Conference Session

Graduate Recruitment & Professional Development

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Erika Mosyjowski, University of Michigan; Shanna R. Daly, University of Michigan; Adam Blake Baker, University of Michigan; Diane L Peters, Kettering University; Steve J. Skerlos, University of Michigan

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

subtracted the length of the Master’s programfrom the difference between their undergraduate degree and start of their PhD to determine thetotal years not enrolled as a full-time student prior to beginning their PhD. Any student whosegap years totaled 5 or more, was classified as a returner. We chose 5 years in order to capture theexperiences of those students who have been out of academia long enough to establish a careerand develop significant experience within a field, as opposed to those students entering theworkforce for 1 or 2 years with the intent to return to school after a short break. We separated outthe responses for returners and traditional students, and for this paper, we focus only on thereturner group with the goal of understanding

Conference Session

Teaching & Learning in Graduate Programs

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Branimir Pejcinovic, Portland State University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

, signal integrity and THz sensors. He is a member of IEEE and ASEE. Page 26.1685.1 c American Society for Engineering Education, 2015 Using Systematic Literature Reviews to Enhance Student LearningI. Introduction and motivationLiterature review is a skill assumed to be in the arsenal of all graduate students pursuing thesisoptions at the MS or PhD level. There are many resources on writing literature reviews, fromcampus writing centers to books such as Machi and McEvoy.1 One would also assume that this isamong the very first tasks that research-oriented students would undertake. However, our

Conference Session

Graduate Recruitment & Professional Development

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Bolun Huang, Microsoft Corp.; Samantha Wang; Narasimha Reddy

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

our rankings.IntroductionAcademic programs are ranked using different objective and subjective metrics, providingdifferent perspectives on the quality, productivity and affordability of the programs. Programrankings are closely followed by aspiring students, universities and employed in hiring andfunding decisions. Among the many rankings of programs, U.S. News rankings have a widefollowing. U.S. News updates the ranking of graduate programs in multiple fields annually.According to the statement from U.S. News’ website 1 , they rank the graduate programs based onboth statistical data and expert assessment data. The statistical data includes both input and outputmeasures, reflecting the quality of resources into the programs and educational

Conference Session

Design and Assessment of Graduate Curriculum

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ali Alavizadeh, Indiana University Purdue University, Fort Wayne

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

. & Prod. in Ind. & Tech. (IT 508) and Adv. Quality Eng. Methods. • Less emphasis on qualitative methods, despite the fact that the degree is an interdisciplinary degree with students coming from a diverse background and career. • Unfamiliarity of a majority of students with the resources available to help them with their directed MS project, how to prepare the final report, and as such (a similar concern is mentioned in [1]). This is in particular, important since the majority of students are non-traditional (e.g., part-time students) who may have been out of academia for a number of years and therefore, they are not familiar with the expectations and degree requirements they need to be

Conference Session

Teaching & Learning in Graduate Programs

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Quintana M. Clark, Purdue University, West Lafayette Indiana; James L. Mohler, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Alejandra J. Magana, Purdue University, West Lafayette

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

, ormathematics (STEM) 6. And less than 40 percent of students pursuing undergraduate degrees inSTEM majors completed their program6. The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)Digest of Education Statistics (2001) reported that of the four million ninth graders in the US,less than half graduated from high school7. And of those high school graduates, one third had nocollege plans and 56 percent of them were not ready for college7. As Figure 1 illustrates, thestudy found that the STEM pipeline leaked 96 percent of potential STEM graduates.Figure 1: Illustration of the leaky STEM pipeline. Data is from the NCES Digest of EducationStatistics & Science Engineering Indicators, 20087.Effective personalized learning may have the potential to greatly

Conference Session

Exploring Graduate Student Experiences

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Quintana M. Clark, Purdue University, West Lafayette Indiana; Alejandra J. Magana, Purdue University, West Lafayette

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

(ELT) has been suggested in The Art of Changing the Brain: Enriching Teachingby Exploring the Biology of Learning7. With respect to the brain’s structure and the learningcycles, Concrete Experiences (CE) comes through the sensory cortex located at the back of thebrain, Reflective Observation (RO) involves the temporal integration cortex at the bottom of thebrain, Abstract Conceptualization (AC) happens in the frontal integrative cortex of the brain, andActive Experimentation (AE) takes place in the motor portion of the brain. An illustration of alearning cycle and their correlation to regions of the cerebral cortex is shown in Figure 1. Thefour phases of the learning cycle are not necessarily sequential as shown. The learning cycle maybegin in

