Kate Youmans is currently pursuing her PhD in Engineering Education at Utah State University. Mrs. Youmans holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and a M.Ed. in Science Education from Boston University. As a researcher, Mrs. Youmans brings a broad perspective, drawing from her experiences in the medical device industry, engineering outreach at MIT, and K-12 STEM Administration where she designed and developed makerspaces. Throughout her career she has committed to breaking down barriers and fostering diversity and inclusion within engineering fields. Her current research explores the role of empathy in the development of faculty-student relationships as a way to support diverse student populations.