Collection

2025 Rocky Mountain Section Conference

Authors

Mridusmita Saikia; Stephanie Fuchs

Work in Progress: Can studio-style instruction promote the application of engineeringprinciples in biomedical problem solving. Analysis of type 1 diabetes treatment designssubmitted by biomedical engineering students in their sophomore and junior year studio.Mridusmita Saikia1 and Stephanie Fuchs11Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USAAbstract: Solving complex global problems requires innovative thinking and efficient design. Inour role as engineering educators, we endeavor to create the future generation of engaged andcreative problem solvers. In this study we explore whether studio-style instruction, a pedagogicaltool recently incorporated into our biomedical engineering curriculum, can be used to

Collection

2025 Rocky Mountain Section Conference

Authors

Maila Hallare; Tanjore Jayaraman

Interdiffusion of Mathematics and Materials Engineering: Co-Teaching with Impact (A Work in Progress) Maila Hallare1,* and Tanjore V. Jayaraman2,* 1 Department of Mathematical Sciences, US Air Force Academy, CO 80840 2 Department of Mechanical Engineering, US Air Force Academy, CO 80840 * Equal contributionAbstractMechanical engineering students frequently encounter concepts of diffusion, particularly in materials science andengineering, where Fick’s Laws describe the mass

Collection

2025 Rocky Mountain Section Conference

Authors

Abdirahman Abdi; Phil Courey; Malinda S Zarske

, the research seeksto provide a comprehensive understanding of the impact of financial, academic, and leadershipsupport on student retention and achievement, identify key program elements that contribute tostudent success, and optimize similar scholarship programs in the future. Additionally, the studyexplores any unexpected outcomes that may enhance student learning and personal development.To achieve these objectives, the study is guided by the following research questions: 1. How effective is the Lattice Scholars Program in achieving its goals? 2. What short-term and long-term benefits do students experience as a result of the program? 3. Are there any unexpected outcomes that contribute to student learning and personal

Collection

2025 Rocky Mountain Section Conference

Authors

Sivaganeshwar Subramaniam; Adam Lynch

entrepreneurial mindset to adapt to the world that is rapidlyevolving. With a curiosity mindset, individuals can explore trends that are emerging and use thefindings to challenge traditional solutions, replacing them with innovative solutions. Proactiveengagement between engineers not only allows for the adaptation towards newer technologies but alsoimproves personal growth in addition to creating future engineers that can positively contribute totheir respective fields [1].Psychology and neuroscience research shows that curiosity is an important factor in decision-makingwhere individuals are motivated to develop solutions to existing problems. As a foundation ofcognitive aspect, individuals who have a curiosity mindset are motivated in seeking new

Collection

2025 Rocky Mountain Section Conference

Authors

Katherine Nielsen

orspontaneous topic by suggesting it in the form of a question, a quote, or a broad discussionprompt. Session conveners do not need to be experts; their role is simply to initiate a discussion.Each convener briefly pitches their topic to the group and places their topics into available slotson a schedule grid posted on the wall of times and locations. Once all topics have been placed,the group can review the schedule to balance the distribution of discussions. By asking studentsto convene sessions invites them to consider what is most important or worth exploring togetherand in that way engages them in creating their own learning. Figure 1. Sample unconference schedule in development.​I ran a classroom discussion with an unconference

Collection

2025 Rocky Mountain Section Conference

Authors

Alexander Aronov; Daniel Knight, University of Colorado, Boulder; Angela Bielefeldt; Joseph Polman; Fabiola Palomar

rural engineering and engagementin SCENIC and, more broadly, in rural-based inquiry education.IntroductionIn the United States, rural settings are an important and frequently under-resourced and under-researched cultural context for education [1], despite the fact that approximately half of schooldistricts, a third of schools, and a fifth of students in the United States are located in rural areas[2][3]. Rural students are underrepresented among college attendees and STEM majors [4][5],with a larger proportion of students unprepared for engineering identity formation and with lowerretention throughout engineering pathways [6][7].SCENIC ColoradoTo bridge this gap in rural engineering education, the Colorado SCience and ENgineeringInquiry