Conference Session

Supporting Diversity through Co-curricular Programming

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Yanfen Li, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign; Danielle Jamie Mai, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; Elizabeth Horstman, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Rohit Bhargava, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

members from various departmentsand academic ranks, ranging from Dean to Assistant Professor. The seminar and panel topicsinclude cover letters, application package materials, grant proposals, recommendations,interviews, and negotiations (Table 1). The peer-review groups were encouraged to meetthroughout the program to discuss their cover letters, teaching statements, and researchstatements. They are also given the opportunity to have a tenured faculty member review theirentire application package at the conclusion of the program. A case study of the iFEAT program will be performed to explore the success of theprogram goals in order to gain a holistic portrayal of the participants’ experience in the iFEATprogram13. This method has proven

Conference Session

Supporting Diversity through Co-curricular Programming

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Katy Luchini-Colbry, Michigan State University; Julie M.W. Rojewski, Michigan State University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

concern or question expressed on pre-experience survey was: how can successfulwomen achieve work/life balance and have success in both family and career? Other commonconcerns expressed by participants on the pre-program surveys included: overcoming feelings of“inadequacy” or the imposter syndrome;1 how to speak up when silenced, interrupted, orignored; and how to negotiate for what participants need to be successful.The qualitative responses, both on the pre-program survey and from observations of discussionin the first session, suggest a deeper motivation for participating: many participants feel isolatedin their work. For the participants in this project, the presence of a structured and facilitatedprogram offered certain advantages over less

Conference Session

Graduate Recruitment & Professional Development

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Gurlovleen Rathore, Texas A&M University; Matthew Pariyothorn, Texas A&M University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

program’s home site.The research questions explored in this study are: (1) How does participation in the USRG program influence students’ intention to pursue different career and degree paths in engineering? (2) What factors influence USRG program participants’ decision to potentially apply to and matriculate in engineering at TAMU at the completion of the program? (3) How do factors that influence USRG program participants’ decision to potentially apply to and matriculate in engineering differ between those who applied and who did not apply to graduate studies at TAMU?MethodsA mixed methods survey design approach was used to collect data from the target population torespond to the research questions asked in this

Conference Session

Design and Assessment of Graduate Curriculum

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Homero Gregorio Murzi, Virginia Tech; Prateek Shekhar, University of Texas, Austin; Lisa D. McNair, Virginia Tech

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

. Page 26.368.1 c American Society for Engineering Education, 2015 Comparative Analysis of PhD programs in Engineering EducationIntroduction and BackgroundThe field of Engineering Education (ENGE) is a relatively new discipline that has been growingin the last years [1]. The purpose of the field is to increase the attraction and retention of studentsin engineering programs, as well as developing in engineering students, the required professionalskills and competencies that are expected in industry to increase innovation in the globalizedeconomy [2, 3]. According to Jesiek, Newswander [4] “Engineering education research hasexperienced a notable scale up in recent years through the development of departments

Conference Session

Teaching & Learning in Graduate Programs

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Guangming Chen, Morgan State University; Jumoke 'Kemi' Ladeji-Osias, Morgan State University; Gbekeloluwa B. Oguntimein, Morgan State University; Young-Jae Lee, Morgan State University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

graduate study and career development. Our experiences have convinced us of the effectiveness of this setting, which can not only retain students’ vigorous interests and enthusiasm, but also enhance their employability in today’s job market. 1. IntroductionParticipation opportunities in funded research projects are an important factor in attractingtalented graduate students. Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fieldsplay an important role as an economic engine for today’s economic development. Indeed, thecompetitiveness in STEM fields is basically considered as a benchmark for the country’s globalcompetitiveness. In the United States, the Federal Government has set up various policies and setaside funds to

Conference Session

Exploring Graduate Student Experiences

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Martina V. Svyantek, Virginia Tech Department of Engineering Education; Lisa D. McNair, Virginia Tech

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

National Science Board, the Association of American Universities, andother professional organizations issued the views of higher education leaders, highlighting theincreasing production of Ph.Ds., the shrinking academic job market, and difficulties transitioninginto the academic workforce [1]. More pertinently, these organizations also noted that theemphasis on research training leaves future faculty unprepared to perform other faculty roles,and the need to improve teaching to improve undergraduate education [1]. However, these reports were based on the views of organizational leaders about doctoralstudents’ needs; “none took the point of view of students” [1]. When doctoral students in the artsand sciences were surveyed, findings

