Conference Session

Professional Papers

Collection

2025 ASEE Southeast Conference

Authors

Nilanjana Raychawdhary, Auburn University; Chaohui Ren, Auburn University; Cheryl Seals, Auburn University; Sutanu Bhattacharya

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Diversity, Professional Papers

Paper ID #45562Empowering Undergraduates with NLP: Integrative Methods for DeepeningUnderstanding through Visualization and Case StudiesNilanjana Raychawdhary, Auburn UniversityChaohui Ren, Auburn University [1] Mohamed, Abdallah. ”Designing a CS1 programming course for a mixed-ability class.” Proceedings of the western Canadian conference on computing education. 2019. [2] Shettleworth, Sara J. Cognition, evolution, and behavior. Oxford university press, 2009.Dr. Cheryl Seals, Auburn University Dr. Cheryl Denise Seals is a professor in Auburn University’s Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering. She

Conference Session

Professional Papers

Collection

2025 ASEE Southeast Conference

Authors

Shobhit Aggarwal, The Citadel; Gregory J. Mazzaro, The Citadel

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Professional Papers

hands-on tools, compared to traditional lecture-based classes where they oftenappear bored and sleepy.Introduction and motivationMost undergraduate engineering programs follow a traditional structure centered around lecturesand laboratory sessions. This format provides students with a theoretical foundation throughlectures, where concepts and principles are explained by instructors. Laboratory sessions, on theother hand, offer hands-on experience, allowing students to apply their theoretical knowledge topractical problems and develop essential engineering skills [1][2]. However, the increasingprevalence of digital distractions and the rapid pace of modern life have significantly impactedstudents' attention spans. Engineering education

Conference Session

Professional Papers

Collection

2025 ASEE Southeast Conference

Authors

Vivek Singhal, University of Wisconsin - Stout; Kenan Baltaci, University of Wisconsin - Stout

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Professional Papers

achieving positive educational outcomes, bothacademically and socially [9][1][2]. However, sustaining high levels of engagement inchallenging math-based courses such as numerical methods continues to be a significantchallenge for educators. These courses are typically perceived as difficult and abstract,which can lead to decreased engagement and higher levels of anxiety among students.Addressing these challenges requires targeted strategies to support learners and promoteengagement.To address engagement challenges in math-based courses, educators have employedvarious strategies, including, mindfulness practices and growth mindset approaches, asoutlined by Samuel [4], aim to cultivate a positive attitude towards learning andresilience in the face of

Conference Session

Professional Papers

Collection

2025 ASEE Southeast Conference

Authors

Adaline M. Buerck, Mercer University

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Professional Papers

lastdecade.1 Implementation of these technologies tends to still lag behind as they often require abehavior change (i.e. tillage vs. no-till for corn crops).2One field that can aid in enhancing the acceptance/uptake of engineering projects that addresscomplex societal issues (i.e., climate change, littering, etc.) or industry challenges (i.e., watertreatment plants dealing with things being flushed that should not be), is social marketing. Socialmarketing is the use of traditional marketing principles to create a positive behavior change foran individual, community, or society.3 Though most notably used for public health campaignssuch as smoking cessation,4 childhood obesity,5 and increasing immunization rates6 it also has ahistory of usage for

Conference Session

Professional Papers

Collection

2025 ASEE Southeast Conference

Authors

Andrea Arce-Trigatti, Tennessee Tech University; Pedro E. Arce, Tennessee Technological University; Robby Sanders, Tennessee Technological University

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Professional Papers

participating in thisprogram. In this course, students were asked to work in teams with the objective of applying themajor pillars of the program, including the Foundry-guided approach to holistic engineeringeducation, as well as training in critical thinking and community-based collaboration frameworksto complete a prototype of innovative technology.7,8As part of this work-in-progress, we offer insight into students’ growth in specific areas relatedto interdisciplinary communication. For this study specifically, we present preliminary findingsusing descriptive data analysis for student growth in the areas of (1) Connections to Discipline,(2) Transfer and (3) Integrated Communication. The preliminary findings reveal that students aredeveloping skills

