Collection

2025 ASEE North Central Section (NCS) Annual Conference

Authors

Susie Huggins, West Virginia University; Robin A.M. Hensel, West Virginia University; Manar Yamany, West Virginia University; Lizzie Santiago, West Virginia University; Akua B. Oppong-Anane, West Virginia University; Atheer Almasri, West Virginia University; Todd R Hamrick, West Virginia University; Carter Hulcher, West Virginia University

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Diversity

(SWE), the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), and the Society of HispanicProfessional Engineers (SHPE). This paper explores the impact of EngineerFEST on studentengagement, describes the logistics of planning the event, and presents feedback fromparticipants to demonstrate its effectiveness in shaping a vibrant engineering community.1.0 Introduction and HistoryDr. Jack Byrd introduced the “Freshman Social,” an engineering-focused student organizationfair, to our college in the early 2000s to introduce new engineering students in the newly formedengineering first-year seminar course (ENGR 191) to the wealth of opportunities available tostudents through participation in career-relevant student organizations, many of which arestudent

Collection

2025 ASEE North Central Section (NCS) Annual Conference

Authors

Baqer Aljabr, The University of Toledo; Mohammad Elahinia, The University of Toledo

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Diversity

the mentioned tutor, the AI-based model will be implemented inthe club that is designed to boost students’ employment opportunities and engagement in STEMdisciplines. Therefore, in this club, both social-oriented mentorship and an AI-based efficiencycalculator will be employed to evaluate their effectiveness on the given subject – increasingstudents’ interest in STEM fields and their choices of a STEM career further in life.2. Introduction The popularity of automation, robots, and coding clubs among students all over the globe isgaining momentum with each passing day (Ayeni, Unachukwu, Hamad, Chisom, & Adewusi,2024). The activities in these clubs give an insight into the career pathways of STEM-related fieldsand help them explore their

Collection

2025 ASEE North Central Section (NCS) Annual Conference

Authors

Sudipta Chowdhury, Marshall University; Ammar Alzarrad, Marshall University; Sungmin Youn, University of Texas at El Paso

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Diversity

Undergraduates (REU)program has been a pivotal initiative aimed at enhancing undergraduate education in science,technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. The REU program provides studentswith opportunities to engage in hands-on research experiences, which are critical for fostering adeeper understanding of scientific inquiry and enhancing retention rates among undergraduates inSTEM disciplines (Alaee & Zwickl, 2021). The program has been instrumental in addressing thehigh attrition rates in STEM fields, particularly among students from diverse backgrounds, therebycontributing to a more inclusive and innovative workforce (Rodenbusch et al., 2016). One of theprimary benefits of REU programs is their positive impact on students' decisions

Collection

2025 ASEE North Central Section (NCS) Annual Conference

Authors

Aiman S Kuzmar, Islamic University of Madinah, Saudi Arabia

. defineservice learning as “an approach to teaching that meaningfully integrates classroom instructionwith practical community service” [7].Like the undergraduate research approach, service learning has been proved to be a productivetechnique as it improves education [8]. According to Boise State University (BSU) [9], thebenefits of service learning are: 1. Service-Learning is a high impact practice for student success. 2. Service-learning has a positive effect on students: 3. Service-Learning helps prepare students for the job market. 4. Service-Learning provides useful services in the community and communities report enhanced university relationsCombining Undergraduate Research with Service

Collection

2025 ASEE North Central Section (NCS) Annual Conference

Authors

Rick Hill, University of Detroit Mercy; Vanessa Burrows, University of Detroit Mercy; Linda Slowik PhD

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activitiesthroughout the academic year to build community and develop professional and academic skills.In the remainder of this paper, the authors outline the details of the SEED program as well as theresults of an investigation of its outcomes. The summative goals of the program are to improveretention and reduce time to graduation for academically-talented students with demonstratedfinancial need. As the first three cohorts accepted into the program have yet to graduate, we willlook at retention to this point as well as grades and credits earned. Evaluation of similarprograms often rely on student opinions and self-assessment as gathered from surveys and focusgroups. In order to generate a more objective evaluation of the impacts of SEED programactivities

