When Dr. Sandra Boetcher joined Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 2011, she knew student support would be an institutional priority. But in the 14 years since becoming an Eagle, helping students has also become a deep personal passion for Boetcher.

“While I had excellent technical mentorship, I had virtually no mentorship in how to navigate the academic machine,” Boetcher, a professor of Mechanical Engineering on Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach Campus, said of her time in graduate school. “So that drives me to help students. It's almost like giving them a leg up.”

Her efforts have been recognized by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, who awarded Boetcher the E.K. Campbell Award of Merit this spring. The award honors one individual each year who demonstrates outstanding service and achievement in teaching.

“Sandra Boetcher is an outstanding member of the Mechanical Engineering department, in addition to her recognized expertise in the thermal sciences,” Dr. Patrick Currier, chair of Mechanical Engineering, said. “She is leading groundbreaking work on phase change material encapsulation and 3D printing while serving as the advisor for the award-winning Embry-Riddle student ASHRAE chapter.”

Boetcher, whose research interests include solving heat transfer challenges, started Embry-Riddle’s ASHRAE student branch in 2015. The branch has become so successful that it garners society-level attention, with annual visits from the ASHRAE president and ample hands-on learning opportunities for students.

“We have graduate students and undergraduate students participating in conjunction with senior design,” Boetcher noted.

Boetcher is also the co-director of the Thermal Science Laboratory. It is in this lab that graduate student Isabel Melendez has been working with Boetcher, who serves as her advisor, and becoming a successful researcher in her own right.

Melendez first joined the Thermal Science Laboratory as an undergraduate, in 2020. Thanks to Boetcher’s positive influence, she has since completed her M.S. and is now in the second year of her Mechanical Engineering doctorate.

“Dr. Boetcher has made a large impact on my career. Her years of experience and extensive technical background come through in every interaction I have with her. She pushes us to think critically while exposing us to a wide variety of projects and applications,” Melendez said.

She added, “As an advisor, Dr. Boetcher has been extremely involved in my development, introducing me to her own network in order to open doors for professional opportunities… she ensures her students are well-connected and supported beyond the lab.”

Boetcher oversees one of the largest research groups in the Mechanical Engineering Department – an accomplishment she never expected to achieve.

“I never thought I could go to grad school, and somehow, I ended up in grad school,” Boetcher said.

Her trajectory – including recognition as a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers – has influenced her outlook on student success.

“We're always afraid to apply for things. And I just push them to apply to everything,” she said. “I just tell [my students], ‘Go for it. Just try.’ I try to give them permission if they won't give themselves that permission. And then they'll try and they win."

For Melendez, Boetcher’s guidance has led to increased confidence as a researcher and the U.S. Department of Energy’s IBUILD Graduate Research Fellowship, a highly-competitive award that confers full Ph.D. funding.

It has also led to a lifetime of new opportunity.

“One of the things I appreciate most about Dr. Boetcher is how deeply she cares about her students – not just as researchers, but as individuals. She takes the time to truly get to know us, understand our strengths, and identify how to help each of us thrive. That level of personal investment has made a lasting impact on me.”