Collection

2025 ASEE North Central Section (NCS) Annual Conference

Authors

Elin Jensen, Lawrence Technological University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

data, and making informed decisions, students practiced essential skills in data-drivendecision-making and communication of engineering decisions.To assess the impact of the activity, pre- and post-project surveys measured students’ awarenessand proficiency across three dimensions: trade-off evaluation, informed decision-making, andcommunication. Results showed significant improvements in all dimensions, with studentstransitioning from minimal to moderate or high levels of competence. Qualitative reflectionsfrom student reports highlighted an understanding of the complexities of material selection,emphasizing the importance of balancing technical, economic, and environmental factors.The findings align with the entrepreneurial mindset framework

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

guidance and insufficientcollaboration, difficulty in understanding concepts, and time management issues were noted,indicating areas where additional support could enhance the lab experience. Furthermore, whilemany students felt confident in applying what they learned to real-world problems, a substantialportion expressed moderate confidence, reflecting the need for continued efforts to ensure thatstudents feel fully prepared for professional applications. More diverse activities, structuredguidance, and better equipment could help address these concerns and lead to a more satisfyinglab experience.Open-ended labs are a powerful tool for fostering and entrepreneurial mindset in engineeringstudents because they go beyond traditional structured