Conference Session

Civil Engineering in the Age of AI

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Allen C Estes, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo; Peter Laursen, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering Division (CIVIL)

on Python and creating the code for several assignedprograms, students are required to use ChatGPT or any other AI platform to create Python codefor a structural engineering application. As an embedded indicator for ABET Student Outcome7 (Lifelong Learning), students must learn and experiment with ChatGPT on their own. Assupport for Student Outcome 3 (Effective communication), students write an essay about theirresults, their AI experience, the learning strategies they applied, and the effectiveness andlimitations of using AI to write computer code. The students then use AI to rewrite their essayand comment on what they learned about the quality of their own writing.After running this exercise over three iterations of the ARCE 352 course

Conference Session

Civil Engineering in the Age of AI

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Alex Campbell, Oklahoma State University; John J Phillips P.E., Oklahoma State University; Alan Kirkpatrick

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering Division (CIVIL)

least somewhat be preparingthem for AI in the workplace. However, a 2024 survey of College and University ChiefAcademic Officers by Inside Higher Ed found that only 14 percent have reviewed the curriculumto ensure it will prepare students for AI in the workforce. Considering this information, what canwe do as educators to ensure our students in fields related to structural engineering are preparedfor AI in the workplace?This paper will discuss the evaluation of current generative AI chatbots in their unmodifiedconfigurations for their use in fields related to structural engineering. Various generative AIchatbots, including ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, CoPilot, and SE GPT will be asked the samequestions related to the field of structural engineering

Conference Session

Civil Engineering Division (CIVIL) Poster Session

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Priyantha Wijesinghe, University of Vermont; Holly Ann Buckland Parker, University of Vermont; Ethan Zachary Stein, University of Vermont

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering Division (CIVIL)

civil engineering and architecture professions[2], while the second article explores the integration of human and artificial intelligence in civilengineering [3]. In their analysis, the instructor asked the students to discuss how GenAI couldenhance efficiency and safety in the field and the ethical challenges associated with GenAI use.Students were asked to critically assess the AI-generated output, verify facts, and document theirinteractions with the GenAI tool by providing all prompts. Additionally, students were asked toprovide a brief reflective analysis of the AI tools they used, such as ChatGPT, and how theseinfluenced their learning. II. The Course and the AssignmentsStructural Steel Design is a senior-level elective and one of

Conference Session

Civil Engineering in the Age of AI

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Siddaiah Yarra, University of California Merced; Abbas Ghassemi, University of California, Merced

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering Division (CIVIL)

equitable and effective implementation. Ultimately, AI has thepotential to revolutionize higher education by making learning more efficient, inclusive, andadaptable to the needs of the learner.Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, higher education, personalized learning, adaptive teaching,student outcomes, data-driven education.IntroductionIn recent years, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into educational settings hascaptured significant public interest, eliciting both fascination and concern. According toEducause, while administrators and educators worry about AI undermining instructional quality,students have embraced AI tools like ChatGPT, appreciating their utility while remainingcautious about risks. This dichotomy underscores the

Conference Session

Focus on the First Year

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Elin Jensen, Lawrence Technological University

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering Division (CIVIL)

the qualitative analysis was to determine if a thematic comparison of the studentteam deliverables show the progression of the project evolution from initial concept ideas toconcrete project solution. The three deliverables were: • Preliminary Project Proposal (Text-Heavy) • Impact Statement (Text-Heavy) • Final Presentation (Image-Heavy)Thematic analysis of the project deliverables from one (Team 4) of the seven teams wasconducted using OpenAI's ChatGPT, an AI language model, to identify and compare emergingthemes across the project stages [12]. After uploading the deliverables (student names wereremoved) ChatGPT extracted the text from the documents. ChatGPT was prompted to comparethe evolution of ideas over the project duration. In

Conference Session

Effective Teaching Potpourri

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Sotiria Koloutsou-Vakakis, University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign; Megan L. Matthews, University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign; Jacob Henschen, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; John S Popovics P.E., University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign; Ashlynn S. Stillwell, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Cheryl Ann Cohen

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering Division (CIVIL)

of a departmental initiative to incorporatecomputation and computational thinking into the curriculum by integrating computational toolswith course fundamentals. This effort commenced just before the rapid emergence of ChatGPT[5] in late 2022. Since we only have anecdotal evidence about AI’s impact, we defer discussingthis topic to a future study. The insights here are based on surveys designed to collect baselineinformation about student attitudes toward computational tools in their courses, and to explorewhether these have changed over time in select courses, considering both lower level to higherlevel courses.2. BackgroundThe general framework for our effort to integrate computation and computational thinking isgrounded in our department

Conference Session

Games & Competitions for Civil Engineering Education

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Anthony Battistini, Angelo State University

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering Division (CIVIL)

teach His disciples,who in turn have passed these stories down for over 2000 years. Even ChatGPT lists “storytelling”as its number 2 strategy when asked how to make engineering videos more engaging [11].When considering the competition for students’ attention, it is no wonder that traditional coursesfall short of engaging the students’ interest. Therefore, the work in progress seeks to challenge thenorm by combining the technical and historical content with the dramatic story-telling elements ofa fictional novel. The goal is for students to want to read the textbook, to want to come to class,and to be inspired to pursue their own creativity within engineering. For without creativity,innovations in engineering will not take place.The Rise and

Conference Session

Civil Engineering Division (CIVIL) Poster Session

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mishel Odalis Camargo, Universidad San Francisco de Quito; MiguelAndres Andres Guerra P.E., Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ; Ignacio Guerra P.

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering Division (CIVIL)

. Furthermore,the emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration mirrors the demands of modernconstruction practices, preparing students to contribute effectively to professionalenvironments. As a forward-looking approach, this integration highlights thetransformative potential of technology in education, setting a foundation forsustainable and efficient learning practices that align with the evolving needs of theconstruction industry.References:Abril, D. E., Guerra, M. A., & Ballen, S. D. (2024). ChatGPT to Support Critical Thinking in Construction-Management Students. 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition. https://peer.asee.org/48459.pdfAcosta, J., & Guerra, M. A. (2022). Validating Guerra’s Blended Flexible Learning

Conference Session

Civil Engineering in the Age of AI

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Christina Cercone, Manhattan University; Konstantine Aristomenis Mendrinos, Manhattan College; Matthew Volovski, Manhattan College; JUNESEOK LEE, Manhattan University; Medya Fathi, Manhattan University; Mehdi Omidvar, Manhattan University; Shahriar Quayyum, Manhattan College

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering Division (CIVIL)

, [Accessed January 2, 2025].[3] B. Eager and R. Brunton, "Prompting higher education towards AI-augmented teaching and learning practice," Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practices, vol. 20, no. 5, 2023.[4] D. Cotton, P. A. Cotton, and J. R. Shipway, "Chatting and cheating: Ensuring academic integrity in the era of ChatGPT," Innovations in Education and Teaching International, pp. 1–12, 2023.[5] C. Cassidy, "Australian universities to return to ‘pen and paper’ exams after students caught using AI to write essays," The Guardian, Jan. 10, 2023, Available: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/jan/10/universities-to-return-to-pen-and- paper-exams-after-students-caught-using-ai-to-write-essays

Conference Session

Civil Engineering Division (CIVIL) Poster Session

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Andrew Paul Summerfield, Wentworth Institute of Technology; John Peter Voccio; Wenye Camilla Kuo-Dahab, Wentworth Institute of Technology; Brian Ernst, Wentworth Institute of Technology; Chris Bode-Aluko, Wentworth Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering Division (CIVIL)