Ellen Wang Althaus
Assistant Dean for Strategic DEI Initiatives at The Grainger College of Engineering
Ellen Wang Althaus, PhD is the Assistant Dean for Strategic DEI Initiatives at The Grainger College of Engineering. She is a collaborative and innovative leader forging new initiatives and building alliances to foster diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. In her current role, she is responsible for executing a college-wide strategy that infuses DEI throughout the college. She collaborates with campus, college, and departmental leaders to identify needs and priorities; develop and implement evidenced-based strategies; and monitor and evaluate progress toward DEI. Ellen also serves on campus leadership team and cross-institutional steering committee for Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA) Advancing Women in STEM initiative.
Prior to joining Grainger Engineering, she launched and developed new initiatives in inaugural roles at the Sloan University Center of Exemplary Mentoring (UCEM) and in the Chemistry department to recruit, mentor, and graduate women and underrepresented racial/ethnic minority PhD students. She holds degrees in chemistry from Carleton College (B.A.), and Northwestern University (M.S and Ph.D.).