Paper ID #48536WIP: College-Wide First Year SeminarBuilding the Foundation for CareerSuccessDr. Cheryl B. Schrader, Wright State University Cheryl B. Schrader retired as president and rejoined full-time professor ranks in Wright State’s Department of Electrical Engineering. Prior to Wright State she served as chancellor of Missouri University of Science and Technology and associate vice president for research and dean of engineering at Boise State University. Professor Schrader earned her BSEE degree from Valparaiso University and MSEE and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Notre Dame. Over her career she received
Paper ID #46034Exploring the Influence of Gender and Prior Experience on Career Perceptionsin Remotely Operated Vehicle Operations: A Social Cognitive Career TheoryPerspectiveDr. Kent J. Crippen, University of Florida Kent Crippen is a Professor of STEM education in the School of Teaching and Learning at the University of Florida.Minji Yun, University of Florida Minji Yun is a graduate student in science education in the School of Teaching and Learning at the University of Florida. Her research centers on STEM workforce development and pre-service science teacher education, particularly emphasizing integrating computational
Engineering Education, 2025 Hacking the System: A Peer-Led Cybersecurity Course for Early-Career University StudentsIntroduction: A Pressing NeedIn a world where technology is increasingly prevalent, the widespread adoption of digitalsystems has fundamentally reshaped how we live, work, and connect, increasing the need to keepthese systems - and our personal data that traverse these systems - secure. However, growth inthe cybersecurity sector has not matched the complexity of the threat landscape; newvulnerabilities introduced through artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things broaden analready wide attack surface and demand specialized skills to address. Organizations worldwideare struggling to keep pace with
Paper ID #48170WIP: Empowering First-Year Engineering Students for Career Choices throughHands-On AI Hardware ExperiencesWoorin Hwang, University of Florida Woorin Hwang is a Ph.D. candidate at the School of Teaching and Learning at the University of Florida. Her research is focused on assisting learners’ career choices by integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) in teaching and learning, with ongoing projects related to AI literacy, Edge AI, and recommender system in engineering education. Prior to joining the University of Florida, she worked as a teacher and instructional designer in South Korea.Andrea Ramirez-Salgado
career for inspiration.The convenience sample consisted of 47 participants who had responded to both prompts. Thismethod ensured equal numbers of responses for each prompt, as well as facilitating a pairwisecomparison between responses for each participant. If a participant provided two responses to thesame prompt, these were considered as two parts of one response.Data AnalysisWe extracted all action verbs, i.e., verbs indicating what an engineer does, from the pairedresponses. These were identified as any action or process described in each response withcontextual relevance to being an engineer or performing the job. Supporting verbs such as “be”or “need” were disregarded. To account for incomplete sentences and various structures, we
the Monarch Accelerator Program to Engineering(MAP2E) program. The MAP2E Program was developed to assist students who desire to becomeengineers but may need additional assistance in math and science. and it allows students todevelop their math and science skills while creating a pathway to personal or professionalenriching skills. Furthermore, the MAP2E program allows students to develop their math andscience skills and create parallel pathways to personal or professionally enriching skills. Forinstance, a student may hope to one day start their own engineering firm. A businessadministration pathway would allow students to become engineers while learning accounting,economics, and financial planning skills, enhancing their career prospects.As
oftenexperience imposter syndrome, feelings of not belonging, and low self-efficacy. Thesechallenges are especially pronounced for first-generation students and members of historicallymarginalized groups [2].Undergraduate research experiences represent high-impact experiential learning opportunitiesthat offer numerous benefits, including increased self-efficacy and persistence in their field ofstudy [3], [4], [5]. Additionally, research experiences increase undergraduate students’ awarenessof and interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers and supportstudents who want to pursue graduate school or work in industry [3]. However, several barriersto entry into undergraduate research experiences exist. Some of these barriers include
