Chris Byrne has taught Physics, Math, and Engineering at Cascadia College since 2002. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering, a Masters of Science in Engineering, and a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, all from the University of Washington – Seattle. Her focus for her doctorate at UW’s Human Interface Technology Lab (HITLab) was Virtual Reality (VR) as an educational tool. In addition to teaching, she has worked in Industry and Research, including US West (now Qwest) and Philips Research Labs.
Her focus is on interactive learning, in particular by setting up an educational environment in which students explore more than being told. A crucial aspect of this approach is for people to feel that their voice matters. For Chris, this spills outside of the classroom as well. She is involved in Engineering & Social Justice, and Dismantling Systemic Racism initiatives.