Dr. Michelle Pantoya received her PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Davis in 1999 and is now the J. W. Wright Regents Endowed Chair Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Texas Tech University. Dr. Pantoya founded the energetic materials combustion lab in 2000 with the main research focus on studying the combustion of solid fuels and energetic composites. She received U.S. Presidential recognition (PECASE Award, 2004) for her work on the development of nano-energetics that show potential for enhancing energy release rates and maintains an externally funded lab supporting up to 10 graduate and undergraduate researchers. In 2010 she co-authored a children's book, Engineering Elephants, that introduces young children to the engineering profession and has since co-authored many other stories that also explain the engineering design process to young readers, including Pride by Design (Engineering Athletics at Texas Tech) and Engineering Space: Tales from an Engineering Astronaut. Her latest release: Designing Dandelions, is the first in a middle reader series entitled Engineering Everything that is published by the Texas Tech University Press. Dr. Pantoya has partnered with Dr. Aguirre-Munoz in the college of education in an NSF funded program to study the impact of children's engineering literacy on their engagement and understanding of STEM concepts. Her work on STEM education is focused on elementary students (Pre-K – 5^th grade) and Dr. Pantoya is certified as an Engineering is Elementary teacher educator.