Collection

2025 Rocky Mountain Section Conference

Authors

Eric Bogatin; John Lettang

Collection

2025 Rocky Mountain Section Conference

Authors

Pedro Cordeiro Povoa Cupertino; Anubhav Pant; Yuto Minami; Ami Goto; Kubeshavarsha Kalithasan; Adam Carlton Lynch

1 Session 2025 A Student Perspective on Learning through UAV Design in an Engineering Capstone Project Pedro Cordeiro Povoa Cupertino, Anubhav Pant, Yuto Minami, Ami Goto, and Kubeshavarsha Kalithasan Department of Aerospace Engineering Wichita State University Adam Carlton Lynch, PhD Department of Applied Engineering Wichita State University

Collection

2025 Rocky Mountain Section Conference

Authors

John M. Santiago

paper offers a replicable framework for educators seeking to enhanceengagement, retention, and mindset development in engineering programs.1. IntroductionEngineering education faces a persistent and well-documented challenge: student attrition. Nationally,Figure 1 shows dropout rates in undergraduate engineering programs can exceed 40–50%, particularly inthe first two years of study [1,2,3]. These losses represent not only a missed opportunity for technical skilldevelopment but also a critical failure to foster the resilient, interdisciplinary problem-solvers that the 21stcentury demands.In response, forward-thinking educators are embracing a dual transformation: one driven by pedagogicalframeworks such as the Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering

Collection

2025 Rocky Mountain Section Conference

Authors

Ruhan Yang; Ellen Do

benefit most fromdirect, hands-on engagement with materials that align with their developmental stage [4].Constructivist theories of learning emphasize that when students manipulate physical objects,they develop meaningful understandings that enable them to construct knowledge throughpractice [7]. While tools such as Snap Circuits [8] and LittleBits [9] have made progress insimplifying circuit education, they often target older students with more developed fine motorskills and abstract reasoning abilities. Paper circuits, which use conductive tape and printedcircuit templates, have been explored as an alternative for younger learners, but issues related tomaterial fragility and precise handling remain prevalent [1].To address these challenges, we

Collection

2025 Rocky Mountain Section Conference

Authors

Abigail Rose

accessible education.BEYOND AFFIRMATIVE ACTION…/ROSE 9 ReferencesBennett, C. T. (2022). Untested Admissions: Examining Changes in Application Behaviors and Student Demographics Under Test-Optional Policies. American Educational Research Journal, 59(1), 180–216. https://doi.org/10.3102/00028312211003526.Cai, Y., & Mehari, Y. (2015). The use of institutional theory in higher education research. Theory and Method in Higher Education Research, 1, 1–25. Retrieved October 31, 2024, from https://doi.org/10.1108/S2-56-3752201150000001001.Ford, J. R., Wallace, J. K., Gillam, D. A., & Matthews, D. Y. (2023). Race based

Collection

2025 Rocky Mountain Section Conference

Authors

Rachel Cloud; Spencer MacLaughlin; Adam Lynch; Ridge Towner

complex parts very efficiently, and the processhas a high rate of repeatability. This allows industries, specifically aerospace, to produce high-precision components with tight tolerances. The ability to consistently meet these tight tolerancesis essential, as even the smallest deviation can compromise the functionality and safety of criticalparts, such as engine components or structural elements of an aircraft. Processing quality is still the primary concern for both the manufacturer and thecustomer, as a machining center with high process capability can manufacture products of ahigher quality with lower losses [1]. By minimizing defects and maintaining consistency,companies can reduce the need for rework or scrap, which lowers