Conference Session

Professional Papers

Collection

2025 ASEE Southeast Conference

Authors

Sylmarie Davila-Montero, The Citadel

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, from problem identification toprototype presentation.IntroductionA key part of the journey of any engineering student is their engagement in the engineeringdesign process (EDP). Recognized as essential for students to develop their critical thinking andproblem-solving skills, the EDP equips students with tools to identify needs and conceptualizesolutions. The accreditation board for engineering and technology, ABET, defines EDP as theprocess of “devising a system to meet desired needs and specifications within constraints” [1].All students in ABET accredited programs are required to engage in a “major engineering designexperience that 1) incorporates appropriate engineering standards and multiple constraints, and2) is based on the knowledge

Conference Session

Professional Papers

Collection

2025 ASEE Southeast Conference

Authors

Claire Lynne McCullough PE, High Point University; Mike Dalton, High Point University

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Professional Papers

use are brainstorming, report writing, proposal composition,authoring training materials and creation of PowerPoint presentations, as well as technicalaspects such as code creation, fault detection, circuit layout, and large system design. Forstudents, these uses could include creation of study guides, generation of practice problems andsolutions, and idea creation. Some professors are even experimenting with using generative AI tograde and provide feedback on student work. While some of these uses can provide potentialbenefits to students and professionals, ethical issues must also be addressed: AI “hallucinations,”over-reliance on the tools, changing definitions of plagiarism, copyright issues, andenvironmental impacts of the technology [1

Conference Session

Professional Papers

Collection

2025 ASEE Southeast Conference

Authors

Robby Sanders, Tennessee Technological University; Andrea Arce-Trigatti, Tennessee Tech University; Pedro E. Arce, Tennessee Technological University

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Professional Papers

Program that leverages a Renaissance Foundry-guidedapproach4 to develop strong communication skills relevant for community-based research.5Specifically, in this program, student-teams are asked to work with partnering communities todevelop prototypes of innovative technology that have both societal relevance and value. 6,7As part of this work-in-progress, we focus on two aspects relevant to the foundations of thisresearch. First, we present a pedagogical approach (see Component [1] below) to collaborationand interdisciplinary communication that is Foundry-guided4 and connected to the three C’s ofthe KEEN Entrepreneurial Mindset: Curiosity, Connections, and Creating Value.1 As part of thispedagogical approach, we underscore how these three

Conference Session

Professional Papers

Collection

2025 ASEE Southeast Conference

Authors

Shenghua Wu, University of South Alabama; Min-Wook Kang, University of South Alabama; John Cleary, University of South Alabama; Lisa LaCross, University of South Alabama

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Diversity, Professional Papers

review, addressingfeedback, and responding to comments—simulating the publication process for a scientificpaper. Additionally, proposal writing is introduced to further enhance their writing portfolio.Through active learning modules, students engage in discussions and share insights, fostering asense of ownership in their writing and building confidence toward publication. This fast-trackcourse aims to equip graduate students with the writing skills necessary for academic andprofessional success, with the potential for application in other engineering fields.1. IntroductionTechnical writing skills are crucial for graduate students, as they often need to consodiate theirresearch work into publications. Scientific and technical writing is a

Conference Session

Professional Papers

Collection

2025 ASEE Southeast Conference

Authors

Adeel Khalid, Kennesaw State University; Sanjeev Adhikari, Kennesaw State University

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Professional Papers

background with 22 years of the academic experience at five different universities. Students and departments have always praised him for his outstanding teaching and research excellence. He has been involved in numerous professional societies to supplement his teaching and research, including ASCE, ACI, ASEE, ASC, ATMAE, and TRB. His research output has been well disseminated as he has published 100+ journal papers and conference papers. His research interests are 1) Creating Innovative Sustainable Materials, 2) Digital Construction, 3) BIM and VDC, 4) Virtual Testing Lab, 5) Construction Education, and 6) Sustainability. ©American Society for Engineering Education, 2025 Generative AI Tools in

