Gilda Barabino would become the first African American student admitted to Rice University to pursue a Ph.D. in chemical engineering – a daunting and pioneering solo status, one of many firsts for Barabino, that didn’t stop her from following her dream of becoming a biomedical engineer. Gilda Barabino is the Dean of the Grove School of Engineering at The City College of New York (CCNY). She is a noted investigator in the areas of sickle cell disease, cellular and tissue engineering, and race/ethnicity and gender in science and engineering. She consults nationally and internationally on STEM education and research, diversity in higher education, policy, workforce development and faculty development. She is a Past-President of BMES and AIMBE. Dr. Barabino has over a decade of experience in leading NSF initiatives for women and minority faculty and is the founder and Executive Director of the National Institute for Faculty Equity.