Collection

2025 ASEE North Central Section (NCS) Annual Conference

Authors

Yousef Sardahi, Marshall University; Asad Salem

theprinciples of science.Undergraduate research programs are particularly effective in enhancing critical thinking and com-munication skills. Students learn to think independently while carrying out research, to criticallyanalyze data, and to present results. In that way, students develop skills which are of great valueduring professional life 12 . Those projects which are carried out in cooperation with external part-ners, such as universities and employers enhance the communication and teamwork abilities ofstudents even more 11 .Such research-based education has a greater impact on the career desires and aspirations of thestudents. It is assessed that many students in the future will pursue a career in their field of studywhen they are working on

Collection

2025 ASEE North Central Section (NCS) Annual Conference

Authors

Grace Hattery, Ohio Northern University; Stephany Coffman-Wolph, Ohio Northern University; Dax Amburgy, Ohio Northern University

students move to the end of the history wall, they will reach a displaycontaining a reflective plexiglass mirror. The mirror will be able to switch from translucent (inthis state it will be picturing a design/text) to reflective when backlighting is turned on and off,respectively. In line with the storytelling aspect of the tour, this mirror is representative of thefuture of the ONU Engineering timeline. When a touring student steps in front of the mirror, themirror becomes reflective and so the wall displays them as “the future”.Solution 4: Wireless Communication Through ESP-NOW Protocol Figure 6: ESP-32 WROOM C Pinout Diagram [6]To activate all of the team's experiences around the building, a solution has been found where

Collection

2025 ASEE North Central Section (NCS) Annual Conference

Authors

Yousef Fazea, Marshall University; Yousef Sardahi, Marshall University; Asad Salem

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Diversity

issues that may hurt the educational experiences of students. There are both positiveand negative aspects associated with the utilization of asynchronous learning strategies. The useof technology has, on the one hand, made it possible for students to manage their schedules moreeffectively and to continue their education even in the case that they are unable to attend classesin person [21]. On the other hand, the absence of fast communication has resulted in a reductionin the spontaneous knowledge-sharing and collaboration that occurs between students andteachers. This may lead to feelings of alienation and detachment from the learning community [22,24]. It has a considerable impact on the effectiveness of the learning process as well as the

Collection

2025 ASEE North Central Section (NCS) Annual Conference

Authors

Ragavanantham Shanmugam, Fairmont State University; Madhan Gopal Perumal, The University of Texas at Dallas; Uma Maheswari Krishnamoorthy

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Diversity

active role in student success coordination, universities can strengthen retention, enhanceacademic support, and ensure that students receive the personalized guidance they need beyondtheir first semester.6. Enhancing Course Scheduling Efficiency and Resource OptimizationEffective course scheduling is critical for student success, faculty workload management, andinstitutional efficiency. However, inefficient scheduling practices—such as offering low-enrollment courses in multiple semesters, poor prerequisite sequencing, and last-minutecancellations—create avoidable disruptions that impact both students and faculty.Case Study 1: The Impact of Course Scheduling on Student Graduation RatesA study conducted by the Community College Research Center

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2025 ASEE North Central Section (NCS) Annual Conference

Authors

Diane L Peters P.E., Kettering University

will have a wide variety of interests,some of which they may not wish to share with students, but simple things like a favorite color,type of music, or interesting place they have visited could help to foster a sense of connectionwith students, leading to stronger engagement with their professors and an enhanced educationalexperience. Future work could include systematic studies on the impact of this sense ofconnection, in order to determine how it might impact students’ feelings of belonging, motivation,and class performance.References [1] K. Jensen and K. Cross, “Student perceptions of engineering stress culture [paper presentation],” in 2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Tampa, FL. DOI: https://doi. org/10.18260/1-2–32418

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2025 ASEE North Central Section (NCS) Annual Conference

Authors

Shuyu Wang, The Ohio State University; Rachel Louis Kajfez, The Ohio State University

EngineeringEducationOpportunitiesThe need to introduce complex problems into the classroom has opened opportunities forinstitutions to collaborate with local communities or industries, enabling students to tacklereal-world problems and work with non-academic stakeholders. This approach not onlyallows students to experience and navigate real-world issues and uncertainties but alsoprovides a method to engage non-academic partners. The study by Zhang et al. [41] furtherillustrates this opportunity by highlighting how transdisciplinary activities, such as the "3DShakespeare" project, can merge engineering and humanities to enhance students' real-worldlearning experiences and encourage collaboration across seemingly disparate fields.Based on the findings of transdisciplinary

