Carpenter has been the founding dean of Campbell Engineering since July 1, 2015. Previously, she was the Wayne and Juanita Spinks Endowed Professor, associate dean for undergraduate studies, and director of the Office for Women in Science and Engineering at Louisiana Tech University’s College of Engineering and Science. A Corsicana, Texas, native, Carpenter earned her bachelor’s in mathematics from Louisiana Tech and her master’s and Ph.D. in mathematics from Louisiana State University, where she was an Alumni Federation Fellow. She joined the Louisiana Tech faculty in 1989 as an assistant professor and quickly rose to hold critical leadership positions. For 10 years, she was a director in the College of Engineering and Science, which involved serving as department chair for the college’s engineering programs and guiding them through successful re-accreditation. She later led the formulation and implementation of the college’s strategic plan during her five-year tenure as associate dean for administration and strategic initiatives. As the associate dean of undergraduate studies, Carpenter recruited prospective students to the college’s eight engineering, four science and two engineering technology undergraduate degree programs. She also had broad oversight for the undergraduate curriculum, policies and program across all 14 programs.

integrated STEM curricula, Improving the number and success of women in engineering