Ashleigh Wright
Associate Director at the Institute for Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access
Ashleigh R. Wright, PhD is the Associate Director at the Institute for Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) and Assistant Teaching Professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. She is responsible for collaborating with college and departmental leaders and stakeholders to identify needs and priorities, developing and implementing evidence-based strategies, and measuring progress and effectiveness quantitatively against key metrics that promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and access to the undergraduate and graduate student communities. She also conducts research that analyzes trends, driving factors, barriers, and best practices to educate others and support organizational improvement. Ashleigh is a member of the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE) and serves as the faculty advisor of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign NOBCChE Student Chapter.
Prior to joining the University, Ashleigh managed and directed many training and pathway programs that support students from underrepresented backgrounds in STEM, and facilitated workshops that enhance the academic, personal, and professional development of students at North Carolina State University and Louisiana State University. She holds degrees in chemistry from Wofford College (B.S.), North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (M.S.), and Louisiana State University (Ph.D.).