Summer 2025 SSIP Leaders
Jennifer Shepherd, PhD, Interim Dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science
Dr. Shepherd was recently appointed Interim Dean of SEAS, a role she will hold for two years. She is eager to lead the organization of the Summer 2025 SSIP, which will take place from July 6-11. Dr. Shepherd has over 26 years of experience as a STEM faculty member at Gonzaga. She initially joined SEAS as the Interim Chair of Mechanical Engineering during the 2023-2024 academic year, after many years as a Professor and Chair of the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry.
Her formal training is in the area of synthetic organic chemistry and her research focuses on biosynthesis and anaerobic energy metabolism as potential targets for new anti-microbial and anti-parasitic drugs. As Interim Dean of SEAS, Dr. Shepherd is working to establish the Gonzaga Research Opportunities in Math, Engineering, and Computer Science (GRO-MECS) program and to launch a new Center for Materials Research.
Rhonda Young, PhD, Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs & Professor of Civil Engineering
Dr. Young will serve as the SSIP Coordinator for Summer 2025. As Associate Dean in SEAS, she focuses on fostering and coordinating activities and resources to enhance student recruitment, success, and retention.
Dr. Young has been a faculty participant in SSIP over the last two years. She has been in academia since 2002 and joined the Civil Engineering department of Gonzaga in 2015.
Over her career, she has taught a range of undergraduate and graduate courses in Transportation Engineering, as well as introductory engineering courses for freshmen and sophomores. Before her academic career, she spent 10 years working as a transportation consultant. Her research spans areas including transportation planning, safety, and intelligent transportation systems, with a current focus on using Connected Vehicle Technology to improve roadway operations in adverse weather. She is a registered professional engineer in Washington and Wyoming.