retention of first year engineering students). ©American Society for Engineering Education, 2025 WIP: Key Technical and Professional Skills Valued by Engineering Employers for Workforce SuccessIntroductionThis “Work in Progress” paper concerns technical and non-technical skills that prepare engineersto navigate workplace challenges successfully. These skills are typically introduced in first-yearengineering courses and further developed in advanced coursework. Key non-technical skillssuch as oral communication, teamwork, and project management are often emphasized to build astrong foundation for professional and career growth.Professional skills are interpersonal abilities that enhance
value these skills. In a 2023 survey [2], employers rated the importance of eachof eight career readiness competencies. The percentage of employers who rated a competency asbeing either “important” or “very important” was highest for communication (99.1%), followedby teamwork (96.5%), critical thinking (94.9%), and professionalism (91.0%). Interestingly, theyranked the importance of technology competency lower (74.9%). The employers also rated theproficiency level of recent graduates for each competency. While 81.7% of the employers ratedrecent graduates’ technology skills as “very proficient” or “extremely proficient” and 78.1% gavea similar high rating for teamwork, the percentage was much lower for communication skills(55.2%) and
assistance in coding the responses.References[1] C. D. Pionke, J. R. Parsons, J. E. Seat, F. E. Weber, and D. C. Yoder, “Balancing Capability, Enthusiasm and Methodology in a First-Year Design Program”.[2] T. Veltman, W. Rosehart, M. Eggermont, and D. Onen, “Evaluation and Analysis of Freshman Design Courses in Engineering,” in 2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition Proceedings, Vancouver, BC: ASEE Conferences, Jun. 2011, p. 22.649.1-22.649.13. doi: 10.18260/1-2--17930.[3] B. J. Laugelli et al., “Work in Progress: A Novel Two-Semester Course Sequence that Integrates Engineering Design, Sociotechnical Skills, Career Development, and Academic Advising,” presented at the 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Jun. 2024.[4
, constructivist, and embodied cognition lenses.Dr. Kerrie A Douglas, Purdue University at West Lafayette (PWL) (COE) Dr. Douglas is an Associate Professor in the Purdue School of Engineering Education. Her research is focused on improving methods of assessment in engineering learning environments and supporting engineering students. ©American Society for Engineering Education, 2025 Integrating Microelectronics Into a First-Year Engineering Course for All Majors at ScaleAbstractThis Complete Research paper explores how integrating microelectronics into a first-yearengineering course influences students’ engagement, perceptions, and career pathways.Semiconductors, foundational to
students in Fall 2023, teaching approximately 1300 students each year. Matthew recently defended his dissertation in February 2025 and plans to pursue a career in academia teaching first-year engineering students starting Fall 2025.Jessica Bowers, Auburn University Jessica Bowers serves as the Manager for Career Development Content and Strategy in the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering (SGCOE) at Auburn University. She holds a Master’s degree in College Student Personnel from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. With over a decade of experience providing student academic and career advising support, Jessica joined the SGCOE to support the launch of the college’s first Office of Career Development and Corporate
activities ReflectionUniversity/College a. Attend a public speech or presentation Describe how this event hasStudy b. Attend a campus cultural event enriched your educational c. Volunteer at a service event experience?Academic a. Attend the Career Fair What have you learned aboutCommunity b. Meet with an existing engineering student on campus majors or minors, or the c. Use the link and explore some career opportunities in careers they prepare you to
diverse experiences and backgrounds that may not have led to them being expected tocomplete higher-level math courses at their high schools, though they are perfectly capable ifgiven the opportunity. Additionally, students at our institution declare their major from the onsetwhen many (if not most) do not know what it means to be an engineer or why they want topursue a specific discipline. When coupled with engineering programming that requires ourstudents to be calculus-ready, these students do not experience engineering content until severalsemesters into their academic careers. The situation also creates barriers to building a sense ofbelonging in engineering and at the university, from which students would otherwise benefit(i.e., staying in
the field of engineering. Manyengineering students enter their majors with minimal knowledge of the discipline. Additionally,many current high school students report being interested in STEM-related fields, but areunprepared for this endeavor [1]. To help address this issue, the authors launched “TheEngineering Student Experience Podcast" in 2019 to enhance awareness of engineering as amajor and a career option. In a study conducted by Nissenson et al. (2020), the first five episodeswere evaluated by engineering students enrolled in California State Polytechnic UniversityPomona’s College of Engineering’s First Year Experience course, “EGR 1000: Engineering,Society, and You” [2]. After listening to the episodes, students completed surveys that