Collection

2025 Rocky Mountain Section Conference

Authors

Chika Winnifred Agha; Rebecca Atadero; Amir Hedayati Mehdiabad

practice.Theme 1: Training in ethics and equity during school is highly variable and could do moreto prepare students for workEarly career engineers described various ways in which they were introduced to ethics and equityduring their engineering education. Some participants recounted exposure to ethics throughtechnical engineering courses and capstone projects, while others stated that ethics and equitywere largely absent from their formal training.Jade and Bob recalled learning about ethics during their senior-year capstone projects. Jadeshared that. At (university name) …, my teacher for one of our senior year capstone project classes, put a really big emphasis that you as an engineer and especially as you work your way up, have a

Collection

2025 Rocky Mountain Section Conference

Authors

Chloe Long; Bobby Hodkinson

this specific course. Note that in this paper, we will sometimes use the term“AI” to refer specifically to more advanced generative chatbot interactions (e.g., ChatGPT),whereas “LLM” denotes more direct interactions with the underlying large language model, suchas through an OpenAI Assistant or OpenWebUI model.Concept inventories (CIs) have been widely used as diagnostic tools to assess studentcomprehension of key topics 1 and evaluate the effectiveness of instructional interventions 2 .These standardized tests consist of carefully designed multiple-choice questions that targetspecific misconceptions, and they have been administered across high schools, colleges, anduniversities 3 . One issue with multiple-choice question based CIs is the

Collection

2025 Rocky Mountain Section Conference

Authors

Angela Bielefeldt; Malinda Zarske

indicate that individualinstructors can significantly impact the teamwork experiences of first-year female engineeringstudents. Instructors should consider these findings and how their practices might be impactful infacilitating teamwork.IntroductionEngineering is still working to achieve increased representation of women. This involvescapturing student interest to enroll in engineering in college and persist to graduation, as well asrecruiting students to switch into engineering majors. It is important for student success, well-being, and retention for engineering students to get off to a strong start in their first semester ofcollege, given that many students switch out of engineering during their first year [1]. Factorsshown to influence the

Collection

2025 Rocky Mountain Section Conference

Authors

Benjamin Bruxvoort; Nehemiah Emaikwu; Kim Trenbath; Jason Schmidt

Remmen, 2022). Using these methods, the researchers soughtto deepen the discussion on implementing real-world problem-solving projects by professorsacross a variety of contexts. Approval of all protocols for human subject research was granted bythe Central Department of Energy Institutional Review Board under application DOE000938.For this study, we collected data in one-on-one open-ended interviews with seven professors.Participants represented a blend of Research 1 or Research 2 institutions, though interviewrequests were sent to professors from all institutional classifications. Over 40% of intervieweeswere in their second or third year of the competition, whereas the remainder were eitherparticipating for the first time or had participated

Collection

2025 Rocky Mountain Section Conference

Authors

Abigail Neering; Mitchell Keck; Julia Reyna; Natcin Sorensen; Travis Price; Randy Hurd

1 Student Insights on an Interdisciplinary Engineering Capstone Project ​ with a Clear Client-Customer Relationship​ [Author Names]​Abstract: Engineering baccalaureate programs often require a senior project (capstone) courseintended to enable students to apply theoretical knowledge they have gained in their program to arealistic engineering task to prepare them to join the workforce. While this approach is common,organizational and pedagogical details vary significantly between programs and schools. Thispaper discusses an implementation of an interdisciplinary project that was

Collection

2025 Rocky Mountain Section Conference

Authors

Randy Hurd; Sulabh Khadka; Dustin Grote

1 Mixed Methods Assessment of First-Year Bridge Program at “Western Teaching University” Randy Hurd, Sulabh Khadka & Dustin GroteAbstract: A first-year summer bridge program was created at a western teaching university in2024 to improve the transition from high school to university STEM programs for students fromhistorically underrepresented demographics. Several measurable goals were created to guide thedesign and iterative improvement of the program. These goals focused on: completion rates,students’ sense of belonging, confidence, awareness of on-campus resources, and awareness