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2025 ASEE North Central Section (NCS) Annual Conference

Authors

Kathryn Chludzinski, Youngstown State University - Rayen School of Engineering; C. Virgil Solomon, Youngstown State University - Rayen School of Engineering

, work in teams, complete an experiment in a repeatableand reliable way, and produce a well-written report summarizing their findings, the engineeringexpertise, teamwork competence, communication skills, and experimental competency outcomesare reinforced. Finally, providing students with a unique hands-on experience helps build a life-long learning mindset.Both a laboratory handout and operators manual have been created to support the proposedassignment. The laboratory handout summarizes the experiment procedures, and the reportingrequirements expected of the students. The operator’s manual summarizes the safety, operation,and maintenance procedures for the equipment. These documents are available upon request.VI. ConclusionThe following

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2025 ASEE North Central Section (NCS) Annual Conference

Authors

James Joseph Lynch, University of Detroit Mercy; Alexa Rihana Abdallah, University of Detroit Mercy

laboratory class the students take that addresses this conceptual and pedagogical issue. Thestudents typically take it in winter semester of the sophomore year or fall semester of the junioryear. The topics in the course are: 1. Background, including audience analysis, workplace communication, experimental work, codes and standards, Microsoft Excel, and report writing 2. Four experiments with formal reports, typically Hardness Testing of Metals (Hardness), Tension Testing of Metals (Tension), Tension and Impact Testing of Plastics (Plastics), and Flexural and Compression Testing of Wood (Wood) 3. One experiment with a memo report, typically Compression Testing and Young’s Modulus Determination of Concrete

Collection

2025 ASEE North Central Section (NCS) Annual Conference

Authors

Carmen Cioc, The University of Toledo; Sorin Cioc, The University of Toledo; Noela A. Haughton, The University of Toledo; William T. Evans PhD P.E., The University of Toledo

findings effectively, reinforcing both their technical and written communication skills. Bystructuring the lab in two distinct phases, one focused on preparation and team collaboration, andthe other on data collection and analysis, students were given the opportunity to engage with thematerial and experience the full cycle of an engineering project, from planning to execution andreporting. • Lab Assignment #2: Develop and Execute an Experimental Procedure for Identifying the Resistance Coefficient of a Standard 90o ElbowThe second open-ended lab tasked students with calculating the resistance coefficient for astandard 90° elbow, a common component in fluid transport systems. This lab, handout inAppendix 2, provided students with an

Collection

2025 ASEE North Central Section (NCS) Annual Conference

Authors

Nathan Galinsky, West Virginia University Institute of Technology

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Diversity

organization within the university structure, hiring of studentmentors, recruiting other faculty, recruitment of students, and more. Strategies to overcome someof these issues will be presented.IntroductionA key challenge addressing many universities as well as the current workforce is the attraction ofstudents to the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields[1], [2]. This challengeneeds to be addressed at all levels of K-12 education. This is important especially due toincreased reliance on technology, and number of trained professionals not keeping up withdemand [3], [4]. As a result, it is imperative that we engage with K-12 students encouragingthem to pursue interests in STEM. STEM summer camps can lessen the impact of

Collection

2025 ASEE North Central Section (NCS) Annual Conference

Authors

Ragavanantham Shanmugam, Fairmont State University; Madhan Gopal Perumal, The University of Texas at Dallas; Uma Maheswari Krishnamoorthy

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Diversity

, and engineering through engineering education research thereby making it accessible to all. His life experiences in India, and now on tribal lands, instills a personal mission to lift up the lives of under-appreciated/represented peoples. He has great passion for both engineering education and student success. He has the support and engagement of his institution for his all transformative efforts towards Engineering education and upliftment of underserved student populations in general . ©American Society for Engineering Education, 2025Bridging Tradition and Innovation: A Thoughtful Approach to Future-Ready Education1. IntroductionEducation is continuously