Conference Session

Professional Papers

Collection

2025 ASEE Southeast Conference

Authors

Valmiki Sooklal, Kennesaw State University; Sandip Das, Kennesaw State University

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pursuing more advanced courses in the engineeringcurriculum.IntroductionProviding undergraduate students with relevant skills in science, technology, engineering andmathematics (STEM) continues to be a challenge for educators [1], [2], [3]. Various projectbasedlearning approaches have been implemented to achieve this goal such as engineering design-based instruction (EDBI) [4] and the STEM Engineering Design Learning Cycle(STEMEDELCY) model [5]. The use of interdisciplinary engineering design projects have beensuccessfully implemented in Capstone projects. At that point, students have already acquiredsignificant knowledge from their core discipline [6], [7], [8], [9]. However, research indicatesthat exposing students to engineering design

Conference Session

Professional Papers

Collection

2025 ASEE Southeast Conference

Authors

M. A. Karim P.E., BCEE, F.ASCE, M.ASEE, University of West Florida

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Professional Papers

tied up in the traditional classroom settings.And they can use these times for other productive activities and achieve additional goals. Still,attendance is often seen as a key indicator of student engagement, performance, and commitment.Numerous studies suggest that regular attendance correlates positively with academic performanceacross various disciplines. For instance, in a meta-analysis [1] the authors indicated that attendanceis a strong predictor of grades, suggesting that students who attend classes are more likely tounderstand the material and perform better. Engineering disciplines, including environmentalengineering, present unique challenges and learning opportunities. The hands-on and collaborativenature of these courses

Conference Session

Professional Papers

Collection

2025 ASEE Southeast Conference

Authors

Priscilla J Hill, Mississippi State University; Bill B Elmore, Mississippi State University

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Diversity, Professional Papers

perspective ofusing MyOpenMath in existing core courses.IntroductionMyOpenMath (MOM) is a web based platform built on the IMathAS (Internet MathematicsAssessment System) [1] that is accessed through the website www.myopenmath.com [2].Originally developed for mathematics courses, it includes an automated grading system that isapplicable to any equation based course. MOM may be used to deliver homework, practiceproblems, tests, and/or an entire course. This software is managed by the non-profit organizationMyOpenMath [3], and is currently a free for students and instructors. It has the flexibility to beused as its own learning management system (LMS), or be linked to existing college anduniversity LMS platforms including Blackboard, Canvas, D2L

Conference Session

Professional Papers

Collection

2025 ASEE Southeast Conference

Authors

Michael V Potter, Francis Marion University; Lorna Cintron-Gonzalez, Francis Marion University

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Professional Papers

reporthighlighted that ever-advancing technologies and increasingly complex problems requireengineers to work effectively in inter- and multidisciplinary teams [1]. A more recent report inthe UK by the Royal Academy of Engineering further emphasized the increasing need forengineers to develop multidisciplinary skills to work effectively on technological advances at theintersections of traditional disciplines [2]. Broo et al. further note that many traditionalboundaries between different engineering disciplines are “eroding”, thus necessitating engineersto be capable of continually learning new skills across disciplines [3]. These drivers are likelyamong the reasons that the use of “multidisciplinary” and similar terms in peer-reviewed paperscontinues to

Conference Session

Professional Papers

Collection

2025 ASEE Southeast Conference

Authors

Simon Thomas Ghanat P.E., The Citadel; Scott Curtis, The Citadel

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Professional Papers

solutions. According to [1] “incorporating climate and sustainabilityinto engineering education entails first ensuring that engineers understand the fundamentals ofclimate science and climate impacts.” However, climate change science is not well understoodby advanced undergraduate engineering students in U.S. colleges [2]. Studies have suggestedthat this can be overcome with active pedagogies [3].[4]-[5] emphasizes the need for universities to embed climate change education across alldisciplines, not just climate science, to drive large-scale decarbonization. [6] advocates forintegrating climate change topics into mechanical engineering courses like thermodynamics andfluid dynamics without overloading the curriculum, sharing insights from a pilot

