BIO
Rachel Burcin is Global Programs Manager and Co-Director of the Robotics Scholars Program at Carnegie Mellon’s Robotics Institute. Her work focuses on growing and diversifying the robotics workforce. Through inclusive education design, assessment, and engagement with policymakers, she creates symbiotic partnerships and funded educational initiatives that expand organizational impact and ultimately broaden participation in robotics. She is investigating approaches to scale and sustain efforts to create systems-level change. Rachel holds a Master of Public Management from Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College of Public Policy & Management and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh in economics (including study abroad and work experience in Slovakia). She has lived, worked, and/or taught on four continents. She completed additional graduate-level coursework in education policy and holds certificates in civic leadership, online learning, educational leadership, and water management & policy. In addition, Rachel has served as an advisor for multiple Carnegie Mellon spinoffs (including two working on autonomy and one in sustainable development), a Boston-based technology incubator, and multiple education organizations.