Conference Session

Exploring Graduate Student Experiences

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Natascha M Trellinger, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Brook Sattler, University of Washington; Jennifer A Turns, University of Washington

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

experience descriptors: 1. Exceptionally good experience: “Irealized that I myself am on the path to being a pioneer,” 2. Good experience: “This projectreally confirmed that I enjoy the work I do,” 3. Mundane experience: " I didn't feel that I was abig part of the research,” and 4. Disappointing experience: "I wouldn't say I learned somethingsignificant during this study.” Most participants had a good experience, but insight from theother three experience descriptors give valuable perspective into the varied experiences. Thisanalysis is helpful to both graduate students interested in research and professional development(i.e. blended) experiences, and educators creating blended experiences in that it demonstratesthat a common blended experience can

Conference Session

Supporting Diversity through Co-curricular Programming

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Renetta G. Tull, University of Maryland, Baltimore County; Alexis Y. Williams, University of Maryland Baltimore County; Shawnisha Shonté Hester, University of Maryland Baltimore County

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

, the scholarship of teaching and learn- ing, mentorship models for undergraduate and graduate students, and professional support of all students, with special emphasis for those from underrepresented backgrounds in STEM and beyond. She has en- joyed collaborations with colleagues from multidisciplinary backgrounds toward solving special chal- lenges in teaching and learning. Her ongoing collaborations analyze 1) the experiences of participants in STEM professional development programs for retention and success in academia and 2) similarities, differences, and gaps in the expectations of STEM faculty and students toward successful undergraduate course completion.Ms. Shawnisha Shont´e Hester, University of Maryland

Conference Session

Graduate Recruitment & Professional Development

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Anne M Lucietto, Purdue University; Diane L Peters, Kettering University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

, newsletters, andmagazines, as they attempt to attract new members, retain existing members, and draw membersinto taking an active role in the society. As an example, a President’s Message in the IEEEMicrowave Magazine set out both tangible and non-tangible benefits of IEEE membership, withtangible benefits including the society’s magazine, discounts on journals, standards, andconference registration, career-related resources, and group life insurance.1 Non-tangible benefitsincluded the ability to hold office, professional development and networking opportunities, andthe ability to influence the direction taken by the society.1 One of IEEE’s divisions, the ControlSystems Society, published a similar President’s Message in the IEEE Control

Conference Session

Design and Assessment of Graduate Curriculum

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Dhaval Gajjar, Arizona State University; Kenneth Timothy Sullivan PhD, Arizona State University; Jacob Shizuo Kashiwagi; Joshua Jason Mischung

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

in Table 1. The transitionperiod for the Indian graduate students is only 10 days. Only 8% of the respondents had afamily support system that arrived with their spouse / children indicating that 92% of therespondents have no family support and have to get accustomed to the new social life Page 26.1645.3within a very short period of time. Moreover, 42% of the respondents have felt lonelyduring their stay in the United States. Table 1: Overall life experience in the U.S. Criteria Data Average number of days between the time the

Conference Session

Exploring Graduate Student Experiences

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Irene B. Mena, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

through the Lens of LiminalityAbstractThe purpose of this study is to learn about the experiences of postdoctoral scholars (postdocs) inscience and engineering fields. It is guided by the theory of liminality. Forty-two postdocsemployed at a Mid-Atlantic, research-intensive University, participated in individual interviewsto describe their experiences as postdocs at the University. This paper provides answers to thefollowing three research questions: (1) What are the benefits and challenges of science andengineering postdoc positions? (2) What liminal experiences characterize the postdoc position?and (3) What recommendations to improve the postdoc experience emerge from this study?IntroductionThe purpose of this study is to learn about the

Conference Session

Teaching & Learning in Graduate Programs

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Diane L Peters, Kettering University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Graduate Studies

STEAM-inspired interdisciplinary studio course. Proceedings of the American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference. Atlanta, GA.6. McCord, R., Hixson, C., Ingram, E. L., & McNair, L. D. (2014). Graduate student and faculty member: An exploration of career and personal decisions. Proceedings of the American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference. Indianapolis, IN.7. Delamont, S. (2007). Arguments against auto-ethnography. In British Educational Research Association Annual Conference (Vol. 5, p. 8).8. Holt, N. L. (2008). Representation, legitimation, and autoethnography: An autoethnographic writing story. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 2(1), 18-28.9. Ellis, C., Adams, T