Conference Session

Professional Papers

Collection

2025 ASEE Southeast Conference

Authors

Vivek Singhal, University of Wisconsin - Stout; Kenan Baltaci, University of Wisconsin - Stout

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Diversity, Professional Papers

can build innovative and impactful educational programs that betterprepare students for careers in this evolving sector.Literature ReviewThe integration of industry expertise into engineering education, especially in medical devicedesign, is essential for bridging the gap between academic theory and practical applications.When combined with active learning, industry collaboration becomes even more impactful,enabling students to address real-world challenges [3]. Active learning, endorsed byorganizations like SEFI and ABET, enhances student engagement and performance byconnecting theoretical concepts to practical experiences [1][2]. It also improves understanding,retention, and problem-solving skills [3], and when combined with laboratory

Conference Session

Professional Papers

Collection

2025 ASEE Southeast Conference

Authors

Mostafa Batouli, The Citadel; Simon Thomas Ghanat P.E., The Citadel; Nahid Vesali P.E., The Citadel

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Diversity, Professional Papers

, emphasizing the need for skills that extend beyond technical expertise toinclude adaptability, creativity, and value creation. Entrepreneurial mindset education,characterized by curiosity, connections, and creating value, has been identified as essential forengineers in dynamic, interdisciplinary fields where innovation is critical [1], [2]. Scholars arguethat an entrepreneurial mindset equips students to better address complex societal challenges byfostering a proactive approach to problem-solving and a keen awareness of the societal impact ofengineering solutions [3], [4].Foundational studies on the entrepreneurial mindset in engineering education further underscorethe value of early exposure to entrepreneurship. [5] analyzed practices in

Conference Session

Professional Papers

Collection

2025 ASEE Southeast Conference

Authors

Gregory J. Mazzaro, The Citadel

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Professional Papers

Activities in Electromagnetics Courses at Other InstitutionsThe electrical-engineering curricula at many research-oriented universities favor EM courseswhich are heavy in theory; most hands-on lab activities do not fit within the scope or the timeavailable [1]. Electromagnetic experiments are usually reserved for graduate courses,specialized in high-frequency circuit analysis and/or wireless technologies. Some schools offeradvanced-EM courses as electives; there, circuit design software can be used to draw andsimulate EM structures (e.g. microstrip circuits). Schools equipped with a milling machine canexport those drawings and etch radio-frequency (RF) and millimeter-wave designs (e.g.amplifiers, couplers) [2]. In a dedicated lab course, students

Conference Session

Professional Papers

Collection

2025 ASEE Southeast Conference

Authors

Sean Walker, University of South Alabama; Kari J Lippert, University of South Alabama

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Professional Papers

andengagement [1]. In flipped classrooms, students watch lecture videos, read articles, and doassignments outside of class in order to prepare for class and learn new material. Class time isthen spent on the work of clarifying any points of confusion, answering questions, and discussingdifficult concepts. Engineering education has slowly embraced the practice of flipping theclassroom, in spite of the field’s slow adaptation to changes in pedagogy [2]. One of theadvantages of the flipped classroom is an increased level of engagement with classwork inaddition to a lower level of grade variability [3]. The modular nature of flipped classroommaterials, similar to the design of reusable tools in engineering education [4], offersopportunities for scalability

Conference Session

Professional Papers

Collection

2025 ASEE Southeast Conference

Authors

Kimberly A Luthi, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Worldwide; MICHAEL KOSLOSKI, Old Dominion University; Bettina Mrusek, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Worldwide

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Diversity, Professional Papers

among both the students and facultyin an effort to meet the needs of a non-traditional student population [1]. The acceptance of allindividuals and genders traditionally underrepresented in the engineering and STEM workforceis necessary as these institutions work to influence government and corporate funding policies tosupport their mission and offer interventional support structures. These institutional types,specifically two-year degree offering institutions, provide support networks and institutionalpractices that provide access to underrepresented groups in engineering. The research findingsfrom the current study can be used to guide best practices to promote equity in academicengineering-related STEM careers. An expert panel identified

