SWE is honored to share a profile of a SWE Member who belongs to the Seminole and Choctaw indigenous communities.
Name: Dr. Maru Colbert
SWE Experience (Membership type, leadership experience, etc): Member for 15+ years, SWE Advisor/Mentor, K12, Policy and Affinity programs, former Faculty Mentor/Liaison.
Affiliated Tribe/ Indigenous Community: [Father] Seminole and Choctaw
Engineering/Technical Experience: Chemical and Environmental (sustainable processes and materials)
Biographical Statement: As a Native and African American her engineering interests have a beneficent and socially responsible impetus. Over the years her teaching and research interests spanned atmospheric chemistry, phytoremediation, micro-and small-scale processes, MEMS, and reactionware.
Working on two landmark or “firsts” in engineering and on national and international projects has been rewarding for her. Two teaching awards later, she has founded an online STEM education and service platform. As an engineer and artist she states, “Technology (green engineering), social justice and humanitarian imperatives drive my work and being”.
Dr. Maru Colbert is active within her community by attending activities, including powwows; supporting students to attend AISES and donating handmade items to Native American fundraisers.
