Conference Session

Lightning Talk - "Innovating for Impact: Community-Engaged Education, Technology, and Infrastructure for a Sustainable Future

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Pierre Rahme, Lebanese American University; George E Nasr, Lebanese American University; Abbas A. Tarhini, Lebanese American University; Michel Elkhoury, Lebanese American University; Evan Fakhoury, Lebanese American University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Community Engagement Division (COMMENG)

providestudents with the interdisciplinary knowledge, practical skills, and entrepreneurial mindset required toexcel in today’s workforce. To bridge this gap, the Vertically Integrated Projects (VIP) model has emergedas a transformative approach, fostering collaboration among undergraduate and graduate students andfaculty to solve complex, long-term, and large-scale challenges. The VIP model was initially introduced byPurdue University [1] and later expanded by Georgia Tech Institute of Technology to address gaps ininterdisciplinary education and research [2]. Since then, the model has been adopted globally, withvariations tailored to institutional goals and cultural contexts. VIP programs emphasize collaborativelearning, long-term project engagement

Conference Session

Lightning Talk - "Innovating for Impact: Community-Engaged Education, Technology, and Infrastructure for a Sustainable Future

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Pierre Rahme, Lebanese American University; George E Nasr, Lebanese American University; Abbas A. Tarhini, Lebanese American University; Michel Elkhoury, Lebanese American University; Evan Fakhoury, Lebanese American University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Community Engagement Division (COMMENG)

transformative framework in higher education by integrating research and teaching,fostering deep engagement, and creating dynamic learning environments.As universities face increasing complexity and global competition, the VIP model provides a solution thatshifts from traditional knowledge transmission to more interactive, research-oriented approaches. Themodel aligns with global educational trends emphasizing interdisciplinary collaboration, experientiallearning, and entrepreneurial mindsets. The VIP framework enables students at various academic levelsto collaborate on research projects, bridging the gap between undergraduate education and facultyresearch and fostering interdisciplinary teamwork. Strachan et al. [1] emphasize that this continuous