from math and physics into relevant real-world applications of the concepts.This difficulty in the transfer of foundational knowledge has long been a significant challenge tostatics students, but it appears that in recent years it has begun to evolve into a barrier todownstream success for many students, such that investigators are seeking ways to better fostersuch knowledge transfer [2].It has been shown that students’ pre-statics math and physics preparedness impact knowledgeretention and transfer in early-career college-level engineering courses. Studies have shown thatmath skills [3], [4] combined with algorithmic and logical skills [5] are essential, but not entirelysufficient to be successful in engineering courses, where higher-level
in the findings, faculty—especially those in early career stages—often facecompeting pressures related to tenure and promotion, with institutional reward structuresprivileging disciplinary research and grant acquisition over teaching innovations. Embeddingresearch in teaching could serve as a bridge between these demands, offering a way to makeconvergence education more legible and valuable within prevailing academic structures. Moreover, this dual focus on teaching and research may offer a pathway to navigate someof the institutional misalignments identified in transdisciplinary course development —such asscheduling constraints, faculty availability, and difficulty fitting new courses into existing plans ofstudy. When research and
relative to the surrounding culture[11]. An individual’s science identity plays a considerable role in their resilience, studentinvolvement, and career interests [10]. Self-Efficacy pertains to the brief to accomplish goals,and research links this to the students’ science achievement [10]. Science identity and self-efficacy can have a direct impact on student retention and success within STEM, and there islittle literature that studies the impact of SI on students’ science identity and self-efficacy.Impact of SIs on struggling vs top studentsPrevious research has related SI’s effectiveness by the increasing of Grade Point Average (GPA)of students in STEM programs [12]. Other research correlates an increased final course grade toattendance at SI
University Dr. Edwige F. Songong is a fervent advocate for STEM education, driving innovation and excellence. She obtained her doctoral degree from the University of Cape Town, South Africa, and her MS from Pittsburg State University. Dr. Songong has an extensive educational background in Mathematics, Physics, and Technology Management. Her multifaceted expertise extends beyond academia, with a profound dedication to nurturing the next generation of STEM professionals. As a native of Cameroon, her international perspective on the problem of females Gen Z gives a unique fresh outlook regarding life, career, and social issues. Through her leadership and mentorship, she empowers students to explore, innovate, and excel
that industrycertification would increase willed effort more than the open-ended project. It was reasoned thatthe open-ended project was more likely to engage students’ creativity and autonomy, which hasbeen found to correlate with intrinsic motivation [9]. Conversely, it was expected that industrycertification would have led to greater increases in willed effort level, as this goal was less open-ended, but more directly tied to potential career advancement. This meant that it could be viewedmore readily as a means to an end, which is more associated with extrinsic motivation [9], [10].However, neither of these outcomes were supported by the results of this study. Thecertification’s effect of promoting interest may suggest that students had a
intelligence plays a crucial role in helping mentors guide studentsthrough the various challenges of doctoral education. Mentors who exhibit high emotionalintelligence are more successful in helping students build professional networks, navigateinstitutional politics, and develop the soft skills necessary for career success [12], [13].Furthermore, these mentors are better positioned to support students from diverse backgrounds,as they can recognize and respond to cultural differences and individual needs more effectively. Emotional intelligence becomes particularly significant when helping mentees navigatehidden curriculum in doctoral programs [14]. The unwritten set of expectations and norms cansignificantly impact student success, yet often
classrooms. She is also studying how artifacts, peer interactions, and language shape engineering education for high school students. Pragyee is dedicated to creating hands-on learning resources, technologies, and spaces that make engineering more practical, inclusive, and engaging.Dr. Tajma Cameron, Tufts Center for Engineering Education and Outreach Dr. Cameron holds a PhD in education from Drexel University. Experienced educator deeply committed to advancing student engagement and academic success throughout the PK-20 education continuum via culturally affirming and sustaining pedagogies. Certified in Biology education for grades 7-12 and actively engaged in early career research focused on supporting, cultivating, and