MotivationEngineering outreach programs in higher education are vital for promoting inclusivity andcreating opportunities for marginalized students to explore and access engineering careers [4].Increasing the representation of diverse and underserved demographics in engineering remainscritical to addressing the growing shortage of engineers in the United States. Collaborativeefforts between research universities and institutions serving large populations ofunderrepresented students play a key role in mitigating this shortage [5], supporting students toprogress from two-year community college associate’s degree programs, to four-year bachelor’sdegree programs. Expanding participation is essential not only to sustaining overall engagementin engineering as an
University and the University of Missouri with funding from NationalScience Foundation grants HRD0120642 and HRD0607081 [18]. LAESE evaluates the self-efficacy of undergraduate engineering students. It has been validated through testing andresearch involving both male and female students. The instrument comprises 60 items andrequires approximately 15 minutes to complete. LAESE addresses the following domains relatedto self-efficacy: student efficacy in challenging situations; outcomes anticipated from pursuingengineering; student expectations regarding workload; student decision-making processregarding major selection; student coping strategies in difficult circumstances; careerexploration; and the influence of role models on study and career
college’s six departments, with instructors rotating between the various sections. Eachdepartment is allocated two weeks to introduce students to key concepts, career paths, andchallenges specific to their discipline. These presentations aim not only to inform students aboutthe various options available but also to inspire them through the faculty member’s passion fortheir field. This exposure helps students make more informed decisions about their academic andcareer paths, reducing the chances of major changes later that could delay graduation andincrease costs due to untransferable credits. Students are assessed via attendance and thefollowing six assignments: a virtual scavenger hunt, time management, resume building,professional licensing
Paper ID #47305GIFTS: Redesign of Principles of Mining Engineering CourseHolli Finnell, Missouri University of Science and TechnologyDr. Alexander Douglas, Missouri University of Science and Technology ©American Society for Engineering Education, 2025 GIFTS: Redesign of Principles of Mining Engineering CourseAbstractThis GIFTS paper details the redesign of the Principles of Mining Engineering course, which aimsto enhance first-year student success as mining engineering students through career preparation,laboratory safety, and involvement with student organizations. Structured as a one-hour lectureand one-hour lab at the
growth in differentdimensions [15], for the redesign of the first-year seminar, the six dimensions of growth(cultural, physical, intellectual, emotional, social, and moral) were condensed under fourdimensions: academic, personal, professional, and civic. In the context of this work, academicrefers to the pedagogical experience to build a strong foundation of knowledge and skillsessential for students’ future careers but also awareness and use of resources to support theeducational experience. Personal refers to the development of self-awareness, confidence,emotional intelligence, and resilience, which are crucial for navigating life’s challenges.Professional refers to the development of technical knowledge and experiences, professionalskills
) course to all first-year students in Fall 2023, teaching approximately 1300 students each year. Matthew recently defended his dissertation in February 2025 and plans to pursue a career in academia teaching first-year engineering students starting Fall 2025.Lucila Marcela Carias Duron, Auburn University Lucila M. Carias earned her B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Universidad Centroamericana ”Jose Simeon Ca˜nas” in El Salvador in 2018. She continued her academic journey with a Master’s in Process Engineering from the same university in 2021 and a Master’s in Integrated Management Systems from Nebrija University, Spain, in 2020. Lucila has four years of professional experience in the flexible packaging and recycling
uncertain about how it will impact their future careers. Asnewcomers to higher education, they may not fully recognize the pervasive role AI will play acrossfields such as healthcare, engineering, and technology. By offering foundational courses in AI,fostering problem-solving abilities, and emphasizing interdisciplinary applications, educationalinstitutions can help freshmen gain the knowledge and confidence needed to navigate the rapidlychanging landscape and leverage AI’s potential for their future success.As faculty members, it is essential not only to teach students the technical aspects of AI but alsoto address its ethical implications, potential biases, and societal impact. Faculty should guidestudents in using AI tools responsibly
