Tonawanda Native Monica Young Receives Top Clarkson University Award for Young Alumni

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Left to right: Clarkson University President Tony Collins, Young, and Associate Vice President for Alumni Relations Steve Newkofsky.

POTSDAM, NY (08/03/2010)(readMedia)-- Monica J. Young, a 1996 graduate of Mount Saint Mary Academy in Kenmore, N.Y., and the daughter of Robert and Carla Young of Tonawanda, N.Y., has received the Woodstock Award from her alma mater, Clarkson University.

Given each year during Reunion Weekend, the Woodstock Award honors young alumni who have demonstrated outstanding loyalty and service to Clarkson and the Alumni Association and who have used their Clarkson experience to make a notable contribution to their careers.

Young is the project director for the NSF IMPPACT (Investigating the Meaningfulness of Preservice Programs Across the Continuum of Teaching) in Science Education project at Syracuse University and now resides in La Fayette, N.Y,

Young received her bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from Clarkson in 2000. In 2004, she received a master of science degree in mechanical engineering from Syracuse University, followed by a master of science degree in science teaching, 7-12 physics, in 2000. She is now working on her Ph.D. in science education.

As project director of IMPPACT, Young guides the efforts of seven graduate researchers located at Syracuse University, the University of Iowa and North Carolina State University, managing the daily operations of the project at all three sites. She coordinates annual summer meetings for all researchers as well as winter training meetings for graduate researchers. She also prepares all reports, presentations and posters for the annual NSF funding meeting as well as other conferences.

Young has taught at the college level at Le Moyne College and Syracuse University. Her K-12 teaching experience includes teaching for the Syracuse City School District.

Prior to teaching, she worked for the Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, as an Air Vehicles Control Science Division research student, focusing on flow control techniques for on-going experimental research. She also was an assistant engineer at C&S Engineers in Syracuse, N.Y., and the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, in Portsmouth, N.H., where she was advanced SEAL delivery system mechanical engineer, revising and reviewing planned maintenance, technical manuals and drawings for propulsion, maneuvering and environmental control systems.

She is the author of several publications, numerous conference papers and posters and has been invited to lecture and hold workshops at professional meetings and universities.

Young is the recipient of numerous awards and grants. Among others, she received the 2009 Syracuse University Research and Creative Grant Award and the 2009 3rd Conference on Understanding Interventions Travel Award. She was an associate for the 2008-2010 Syracuse Women in Science & Engineering-Future Professoriate Program and the 2008 nominee for the Syracuse University Women of Distinction Award. Since 2007, she is on the board of directors of the Technology Alliance of Central New York and a Syracuse University Teaching Fellow.

She has been co-chair of the Student Services Committee of the Clarkson Alumni Council since 2000.

Clarkson University launches leaders into the global economy. One in six alumni already leads as a CEO, VP or equivalent senior executive of a company. Located just outside the Adirondack Park in Potsdam, N.Y., Clarkson is a nationally recognized research university for undergraduates with select graduate programs in signature areas of academic excellence directed toward the world's pressing issues. Through 50 rigorous programs of study in engineering, business, arts, sciences and health sciences, the entire learning-living community spans boundaries across disciplines, nations and cultures to build powers of observation, challenge the status quo, and connect discovery and engineering innovation with enterprise.

[A photograph for media use is available at http://www.clarkson.edu/news/photos/young.jpg .]

Photo caption: Monica J. Young of La Fayette, N.Y., project director for the NSF IMPPACT Project at Syracuse University, has received the Woodstock Award from her alma mater, Clarkson University. Left to right: Clarkson University President Tony Collins, Young, and Associate Vice President for Alumni Relations Steve Newkofsky.