Betsy Smith

Betsy Smith’s love of math and her desire to understand how various machines work are what drew her to engineering.

“The ability to describe and model many types of systems and use this modeling to improve understanding and design for improved efficiency or quality — especially when related to human safety and well-being — motivates me,” Smith says. “I’m also a musician, and learning how math describes the vibration of strings in a senior-level engineering class captured my interest in dynamics.”

Smith comes to the School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy, part of the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University, as a new assistant teaching professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering. She says she decided to join the Fulton Schools because of the passion for outstanding engineering education she sees in faculty members, leadership and students alike.

Before her new faculty position, Smith worked as a mechanical engineer in aircraft carrier main propulsion at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Washington, then completed her doctoral degree studies at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

In her new role, she looks forward to creating a sense of community for her students and ensuring they feel valued while learning in the largest engineering school in the country. Smith will teach MAE 201 Mechanics of Particles and Rigid Bodies I: Statics, MAE 214 Computer-Aided Engineering I, MAE 400 Engineering Profession and MEE 488 Mechanical Engineering Design I.

She says her students should expect to work hard and keep a sense of curiosity as they progress through her classes.

“I want them to think about how what they are learning connects to real-world applications, and I welcome questions as they think about how to harness the power of what they learn in class to achieve their future goals,” Smith says. “They should be prepared for me to want to know them personally and champion their success.”

In addition to numerous presentation and student paper awards, she received a 2022 MechSE Teaching Fellowship and a 2018–19 Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering Distinguished Fellowship from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

When not working, Smith enjoys playing the cello and other musical instruments, sailing, hiking and backpacking.

Meet the newest faculty members of the Fulton Schools of Engineering here.

Written by TJ Triolo