Large Language Models (LLMs). Taiwo is known for his ability to collaborate effectively within and across organizations to meet project goals and drive transformative results. He excels in leading technical teams, offering strategic IT consultations, and implementing solutions that enhance productivity.Lexy Chiwete Arinze, Purdue University at West Lafayette (COE) Lexy Arinze is a first-generation PhD student in the School of Engineering Education at Purdue University and a Graduate Research Assistant with the Global Learning Initiatives for the Development of Engineers (GLIDE) research group. Lexy’s research interests include early career engineers, Artificial Intelligence, experiential learning, and global
human motivation," in Advances in motivation science, vol. 8: Elsevier, 2021, pp. 153-179.[15] N. E. Betz and K. L. Klein, "Relationships among measures of career self-efficacy, generalized self- efficacy, and global self-esteem," Journal of career Assessment, vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 285-298, 1996.[16] S. J. Condly, "Resilience in children: A review of literature with implications for education," Urban education, vol. 41, no. 3, pp. 211-236, 2006.[17] M. M. Tugade, B. L. Fredrickson, and L. Feldman Barrett, "Psychological resilience and positive emotional granularity: Examining the benefits of positive emotions on coping and health," Journal of personality, vol. 72, no. 6, pp. 1161-1190, 2004.[18] M. Rutter
evolution of Student 1's perception of possibility reflects growing confidence tempered by arealistic understanding of challenges. Their trajectory moved from seeing interdisciplinary workas "possible but challenging" in Year 1 and Year 2 to viewing it as clearly "possible" in Year 3.Early interviews acknowledged structural barriers: "It's a challenge because the field is only juststarting to think about these issues and some people push back on them." However, by Year 3,they expressed confidence while maintaining awareness of institutional contexts: "I think thingshave started and are changing already to make these career pathways more viable. We see it withjust the IDR program existing."Self-Perceived Progress EvolutionIn Year 1, Student 1
. Peterson et al. [19] observed how differentconversational methods in “emotion recognition, action plans and the discussion of collaborativeresources” are likely to help children develop a psychological safety net when experiencingmistakes (p.15). In addition, in STEM areas, parents have shown to take on the key role ofinfluencing children in their career motivation, engineering attitudes, and stimulation inacademic achievement during various stages of child development [20]. Parents becomeimportant learning partners as they bring in their own valuable experiences to provide emotionaland practical guidance when needed [21]. Penney et al. [22] observed how parents working onSTEM activities at home used prior knowledge to provide physical help or
changed. Engineering education has been affected by thesestrategies in a myriad of ways. One of the ways is known as the “weed out” strategy. This can beseen at the collegiate and secondary levels of education. For instance, the “weed-out” strategy inengineering can be enacted when students and teachers organize classroom activities asopportunities to stratify students and identify who is “cut out for” engineering [29]. Inadequateexposure to STEM subjects may contribute to students being academically underprepared, andfewer experiences with STEM content may also lead to students being less interested in pursuinga STEM major and career [6]. Many schools in marginalized areas focus not on engineering, butrather on basic subjects and the needs of
issue affecting women’s participation in STEM fields.Dr. Stephen Secules, Florida International University Dr. Stephen Secules is an Assistant Professor in the School of Universal Computing, Construction, and Engineering Education at Florida International University. Secules holds a joint appointment in the STEM Transformation Institute and a secondary appointment in the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering. He has bachelor degrees in engineering from Dartmouth College, a master’s in Architectural Acoustics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and a PhD in Education (Curriculum and Instruction) from the University of Maryland. Prior to his academic career, Stephen was an acoustical consultant for 5
, “Five major shifts in 100 years of engineering education.”,Proc IEEE, vol. 100, pp. 1344-1360, 2012.[2] Meuth, R., Robinette, P., and Wunsch, D., “Introducing Robots”, in Proceedings of the 2009Annual Conference & Exposition, Austin, Texas. 10.18260/1-2—4581[3] Mikhail, M., Alavizadeh, A., “Virtual Robot Labs for Programming Industrial RobotCourse”, in Proceedings of the 2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Tampa, Florida.10.18260/1-2—33537[4] D. Herath and D. St-Onge, Foundations of Robotics: A Multidisciplinary Approach withPython and ROS. Singapore: Springer, 2022.[5] Walker, J. G., Howe, G., Plett, M. (2022, May), “Interdisciplinary engineering capstonecourse sequence designed for career preparation” in Proceedings of the 2022
former high school (where my siblings currently attend) to a friend, whoencouraged me to apply despite the deadline having passed. That night, I emailed both theorganization and my high school contact, Mr. B. My first conversation with Mr. B occurred after school. I shared my parent conferenceexperience, my questions, my background in user experience research, and my broader interest inengineering education access. I also shared the proposal I had submitted to DiscoverEngineering. Mr. B was excited, offered feedback on my initial idea, and promised to speak withhis supervisors (the Career and Technical Education lead and principal) for approval. Because this project was not research oriented to begin with, I was really flexible to
