Dr. Colleen Conklin
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Gaetz Aerospace Institute Executive Director
ERAU
Dr. Colleen Conklin is an Associate Professor of Aeronautical Science as well as Executive Director of the Gaetz Aerospace Institute at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. As Executive Director of the Institute, Dr. Conklin is responsible for the overall management and administration of programming. Since 2004 and one school district this program has grown to almost 45 school districts, serving students in over 150 high schools, with over 121 of them offering dual enrollment and SMART@ER (Space, Manufacturing, Aviation, Robotics, Technology @ Embry-Riddle) course work. Reaching close to 50,000 students, including 20,000+ dual enrolled students and trained over 1,000 teachers. The Institute provides rigorous aerospace-based STEM-related courses that prepare secondary students for college and careers in emerging industries such as Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Robotics, Global Navigation Systems and Commercial Space Operations.
Dr. Conklin has over 30 years in public education as a classroom teacher from the inner-city streets of Washington Heights and the South Bronx in New York to the rural fields of Bunnell, Florida. She holds a doctoral degree in Organizational Leadership with a minor in Brain-Based Leading. Outside of her role at Embry-Riddle she is the Vice Chair of the Flagler County School Board where she was first elected in 2000 to today and continues to serve the children and citizens of Flagler County.