Karen Latrise Butler-Purry

Texas A&M University | College Station, TX | 2023

Karen Latrise Butler-Purry Portrait Photo

I am honored to receive the Presidential Award. This award validates the dedication of the amazing teachers, professors, administrators, and colleagues who mentored me through my life's journey, as well as the mentees to whom I have tried to provide the same level of support and guidance. My goal has been to create a thriving community for mentees where they feel a sense of belonging and can engage in professional and academic development to shape their identities as engineers and scientists.

The official biography below was current at the time of the award. Awardees may choose to provide their latest biographical information on their profile page.

Karen Butler-Purry, currently a professor of electrical and computer engineering, has been a faculty member at Texas A&M University (TAMU)-College Station since 1994. She has also held administrative positions such as Associate Provost and Dean of the Graduate and Professional School and Assistant Dean in the College of Engineering. In partnership with faculty, staff, and administrators at TAMU and other Texas A&M University System (TAMUS) institutions, Karen has mentored or led the mentorship of hundreds of undergraduate and graduate students from groups historically underrepresented in STEM disciplines. She has accomplished this through several National Science Foundation-funded programs, such as the Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Program and the Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate Program, which have addressed complex diversity challenges such as social climates and cultural practices in STEM, academic and social integration of students, and student academic self-efficacy. In the TAMUS LSAMP Bridge to Doctorate (BD) program, a cohort of 12 STEM graduate students are supported with a stipend, integrated multi-party mentoring, and a set of activities designed to develop the skills needed to succeed in a Ph.D. program. Of the 157 fellows supported since 2003, 82 have completed master’s degrees and 68 have completed Ph.D. degrees. The successful practices are being adapted to support a new cohort of BD fellows who will begin master’s studies in the fall of 2024 at Prairie View A&M University. Karen has earned three degrees in electrical engineering: a B.S., summa cum laude, from Southern University-Baton Rouge, an M.S. from the University of Texas-Austin, and a Ph.D. from Howard University.