their problem-solving abilities, and are betterprepared for careers in both industry and research. This approach not only reinforces theoreticalconcepts but also provides a hands-on learning experience that is critical in developing practicalskills. The effectiveness of this educational model can be evaluated through a combination ofassessments, including conceptual tests, coding projects, debugging tasks, and industry-standardevaluations. To ensure a comprehensive assessment and continuous skill development, variouscomputational tools, learning management systems, auto-graders, and visualization software areemployed. These resources help track progress and provide immediate feedback to students. Inthe end, this blended learning methodology
. While not all CE students will pursue structuralengineering, lack of exposure to structural design courses disadvantages them on the FE.Interestingly, two programs introduce steel and reinforced concrete design topics in a singlerequired structural design course. This could be an option for other programs wanting to preparetheir non-structural CE students for the structural questions on the FE civil exam.Introduction Passing the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exams is one of the first steps towardsprofessional engineering licensure. Civil engineering majors are the most likely to take the FEexam due to many civil engineering careers requiring or expecting the ability to becomeprofessionally licensed [1]. The current version of the FE
learning that is now gaining popularity amongengineering institutions [5]. During studio sessions, students work in teams to performcollaborative tasks with the aim of creating a solution for an engineering problem. The problemsare intentionally designed and inspired from real-world topics they will encounter in their futureprofessional careers [6-8].Quantifying student learning in response to the studio-based instruction can be challenging. Toaddress this, we focused our analysis on a specific case: student-developed solutions for thetreatment of type 1 diabetes (T1D), a biomedical problem discussed in both courses.Data collected from students’ final design submissions were used to address the followingquestion, that covered specific questions
Engineering Students," Journal of Engineering Education, pp. 321- 334, 2007.[2] J. P. Walters, K. Frisch, K. Yasuhara and J. Kaminsky, "The Impacts of Humanitarian Engineering Context on Students’ Sociotechnical Thinking," Journal of Civil Engineering Educations, vol. 151, no. 1, 2025.[3] M. J. Prince and R. M. Felder, "Inductive Teaching and Learning Methods: Definitions, Comparisons, and Research Bases," Journal of Engineering Education, vol. 95, no. 2, pp. 123-138, 2006.[4] T. Brown, "Design Thinking," Harvard Business Review, pp. 1-9, June 2008.[5] D. Keku, F. Paige, T. Shealy and A. Godwin, "Recognizing Differences in Underrepresented Civil Engineering Students' Career Satisfaction Expectations and College Experiences," ASCE
University. He also holds a MS in Electrical Engineering from University of Rochester, an MBA from Texas A&M University, and an Ed.D in Leadership & Learning from Vanderbilt University.Tammy M. Mattison Ed.D., Air Force Research Laboratory & Belmont University Dr. Tammy Mattison is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow and Lecturer in the department of psychological science at Belmont University as well as an Adjunct Professor of Psychology at Southern New Hampshire University. Prior to these positions she worked in the fields of human resources, industrial/organizational psychology, employee relations, and career advising and planning for fifteen years. She is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW), has
ofSTEM graduates who are qualified to work in the cyber field. Even though STEM careers inacademia and industry increasingly require technical skills for dealing with cybersecurity,undergraduate computer science courses fail to provide students with the necessary training incybersecurity areas that integrate theory and practice. Students' employability will besignificantly enhanced if they possess such skills. The overall objective of this study was topromote discovery-based learning as opposed to passive listening. This was accomplished usingan agile software engineering methodology called Collaborative-Adversarial Pair programming.Our process walked students through producing a working solution for real-world cybersecurityproblems.Through this
fromrevisiting specific lessons or accessing additional resources outside the classroom (Mayer &Moreno, 2003). With the physical models the authors are planning to video tape the use of thephysical models and make it available on the course VLEs on the LMS. A strong understandingof Statics is critical for future courses and real-world applications in engineering and documentingthe experience by the students for future use comes handy.The Need for Innovative Teaching MethodsStatics is often perceived as an abstract and difficult subject for students to comprehendparticularly because it involves complex mathematical models that are sometimes disconnectedfrom the tangible applications that students will eventually face in their careers. The challenge