Collection

2025 ASEE North Central Section (NCS) Annual Conference

Authors

Seyed Mohammad Seyed Ardakani P.E., Ohio Northern University; Julia Kamatali, Ohio Northern University

semesters. They aimed to assess studentperceptions of gamification and its impact on their learning experience. It was found that whilestudents recognized the potential benefits of gamification, factors like time constraints and timemanagement were significant barriers to its effectiveness [10]. Buccafusca incorporatedgamification techniques, like problem-based learning and storytelling, in engineering educationto improve student engagement. Storytelling provided a structured context for students to followas they completed tasks. This narrative helped connect abstract concepts to real-world scenarios,making the material more relatable and memorable. However, he emphasized the need forthoughtful implementation to balance game mechanics with

Collection

2025 ASEE North Central Section (NCS) Annual Conference

Authors

Elin Jensen, Lawrence Technological University

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Diversity

Approach to Sustainable Material Selection Balancing Trade-Offs with Ashby ChartsAbstractThis paper explores the integration of Ashby charts into a Mechanics of Materials laboratorysession to enhance systems thinking and promote sustainable material selection amongundergraduate engineering students. The activity was designed around the EntrepreneurialMindset principles of Curiosity, Connection, and Creating Value while leveraging resourcesfrom the Engineering for One Planet framework. Students engaged in a two-week project toevaluate construction materials for a structural element, balancing trade-offs between propertiessuch as strength, density, stiffness, cost, and environmental impact. By creating Ashby charts,analyzing

Collection

2025 ASEE North Central Section (NCS) Annual Conference

Authors

Tina Johnson Cartwright, Marshall University; Julie Lynn Snyder-Yuly, Marshall University; Wook-sung Yoo, Marshall University; Husnu Saner Narman, Marshall University

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Diversity

: 1. Early research opportunities improve students’ confidence in their abilities and connect them to faculty mentors, reinforcing a growth mindset. 2. Active learning strategies in STEM courses increase engagement and resilience in problem-solving. 3. STEM learning communities provide social and academic support, mitigating the impact of stereotype threat and imposter syndrome among underrepresented students. 3The PWS program incorporates these evidence-based practices to foster academic persistence,professional identity, and mindset development among participants. By examining the evolutionof grit, mindset, and STEM

Collection

2025 ASEE North Central Section (NCS) Annual Conference

Authors

Trevor Joseph Bihl, Wright State University; Terry Lynn Oroszi, Wright State University; Subhashini Ganapathy, Wright State University; Jeffrey B. Travers, Wright State University

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Diversity

presentations further ensures students develop the ability to critiquetechnical content in professional settings [20].In the context of reviewing published articles, peer review offers students the opportunity toanalyze and assess established work, enhancing their understanding of how research fits intobroader disciplinary conversations [21]. Introducing students to technical articles through activelearning and peer review enables them to engage deeply with professional literature, a processshown to enhance critical thinking and innovation-based learning [22]-[25].Course DesignIn preparing students (particularly engineers and scientists, in these courses) for the future thereare increasing demands on educators to teach writing, oral communication

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2025 ASEE North Central Section (NCS) Annual Conference

Authors

Edward Jesse Sizemore III, Marshall University; Trevor Joseph Bihl, Marshall University

students to engage with the codeto accomplish self-set goals and tasks.In many games where programming is a central part of gameplay, programming is commonlyused as the primary way to solve puzzles. This is notable due to the differences betweenprogramming and math education. In gamified math education, math is used as the entireobstacle; however, programming education relies upon secondary puzzles where programming isused to implement the solution [27]. In programming education, in general, the primary benefitof gamification was found to be on the motivation of the students, with academic achievementand critical thinking skills following [27]. Additionally, of the types of games tested revealedthat strategy games have the greatest positive impact

Collection

2025 ASEE North Central Section (NCS) Annual Conference

Authors

Brian Krug, Grand Valley State University; Chirag Parikh, Grand Valley State University; Elora Mae Ferrie, Grand Valley State University

softwaredesign specifications followed by a section on how the design was implemented throughout thesenior design lifecycle. The paper then talks about the result of this project, a fully functionalmicrocontroller model. The paper finally concludes with a discussion on how the model will beused in an educational setting and the potential impact that it can have on demystifyingmicrocontroller architecture.II. Design SpecificationsThe model of our microcontroller core focuses on delivering a functional, durable, and visuallyengaging system while ensuring safety and ease of use. Students who take digital design andmicrcocontroller architecture courses can reference this installation for assignments. The modelis placed in a main hallway for use by