2010) from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab, where she collaborated with renowned scholars such as Seymour Papert and Marvin Minsky.

Throughout her career, Dr. Daily has focused on analyzing and designing sociotechnical systems to support meaningful participation and success in STEM fields. Her research encompasses understanding sociotechnical ecosystems, employing participatory approaches, designing technologies for social impact, and building supportive infrastructure through programs and curricula. In 2020, Dr. Daily co-founded the Cultural Competence in Computing (3C) Fellows program with Dr. Nicki Washington and graduate student Cecilé Sadler. This program aims to educate faculty, staff, and students about identity, oppression, and intersectionality in academic computing environments. Building upon this initiative, they launched the Alliance for Identity-Inclusive Computing Education (AiiCE) in 2021, supported by a $10 million National Science Foundation INCLUDES grant. AiiCE has impacted over 1,000 educators and nearly 10,000 undergraduate students, promoting systemic change in computing education.

Dr. Daily's contributions have been widely recognized. In 2023, she received the ACM Karl V. Karlstrom Outstanding Educator Award alongside Dr. Washington for their efforts to make computing education more equitable . She has also been honored with the Educator of the Year award from ACHI Magazine in 2022 and the Capers and Marion McDonald Award for Excellence in Mentoring and Advising from Duke University's Pratt School of Engineering in 2021. Dr. Daily's work continues to inspire and drive change in STEM education, fostering environments where all individuals, regardless of background, can thrive and contribute to the advancement of technology and society.