the number of connectionswithin the class roster. Students report positive feedback at mid-semester check-ins and duringfinal class evaluations with requests for more interactions and to keep the assignment for futureclass iterations. Faculty have anecdotally observed increased class participation and engagementwith peers during in-class activities. Future studies may include an IRB approved longitudinalstudy tracking first-year students through the end of their academic careers to assess if theirsenses of loneliness and community differ from those students who did not participate in the10MTs assignment.IntroductionIn 2023, the US Surgeon General issued an advisory on the epidemic of loneliness and drewnational attention to the growing
University of New Mexico. Dr. Svihla received the National Academy of Education / Spencer Postdoctoral Scholarship and the NSF CAREER Award, which President Biden also recognized with a PECASE. Their scholarship has been recognized for its contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion by the American Society for Engineering Education and the Professional and Organizational Development Network. Dr. Svihla, a disabled and chronically-ill scholar, studies how people learn as they frame problems in power-laden systems and how these activities relate to identity, agency, creativity, equity, and organizational change. ©American Society for Engineering Education, 2025 An Integrative
in a common residence hall during the SBP tofoster unstructured community-building opportunities. For more details about Scholarrecruitment and the SBP, please see [10].Advising and Mentoring. Each Scholar was matched to a dedicated faculty advisor and meetregularly. They will continue meeting throughout their undergraduate careers. In addition,students will have the opportunity to connect with industry mentors starting their second year.Cohort-Based First-Year Seminar. All engineering students at Urban University are requiredto complete a FYE Seminar. The FYE Seminar is an 8-week course for students in a commonmajor, facilitated by two current students in at least their second year at Urban University. Thiscourse engages students in
every spring semester since.One research-cited reason that collegiate students leave engineering is a lack of engineering-related experiences during the first year of the program. Conventional first-year engineeringcurricula require students to complete multiple gateway courses prior to beginning disciplinarycoursework. These courses oftentimes deal with abstract material with little perceivedengineering context. As a result, students end up believing that all engineering courses will besimilar, and some ultimately leave for other professional arenas where applications can beunderstood much earlier in academic career(s). A key motivating factor in developing ENGR 111was to augment student desire to persist in engineering degree pursuit, by
seems like a blatant issue that shouldn't have existed in the first place."Personal Awareness Discussed new "Before this class, I definitely had 7 understanding of internalized a lot of common stereotypes bias or own biases about engineers... After taking this class, I feel like I have moved past many of those stereotypes and feel more confident that I could belong in an engineering career."Professional Expressed "My personal responsibility as a future 11Responsibility
advanced materials meanwhile offering career opportunities and professional development support to undergraduate and graduate students. Dr. Lavoine was recently awarded the 2022 TAPPI NanoDivision Mid-Career award and the 2022 Quanser Sustainability award; both awards recognizing her research and education activities in renewable nanomaterials, sustainability and innovation.Dr. Julio Enrique Ter´an, North Carolina State University at Raleigh Dr. Julio Ter´an (he/him) is a Lecturer and Academic Advisor in the Engineering First Year Program, College of Engineering at NC State University (Raleigh, NC). He received his PhD degree in 2023 from NC State University in Polymer Science. He has a Master degree in Chemistry
University. His recent courses focus on foundational engineering subjects, including statics, project design, and computational problem-solving. Prior to his academic career, he worked as a engineer in the maritime construction industry, specializing in hydraulic sediment transport modeling and geotechnical analysis. ©American Society for Engineering Education, 2025 WIP: Computation and Student Engagement in First-Year EngineeringAbstractOur WIP describes an exploratory quasi-experimental study to determine if first-yearengineering students' academic motivation and engagement could be improved using WebTA.WebTA is a "code critiquer" to assist novice programmers in