IEEE Fellow Karen Panetta, winner of the 2026 IEEE Mildred Dresselhaus Medal, has built a career on identifying practical problems and engineering solutions—from underwater search-and-rescue imaging to low-cost pathogen detection. Now she is turning her attention to a global challenge: ensuring that AI literacy and STEM education keep pace with the rapid deployment of artificial intelligence across every sector.
Award and Career
Panetta, a professor and researcher, was awarded the IEEE Mildred Dresselhaus Medal for her "contributions to computer vision and simulation algorithms, and leadership in developing programs to promote STEM careers." Her work has ranged from developing underwater imaging systems for search-and-rescue to wildlife monitoring and low-cost methods for detecting harmful pathogens like E.coli without a microscope or culturing.
Real-World Problem Solving
In an interview, Panetta explained that her projects emerge from observing societal issues. "I am constantly motivated by social issues and the technical challenges I see in the media," she said. Disasters at sea led her to develop better underwater vision; loss of life among first responders motivated imaging techniques to see through smoke and darkness; recent food-borne illness outbreaks inspired her low-cost pathogen detection method.
Her most recognized work includes creating quantitative metrics that allow autonomous systems to judge image quality similarly to human perception. She noted challenges in segmenting baby chimpanzees from their mothers in wildlife imagery, emphasizing the goal of using images rather than direct human-animal interactions to gather health data.
AI Literacy and STEM Access
Panetta is a prominent voice on AI literacy and STEM education. She argues that as virtually every sector rushes to deploy AI, public understanding of the technology has failed to keep pace, and risks could soon emerge. In the interview, she stated that "access to education across different cultures and languages needs to be improved"—a key concern for global workforce development.
| Area of Work | Problem Solved | Innovation Applied |
|---|---|---|
| Underwater imaging | Search-and-rescue | Better vision in murky water |
| Wildlife monitoring | Non-invasive health assessment | Computer vision for animal segmentation |
| Pathogen detection | Food-borne illness prevention | Low-cost method without microscope |
Implications for Professional Audiences
For trade executives and logistics professionals, Panetta's emphasis on AI literacy and STEM education carries direct relevance. As AI tools become integral to supply chain optimization, customs processing, and trade compliance, a workforce that understands AI's capabilities and limitations is essential. Panetta's own career demonstrates that the most impactful technological advances come from identifying concrete problems rather than pursuing technology for its own sake. The challenge she identifies—ensuring education is accessible across cultures and languages—mirrors the diversity of global trade corridors, where multilingual and multicultural teams must adopt new technologies.
What to watch: Panetta continues to advocate for expanded STEM programs. Her work on low-cost detection methods and computer vision metrics may see further commercialization or adoption in trade-related monitoring and inspection applications.
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