ABOUT

BIOGRAPHY

Alex Prybutok’s passion for engineering biology, improving engineering education spaces, and teaching has guided her work throughout her academic career. Given her long-term passion for teaching, she began assisting teachers by volunteering at science summer camps in 2006, contributing over 500 hours of volunteer service from 2006-2011. Subsequently, she became a Camp Counselor each summer from 2012-2019, developing and teaching camps for elementary and middle school students. In 2016, she earned bachelor’s degrees in both Chemical Engineering and Biochemistry at the University of Texas at Austin, where she conducted experimental research in antibody engineering, and survey and analysis-based research in student engineering identity formation. After graduating, she joined the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at Northwestern University, where in 2022 she earned her doctorate in Chemical Engineering working on projects in both computational biology and engineering education through research and service. Specifically, her thesis focused on developing agent-based models of cell-based therapies in solid tumors and integrating social justice and anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion (ARDEI) context into chemical engineering courses.

While at Northwestern, Alex participated in an array of teaching-focused activities, such as leading both department- and college-level Teaching Committees, co-instructing an undergraduate course, and completing and later mentoring participants in the Teaching Certificate Program at the Searle Center for Advancing Learning and Teaching. Additionally, she was a co-founding member of the ChBE ARDEI Committee, where she collaborated on a variety of initiatives with undergraduate and graduate students, post-docs, staff, and faculty. Alex has since brought her passion for engineering education, teaching, and ARDEI to the Department of Chemical Engineering at University of Washington, where her focus is teaching undergraduate courses, advising and supporting students, updating and managing the Unit Operations Laboratory, and continuing to enhance equity in engineering education. While at UW, she has continued her passion for outreach by serving as the Women in Chemical Engineering (WChE) faculty advisor and serving on the Board of Directors of STEM Pals. Her service and engineering education research is often focused on creating resources for faculty to make their teaching more equitable, accessible, and focused on integrating social justice concepts into engineering curriculum. For access to these resources, please the Resources page of this website.

SELECTED AWARDS AND HONORS (underlined honors hyperlink to a press release)

• 2026 Joseph J. Martin Award, Chemical Engineering Division, 132nd ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, American Society for Engineering Education (2025 awarded, 2026 received)

• HUB Registered Student Organization (RSO) Advisor of the Year Award (nominated by WChE officers and selected), University of Washington

• 2025 Joseph J. Martin Award, Chemical Engineering Division, 131st ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, American Society for Engineering Education (2024 awarded, 2025 received) (additional press linked here)

• 2024 Professional Interest Council (PIC) I Best Paper Award, 131st ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, American Society for Engineering Education (2024)

• Faculty Appreciation for Career Education and Training (FACET) Award (nominated by student and selected), Career Center @ Engineering, University of Washington (2024)

• 2023 Best DEI Paper Award, 130th ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, American Society for Engineering Education (2023)

• Distinguished Graduate Service Award, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University (2022)

• National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (2016)

ORGANIZATIONS & AFFILIATIONS

• Faculty Co-Advisor, Women in Chemical Engineering, University of Washington (2023-Present)

• Board of Directors, STEM Pals, University of Washington (2023-Present)

• Member, American Society for Engineering Education (2016-Present)

• Member, Tau Beta Pi, Interdisciplinary Engineering Honor Society (2016-Present)

• Member, American Institute of Chemical Engineers (2012-Present)