Conference Session

Professional Papers

Collection

2025 ASEE Southeast Conference

Authors

Gustavo J. Molina, Georgia Southern University

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Diversity, Professional Papers

course focuses primarily on the mechanical design-process as it was discussed by Ullman [1], the engineering specification definition by using theQuality Function Deployment-House of Quality tools [2] and on the concept generation andevaluation methods; more details about the course were previously presented by Molina [3]. Inparallel, the course teaches the basics of technical writing mainly by requiring the students towrite reports about classic engineering cases. Those engineering cases are introduced to the classby showing videos and students are required to work in teams to further search for informationand to produce a full technical report.The importance of good technical writing skills in the engineering profession is shared by

Conference Session

Professional Papers

Collection

2025 ASEE Southeast Conference

Authors

JuEun Lee, Humboldt State University; Joshua Paul Steimel, Humboldt State University

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Diversity, Professional Papers

fosters an inclusive, supportive educational environment designed toretain diverse talent in mechanical engineering.Introduction:Retention and recruitment remain pivotal challenges within engineering education, particularly inmechanical engineering, which often experiences lower retention rates than other engineeringdisciplines. The demanding curriculum requires mastery of core subjects, especiallymathematics, chemistry, and physics, within the first year, and early academic success in thesesubjects is strongly correlated with long-term retention and degree completion [1], [2].Misplacement into inappropriate courses can impede student progress, undermining bothacademic outcomes and persistence.Mechanical engineering programs typically rely on

Conference Session

Professional Papers

Collection

2025 ASEE Southeast Conference

Authors

Brett Freidkes, University of South Florida

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Professional Papers

significant successful code, and have fun playing with their friends or family once theproject is complete. Most importantly, the challenges of the projects prepare students for futureclasses within their curriculum.Project #1: Real Estate MogulThe objective for the first project is to draw multiple houses using the plot command inMATLAB so the resulting figure matches the layout presented in Figure 1. Each house consistsof a rectangular wall, a triangular roof, and a rectangular door with a knob. The houses areseparated by a fixed distance and are “painted”. The roof and the door are both centered aboutthe house.Figure 1: The layout of how the drawn houses should look after running a successfulMATLAB code.Students are tasked with obtaining

Conference Session

Professional Papers

Collection

2025 ASEE Southeast Conference

Authors

Erin Bosarge, University of South Alabama

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Diversity, Professional Papers

critical thinking abilities they needto responsibly navigate and contribute to an AI-driven world.1. IntroductionArtificial Intelligence (AI) has become a transformative force across industries, redefining theworkforce and global problem-solving approaches, from healthcare innovations to environmentalsustainability efforts [1], [2]. Just like integrating computer science understanding and skills intothe curriculum has gained momentum in recent years, so is true for AI. Students need to betterunderstand how the technology works and how to use it properly. Despite the need for studentsto understand how AI works, disparities in Kindergarten through 12th grade (K-12) AI educationpersist. This leaves many students unprepared to navigate an AI

Conference Session

Professional Papers

Collection

2025 ASEE Southeast Conference

Authors

Chuck H. Margraves, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga; KIDAMBI SREENIVAS, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga; Trevor S. Elliott, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga; Lance Isaac Rose, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

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increase in cross-sectional area, losses, and turbine extraction, whilethe average rotational power was measured to be 21 watts. The electrical power produced wasless than 1 watt showing the low conversion efficiency for this particular generator. The secondportion of this study aimed to determine the power generation numerically using thecommercially available Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Software, Fluent. While goodagreement was found on the calculated rotational power from the model, changes in kineticenergy were substantially different than those measured. Future work on the computationalmodel is currently being considered.Introduction At the University of Tennessee Chattanooga, all mechanical engineering studentsparticipate in a

