Cindy Veenstra, Ph.D.  has been principal consultant of Veenstra and Associates and  has led its efforts on innovative research and consulting on improving STEM education. 

One of Dr. Veenstra's  guiding principles has been  the merging of Continuous Improvement concepts including Six Sigma methodology with STEM Education research; this leads to a more comprehensive approach for a university's strategic plan for student success and a student-focused culture.  

 

Advancing the STEM Agenda Book Provides Insight for Improving STEM Education.

Dr. Veenstra co-chaired the  ASQ Advancing the STEM Agenda Conferences.  The book Advancing the STEM Agenda: Quality Improvement Supports STEM describes best practices on improving K-16 STEM education presented at the first Advancing the STEM Agenda Conference.  Dr. Veenstra was honored to the lead editor for this book.

Advancing the STEM Agenda is a collection of peer reviewed articles written by practitioners who attended the ASQ Education Division STEM conference. I found the content to be current, relevant and germane to my research on STEM careers. I used the content to refer to while researching for my doctor in education degree and it reminded me of conversations that I had with many of the authors at the conferences. 
--Dr. Fawcett-Adams, 10-18-2014

  Academic Achievements

  • Ph.D. in Industrial and Operations Engineering, University of Michigan with advisor Prof. Gary Herrin ; Masters in Industrial Engineering, University of Michigan; and Masters in Math/Statistics, The Ohio State University with advisor Prof. R. Whitney. She earned her PhD in 2008.

  • Ph.D. research focused on engineering education research with emphasis on improving freshman engineering education and development of the Veenstra innovative Model for engineering student retention, a key measure of qualtiy. Her research was featured in her department's newsletter.

  • Research Fellow at the University of Michigan's Center for the Study of Higher and Post-Secondary Education, 2013.

  • Published over 30 papers on improving STEM student success and engineering education. Over 800 citations from published articles.

  • Lead editor of Advancing the STEM Agenda: Quality Improvement Supports STEM (2012), published by ASQ Quality Press.

Teaching and Training Experience

  • Past member of Eastern Michigan University's faculty, teaching quality and reliability engineering courses

  • Professional Development Workshops on quality engineering/systems and statistical thinking

  • ASQ section-supported certification refresher coursed and workshops.

Industrial Experience

  • Engineering Statistician, Quality Engineer at General Motors Proving Grounds and Technical Center

  • Quality Project Manager, QA Section Manager and Process/Statistical Engineer at Motorola Inc.

Honors and Professional Credentials

  • Elected Fellow of ASQ

  • Awarded the 2012 ASQ Golden Quill Award for Advancing the STEM Agenda: Quality Improvement Supports STEM

  • Awarded the ASQ Ann Arbor Section's Bajaria Medal for leadership of the Ann Arbor section.

  • 2010-2012 - chair of ASQ's Education Division , also served as K-12 and Higher Education chairs and chair-elect.

  • Past chair of Ann Arbor and Phoenix Sections, also served as membership chair, treasurer, K-12 outreach chair, and mentored potential Fellows. Initiated an excellence recognition award for teachers. Section received the Section Top Achiever Award during Cindy's tenure as chair.

  • Past Affiliated Researcher for Purdue University's MIDFIELD engineering education research project.

  • Invited and presented at the the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching's Convening on continuous improvement in education, May 2013.

  • Conference Co-chair and program chair of the ASQ Advancing the STEM Agenda Conferences; The 2013 Conference had a theme of Collaboration with Industry on STEM Education.

  • Past Board Member of ASEE's College-Industry Partnerships Division.

  • Presented research at the prestigious IUPUI Assessment Institute Conference, ASEE Conferences, and the ASQ World Conferences for Quality and Improvement.

  • Chair for the 2011 and 2012 ASEE Isadore T. Davis Award for Excellence in Collaboration between Engineering Education and Industry Committee

  • Held three ASQ Certifications, Certified Quality Engineer, Certified Quality Auditor and Certified Reliability Engineer.

  • Member of ASQ Education Division’s STEM Network 2018-2022. STEM advisor and member of the ASQ Automotive Division leadership Council, 2023-2024.

  • Member of the ASQ Shainin Medal Comittee, 2023-2024

    Journals- Participation on Editorial Boards

  • Founding member of editorial board and Associate Editor for ASQ’s Education Division’s Quality Approaches in Higher Education(QAHE), 2009-2015. Click on the hpperlink and look for Links on right side to view journal issues.

  • Special issue editor of the May 2013 edition of Quality Approaches in Higher Education on STEM education.

  • Chair of QAHE Advisory Board, 2012 -2013 and Chair of search committee for editor.

  • Editor recognition for efforts to develop the special issue of The Journal for Quality and Participation on quality in education, April 2009. This issue led to the publication of the ASQ Education Division’s peer-reviewed Quality Approaches in Higher Education journal and the Education Division’s sponsotrship of their peer-reviewed journal.

  • Reviewer for the Journal of Engineering Education, 2010-2017.

  • Published papers in the Journal of Higher Education, Journal of Engineering Education, Advances in Engineering Education, Annals for Research in Engineering Education, The Journal for Quality and Participation, and Quality Progress. Some articles are listed on Researchgate.