Xerox Corporation President Ursula M. Burns and Maseeh College graduate
student Lisa S. Diercksen will be inducted into the Denice Dee Denton
Women Engineers Hall of Fame at the Maseeh College of Engineering and
Computer Science at Portland State University (PSU) on Friday, June 12.
The induction ceremony will be held in conjunction with the Maseeh
College's All College Graduation Reception. Accepting the award for Ms.
Burns will be Debra Koehler, Xerox's Director of Sustainability. Ms.
Koehler and Ms. Diercksen will briefly address the members of the
Maseeh College's graduating class. "The Denton award was created to
recognize outstanding women who are shaping the engineering
profession," states Maseeh College Interim Dean Richard I. Knight. "Ms.
Burns and Ms. Diercksen exemplify the success and importance of women
in engineering and serve as important role models for others."
Ursula M. Burns holds a bachelor of science degree in mechanical
engineering from Polytechnic Institute of NYU and a master of science
degree in mechanical engineering from Columbia University. She serves
on professional and community boards, including American Express Corp.,
CASA - the National Center for Addiction and Substance Abuse at
Columbia University, FIRST - For Inspiration and Recognition of Science
and Technology, National Academy Foundation, MIT, the U.S. Olympic
Committee and the University of Rochester. Burns joined Xerox in 1980
as a mechanical engineering summer intern. She held several positions
in engineering with Xerox. From 1992 to 2000, she lead business teams
in the office color and fax business and office network copying
business. In 2000, Burns was named senior vice president, Corporate
Strategic Services, heading up manufacturing and supply chain
operations. In 2002, Burns was named president of Xerox Business Group
Operations. She is also an elected member of the Xerox Board of
Directors. On July 1, Burns will be appointed CEO of Xerox.
Xerox Corporation is the global leader in document management solutions
with $17.6 billion in annual revenues. Under Ms. Burns' watch Xerox has
undergone a technology strategy that has enabled the launch of more
than 80 products in the last three years. She helped the company
through an aggressive, multibillion‐dollar turnaround plan that
significantly strengthened Xerox's competitive position in the
marketplace.
Lisa S. Diercksen holds a bachelor of science degree in civil
engineering from Iowa State University and is currently enrolled in the
master of science in civil engineering degree program at PSU. Ms.
Diercksen is a graduate research assistant in the Intelligent
Transportation Systems Laboratory at PSU. She has completed internships
with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Kimley‐Horn and
Associates, Inc (Phoenix, AZ), and TranSystems Corporation (Kansas
City, MO). Ms. Diercksen is a member of the Chi Epsilon, a civil
engineering honor society, and has served as president and
vice‐president of Students in Transportation Engineering and Planning
(STEP). In 2008, Ms. Diercksen presented at the Intelligent
Transportation Systems World Congress (ITSWC) held in New York.
Portland State University recognizes the contributions of prominent
women in technology and engineering by establishing the Denice Dee
Denton Women Engineers Hall of Fame. After earning her doctorate at the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Denice Dee Denton excelled as a
faculty member, a dean of engineering, and a chancellor for a major
public institution with exceptional skill and wisdom. Her lifetime of
accomplishments and accolades serves as inspirations for fellow women
engineers and technologists. The Denice Dee Denton Women Engineers Hall
of Fame honors in perpetuity those who have similarly made significant
impact on our lives through their dedication to the engineering
profession. The Hall of Fame annually honors one outstanding female
engineer and one outstanding Maseeh College female engineering student.
Past inductees include U.S. Navy Commander and Astronaut Sunita Williams and student Diana Laboy‐Rush.
The Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science at Portland
State University is located at 1930 SW Fourth Avenue in Portland,
Oregon. Media inquiries should be directed to Debbie Hutchins, Director
of External Relations for the Maseeh College, at (503) 725‐8135 or
debbie@cecs.pdx.edu.
