Naomi Barkley Edwards | Whitworth Today Magazine

Naomi (Barkley) Edwards (above, second from left) is shaping the future of STEM education as a senior education experience engineer with PTC, a leading software company. Her inspiring work has earned recognition from Washington STEM, which recently named Edwards a Notable Woman in STEM.

After 15 years of teaching high school math, computer science and robotics in Kettle Falls, Wash., Edwards moved into education product management with a mission to expand students' access to engineering and product design tools. She's currently focused on Onshape, a cloud-based computer-aided design (CAD) program that guides students through creating their own product and 3D printing it. "Kids from all backgrounds can get a free license and start designing," Edwards says.

Having grown up in a rural community, Edwards says she never imagined the career she has today. She majored in music at Whitworth until she took a computer science course. Former professor Howard Gage soon encouraged her to pursue the field. "He sat down one day and said, 'You're actually pretty good at this.' That one conversation gave me the backbone to get into it and stick with it," she says.

Today, Edwards is passionate about mentoring, particularly for women in STEM. She mentors the robotics team at Kettle Falls High School and advocates for diversity in the field. "It's so incredibly important to bring different points of view into design and engineering," she says.

Through her dedication to fostering an inclusive and innovative environment for students, Edwards is empowering the next generation of engineers to create the changes they want to see in the world.

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