between theoretical knowledge and industry needs. Studies [5], [6], [9], [12], [13] emphasize the importance of practical experiences for students through partnerships and collaborations with other universities, industries, and international organizations. These collaborations facilitate access to resources, expertise, and real-world contexts, enhancing the relevance of educational content to the evolving demands of the workforce, which ultimately prepares students for successful careers.2. Governance decentralization Decentralized governance is crucial for integrating STEM education effectively into the “Merdeka Belajar” curriculum. Although the School-based curriculum has been implemented since 2006, it has not fully allowed
through the STEM ecosystem. Numerous publications quote thenumber of STEM degrees awarded to women and then describe how the percentages of womenworking in STEM fields are much lower. The differing definitions of STEM at each of thoselocations in the ecosystem mean that the statement cannot be taken at face value.ConclusionsEfforts to increase underrepresented populations pursuing degrees and careers in STEM fieldsrely on data to identify trends in recruitment and retention; however, when data is analyzed inlarge datasets, trends present in these smaller, underrepresented populations can be obscured bythose of the majority population. Data that groups several fields together can also burysignificant trends present only in specific fields. Careful
, Skills, and Successful Careers. ASEE Peer. [7] ABET. (2025). Criteria for Accrediting Engineering Technology Programs 2025- 2026. Retrieved from https://www.abet.org/accreditation/accreditation- criteria/criteria-for-accrediting-engineering-technology-programs-2025-2026/
theapplication of engineering technology principles in collaborative and practical settings.By the end of the semester, students will have a robust understanding of signals and systems, alongwith the analytical and technical skills essential for pursuing advanced studies, succeeding inengineering careers, and addressing real-world challenges.Key Learning Objectives of the Lab Activities and ABET AlignmentEach lab activity in the Signals and Systems course is carefully structured to enhance students'understanding of foundational concepts in signal analysis and system design, while aligning with thespecific learning outcomes required by ABET accreditation for Engineering Technology programs.These labs bridge theoretical knowledge with practical, hands-on
opportunities for practical engagement.Providing students with more exposure to real-world engineering projects wouldbetter prepare them for long-term success in engineering careers.4 Discussion4.1 Balancing Interdisciplinary and Engineering CharacteristicsAs shown in figure 11, this study identified two critical issues in interdisciplinarycourse design: (i) the industry relevance of courses was generally rated lower thantheir satisfaction levels, highlighting a misalignment with practical needs; (ii) coursesincorporating hands-on project components, such as "Data Structure Fundamentals",achieved higher ratings in both satisfaction and industry relevance. Conversely, purelytheoretical courses, like "Engineering Principles", were less favorably received
. Research advisors often control a graduate student’sfunding, research topic, and acceptance to their graduate program [1]. Faculty often have significantinfluence over a student’s career prospects [2]. Additionally, the one-on-one pedagogical approach toPh.D. and research-based master’s programs can leave students vulnerable to faculty harassment andabuse [2]. Graduate students are often under a high level of emotional, physical, and psychological stress[3], [4], [5]. Interpersonal abuse is one of the most common sources of graduate student stress [5].Understanding the power differential between graduate students and faculty offers the STEM communitymultiple opportunities to positively impact the academic journey, professional advancement, health
last 35 years. From our experiences working with theLeonhard Center and our time reflecting while preparing this paper, we provide the following lessons learned:Reflects the socio-political themes of the times and needs of students and facultyOne goal of the Leonhard Center is to be at the forefront of educational innovation and to enable the studentswithin the College of Engineering to be as successful as possible in their future careers. Workshops, funding,and other activities are driven by what the needs of the faculty and students are as well as broader societaltrends. As reflected by Appendix A, the focus and shifts of the Leonhard Center have often reflected thesocio-political themes of the day, such as globalization, retention and
successful in their careers. Mastery learning is a promising approach for enablingmore students to succeed without lowering standards.References[1] B. S. Bloom, “Learning for Mastery. Instruction and Curriculum.” Regional Education Laboratory for the Carolinas and Virginia, Topical Papers and Reprints, Number 1,” Evaluation Comment Vol. 1 No. 2, May, 1968.[2] J. B. Carroll, “A Model of School Learning,” Teachers College Record, 64(8) , p. 723-733, 1963. https://doi.org/10.1177/0161468163064008[3] A. Essa, S. Mojarad, S. “Does Time Matter in Learning? A Computer Simulation of Carroll’s Model of Learning” in R.A. Sottilare, J. Schwarz, Eds. Adaptive Instructional Systems. HCII 2020. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 12214