Dr. Ulrich serves as the Associate Dean, Outreach, for the Faculty of Engineering. Her innate focus and compassion are improving the undergraduate and graduate engineering experience so that the field is more welcoming and inclusive for students of all backgrounds. With the help of her team, Dr. Ulrich has improved student diversity and has increased the retention of minority students in engineering. Select milestones to accomplishing this success are highlighted below. ​

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• 50% of all faculty hires in 2019 have been female; this is the first time in the faculty's history.

 

• Ensured the inclusivity of marginalized groups by reviewing and revamping scholarship processes.

 

• Identified and connected with key stakeholders (teachers, counsellors, and parents) who are champions for young students to assist with debunking engineering stereotypes and myths.

 

• Collaborated with various Indigenous contacts and the Alberta government to improve Indigenous high school students' pathways to enter university and STEM careers. The I-STEAM pathways program is in its first year!

 

• A champion for the Diversity in Engineering (DivE) student group. Together, faculty and student leadership, identify and address gaps in policies, programs, and events on the undergraduate level, and conduct culture surveys to gather trends on diversity, inclusivity, and equity initiatives. The group was founded in 2016 and today still acts as a support network for minorities in Engineering. 

 

• Ania Ulrich received the APEGA Women in Engineering and Geoscience Champion Award, 2020, for promoting diversity and gender equality in engineering. The APEGA Summit Awards honour leading individuals and projects in professional engineering and geoscience to build healthier communities across Alberta.

 

• Ania Ulrich and the team is developing an "Engineering with Decency" program which focuses on engineering projects, related to affordable housing, giving back to community members in need. The program will help teach engineering students emotional intelligence, creativity and self-efficacy. Combining ancient wisdom backed by modern research, Ania is teaching an introduction to meditation course within the engineering faculty to help students and professors manage their stress. Dr. Ulrich holds awards in research with an Alberta Ingenuity New Faculty Award and teaching with a Faculty of Engineering Undergraduate Teaching Award. 

 

• Furthermore, Ania is improving Engg 100, an introductory course to the Faculty of Engineering and the engineering profession, designed for first-year engineering students. An example is her introduction of student-to-student presentations, where current or recent undergraduate students share personal anecdotes of failure, success, and resilience. Ulrich and her team are inspiring Engg 100 students with diverse and visible examples of non-traditional undergraduate journeys.

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Ania strongly believes that everyone matters and is passionate about giving a voice to underrepresented groups. Ania facilitated the establishment of; the Female Engineering Mentorship (FEM) program for high school students, the male allyship group within the Faculty of Engineering, and the I-STEAMS pathway program, which encourages Indigenous youth through summer research placements to explore careers in environmental engineering, sciences, and law. Her work is showcased in her 2018 TEDx talk and has been recognized by the City of Edmonton in 2019 when she received the Women's Initiative Leadership Award.