Meet the Franklin Council
Dr. Ross Bassett is the beloved director of the Benjamin Franklin Program. Dr. Bassett is a history professor at NC State but received a B.S. in electrical engineering from University of Pennslyvania. He has written
a couple of books and is currently studying the relations of United States and French engineering education. You can learn more about him here: https://chass.ncsu.edu/people/ross-2/
If you have any questions about the program, his email is ross@ncsu.edu
Michael is always looking to expand his horizons, whether its designing devices, attending conferences, reading legal theory, or performing on stage. He loves the Franklins because it provides a great community that helps you realize how many paths are available to you and how to apply your degrees beyond their discipline. When he’s not with the Franklins, you can find Michael with other on-campus communities such as Engineer’s Council, Catholic Campus Ministries, and Scholars Council. He also enjoys watching the Classic Doctor Who series from the 1960s.
Michael Clark is a senior studying Biomedical Engineering and Philosophy. Feel free to reach him by email at msclark4@ncsu.edu.
Part of the reason she came to NC State was because of the Franklins. She values a well-rounded education and every Franklin would say the same. When not with the Franklins, Gabriella spends her time at Arabic club and the Computer Science Ambassadors. You can usually find her studying at Hunt library or goofing off with her friends on the 5th floor of Talley.
Gabriella is a junior studying Computer Science and Arabic, you can email her at gsmichel@ncsu.edu!
Brooke has served as the Secretary Treasure for the Council for the past year. She loves the Franklins because it provides a community that always makes Brooke feel at home. We are all so different, but come together with a common love for exchanging knowledge between all disciplines. She spends her time studying in the library or perfecting her homemade oat milk lattes.
Brooke Turner is a sophomore studying Aerospace Engineering and Political Science. Feel free to reach her by email at lbturne4@ncsu.edu.
Jake is serving as the Academic Chair after being a First-Year Representative! He loves the sense of community of like-minded peers that the Franklins provides. He knew he wanted to supplement his engineering education with another field entering college, but the camaraderie built through this program has helped him power through the increased workload. When he graduates, he wants to contribute to Artemis, NASA’s mission to establish a long-term presence on the Moon.
Jacob Garner is a sophomore studying Aerospace Engineering and Science, Technology, and Society, you can reach him at jhgarne2@ncsu.edu.
Grace is serving as the service chair for this year! She loves the Franklins because she has met many amazing people who share similar goals and aspiration as her. In her spare time, you can find her walking around campus with her friends, studying in the library, and eating chicken parm with angel hair pasta (her favorite food).
Grace is a freshman studying Industrial and Systems Engineering and French, you can reach her at gmjaeger@ncsu.edu.
Carrie is serving as our Social chair after serving as a First-Year Represenative for the past year. She loves being a Franklin because each one of us has unique interests and hobbies that we want to share with others. As double majors, we are a driven, hardworking group, but we also know how to have fun and explore our passions. She isalways learning about Franklins’ interests in camping, tree identification, science fiction, sourdough bread baking, and other fields! Carrie has a goal of travelling to all 50 states in her lifetime (and staying overnight), and so far she has been to 38! North Carolina is in her top 3.
Carrie is a sophomore studying Mechanical Engineering and Science, Technology, and Society, you can reach her at cehorrel@ncsu.edu.
Greta Perez served as a First-Year Represenative last year and is now serving as the Outreach Chair! Being part of the Franklins have given her many invaluable friendships and experiences. Because every person involved with the program has an interdisciplinary mindset, it’s easier to connect with them and discuss ideas in-depth in a way that’s not possible with other people. Also, there are always a variety of events going on from research discussions to movie nights, so everyone has a space they belong to. Greta has only been in the U.S. since 2019 after immigrating here from Venezuela!
Greta is a sophomore majoing in Industrial and Systmes Engineering and Sociology, you can reach her at geperezc@ncsu.edu.