Conference Session

Professional Papers

Collection

2025 ASEE Southeast Conference

Authors

Ryan Daniel Doczy, Virginia Military Institute; Jai Kyoung Jung, Virginia Military Institute; Aksel Seitllari, Virginia Military Institute

Tagged Topics

Professional Papers

the student body is receiving an education that approaches critical thinking in aholistic manner (e.g., formulating problems, working in a laboratory setting, mastery ofgraphical/written/verbal communication). Institutions collect a series of assessments targetingthese individual student outcomes (SOs) with the goal of determining how well the student bodycan achieve the goals prescribed by ABET. This process provides a thorough overview ofstudent attainment in the SOs from the perspective of the institution and its individual faculty,but it lacks any substantive measure of student self-efficacy.Self-efficacy is a term used to describe how well an individual believes they can accomplish atask [1]. Self-efficacy in a higher learning setting

Conference Session

Professional Papers

Collection

2025 ASEE Southeast Conference

Authors

Montana Jane Lang, Mississippi State; Taylor Cagle, Mississippi State University; Isaac L. Howard P.E., Mississippi State University

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Professional Papers

. ©American Society for Engineering Education, 2025 Student-Focused Videos for Civil Infrastructure Education and PromotionIntroduction and BackgroundIn recent years, the Richard A. Rula School of Civil and Environmental Engineering atMississippi State University (MSU) developed twelve videos designed to promote and highlightcivil infrastructure. These videos were released in the 2018 and 2019 calendar years and aim toeducate the public and inspire a potential future workforce (especially younger generations) byexplaining the critical role civil infrastructure plays in society. With proper execution, thesevideos have the potential to positively impact: 1) the number of people entering the

Conference Session

Professional Papers

Collection

2025 ASEE Southeast Conference

Authors

Omar McFarlane Sweeney, University of Florida; Vani Ruchika Pabba, University of Florida; Fazil T. Najafi, University of Florida

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Diversity, Professional Papers

realization by both public and private organizations, including national and localgovernments, international and local community organizations, corporations andenvironmental interest groups, has led to increased interest in technologies and practices thatwill reduce the global impact of large urban centers, without sacrificing the economic progressthat is usually associated with cities. Large urban centers handle creating pollution and adverseclimate effects impacting far distances from their location, imposing burdens on people livingelsewhere who do not receive any of the benefits of living within the city environment [1].Small Island Developing States, for example, are faced with expenditure for recovery from thedevastating impacts of climate

Conference Session

Professional Papers

Collection

2025 ASEE Southeast Conference

Authors

Marino Nader, University of Central Florida

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Diversity, Professional Papers

comparison between the results.ResultsIt is intriguing to think that there is grade inflation for Summer 2021 because the students did theirtests from home in both courses, since the possibility of cheating was higher. In fact, the open-book, and the permitted Excel sheet in the last test in the Kinematics course could also facilitategrade inflation8. However, the results in Figures 1 and 2 show the contrary. Figure 1 shows theresults for each test in the Kinematics course of Summer 2021 when students took the testsremotely and they were allowed only one attempt per test, i.e. SAT. T1 T2 T3 Overall Test Mark Class Average 56% 76% 63

Conference Session

Professional Papers

Collection

2025 ASEE Southeast Conference

Authors

Chaohui Ren, Auburn University; Cheryl Seals, Auburn University; Karen Nix, Auburn University

Tagged Topics

Professional Papers

educational out-comes.1 IntroductionJava is a critical component of computer science curricula due to its relevance in industry andacademia. However, its steep learning curve poses significant challenges for students and instruc-tors alike. Traditional lecture-only teaching methods often fall short in helping students graspabstract concepts such as object-oriented programming (OOP), polymorphism, and generics.To address these challenges, we propose a teacher-guided, project-based coding practice. Thisapproach supplements traditional lectures with interactive lab sessions where students actively en-gage with real-world projects under instructor guidance. By contextualizing theoretical knowledgethrough practice, this method bridges the gap between