Dr. Jacquelynn (Jackie) Garofano: scientist, mentor, STEMinist Trailblazer

Jacquelynn Garofano, Ph.D., is program manager of the prestigious Margaret Ingels Engineering Development Program at Raytheon Technologies, a two-year, entry-level leadership development program for top engineering talent. In this role, she is committed to cultivating a diverse technical workforce and leading the next generation of engineers who will redefine the future of aerospace and defense.
Research Scientist Dr. Garofano began her career as a research scientist at United Technologies Research Center (UTRC) in 2011. Leveraging her materials engineering expertise, she solved technical challenges, provided failure investigation, and developed innovative technologies for the company’s aerospace and building industries. She has 11 technical publications to her credit, including the Applied Physics Letters, the Journal of Materials Science, the Journal of the American Ceramic Society, and Additive Manufacturing, and holds two U.S. patents.
Trailblazer As a self-proclaimed STEMinist, an active member of SWE, and a first-generation university student, Dr. Garofano is driven to empower and inspire women to pursue careers in engineering by sharing her journey. During her graduate studies, she was appointed education and outreach coordinator for the Center for Research on Interface Structures and Phenomena, a National Science Foundation-funded Materials Research Science and Engineering Center at Southern Connecticut State University, and Yale, broadening her reach in STEM advocacy. Dr. Garofano is also a community leader, past Chair of United Way Women United®, and presently a board director for the Girl Scouts of Connecticut, serving on the diversity, equity and inclusion committee. She is greatly involved in her local community, where she attends career fairs, outreach events to promote STEM literacy, and conferences to speak as an advocate for women in STEM, serving as a role model for the young women in attendance.
Mentor, She has been named one of Connecticut’s Women of Innovation® twice. First, as the recipient of the Collegian Innovation and Leadership Award in 2011 and, most recently, as a finalist in the Large Business Innovation and Leadership category for 2020. She was also named to the 2013 and 2015 40 Under 40 lists by Connecticut Magazine and Hartford Business Journal, respectively, for professional