Dr. Krishnan has a strong interest in engineering education, and has several ongoing community based activities to increase the participation of underrepresented groups in engineering. She helped establish the IDEAS (Interdisciplinary Design Engineering And Service) program in the School of Engineering which forms community partnerships with non-profit organizations in both the local and global communities. This program helps pair engineering students with actual customers in need of technical expertise on a wide range of community based projects. An avid proponent of making science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education fun and rewarding for students at an early age, Dr. Krishnan developed the course, "STEM Outreach in the Community," through which SCU students develop outreach activities to share their engineering disciplines in clear and compelling ways appropriate for elementary and middle school students. In 2013, she received Santa Clara University's Presidents Special Recognition Award for carrying out the mission of the University as a teaching scholar. She was named "Woman of the Year" by California's 25th Assembly District, in 2013 for her dedication to students both inside and outside the classroom as well as her work on community projects and STEM education. She was also commended for her role in motivating young women and other marginalized communities to pursue science as a profession.