Collection

2025 ASEE -GSW Annual Conference

Authors

Surupa Shaw, Texas A&M University; Randy Brooks, Texas A&M University

decision-making. This paperexamines how integrating the development of these professional skills into core engineeringsubjects—such as Thermodynamics, Fluid Mechanics, and Electrical Circuits—can foster a morecomprehensive and holistic student education. Through the use of problem-based learning andreferencing real-world applications, the approach aims to enhance both technical knowledge andessential soft skills. The paper also explores alternative assessment methods that extend beyondtraditional exams to evaluate competencies crucial for professional success. By aligningengineering curricula with industry expectations, and supporting faculty development in this area,the study offers a framework for curriculum design that strengthens both

Collection

2025 ASEE -GSW Annual Conference

Authors

Ernesto A B F Lima, University of Texas at Austin

integration of computational thinkingand real-world applications, the course now focuses on enhancing students' understanding ofprogramming by solving challenges that are highly relevant to BME. The iterative course redesignbetween 2022 and 2024 has emphasized domain-specific examples, transforming abstractcomputational concepts into accessible and engaging material. In 2022, the instructional materialprimarily consisted of generic programming exercises. While these exercises were effective for Proceedings of the 2025 ASEE Gulf-Southwest Annual Conference TheUniversityofTexasatArlington,Arlington,TX Copyright ã 2025, American Society for Engineering Education

Collection

2025 ASEE -GSW Annual Conference

Authors

Bill D Carroll P.E., The University of Texas at Arlington; Kartikey Sharan, The University of Texas at Arlington

FPGA platforms like ModelSim and Terasic’s DE10-Lite board. Students learn digitallogic principles, hardware interfacing, and real-world engineering skills through this interactive,application-driven approach.IntroductionDigital logic design is a cornerstone of computer engineering education, traditionally taught withlimited real-world applications. This paper introduces a structured framework for teaching digitallogic using a 32-bit floating-point processor, developed in SystemVerilog and implemented onthe DE10-Lite FPGA. The processor adheres to the IEEE 754 floating-point standard andincorporates peripherals like keypads and LCD displays for enhanced usability. By integratingtheoretical learning with practical applications, this approach

Collection

2025 ASEE -GSW Annual Conference

Authors

Sandipon Chowdhury, West Texas A&M University; Swastika Bithi, West Texas A&M University

soils like sandy loam and clay loam.It helps students connect soil science to real-world applications like agriculture and watermanagement through engaging activities.[2] Figure 2: Soil texture traiangleSandy loam is a soil with high sand content (60-70%), providing excellent drainage, high aeration,and easy root penetration, though it retains little water and nutrients. Clay loam, on the other hand,contains more clay (20-35%) and has a fine, cohesive structure, offering excellent water andnutrient retention but poor drainage and limited aeration. Understanding these soil types helpsidentify their suitability for crops, water management, and fertilization needs. Sandy loam supportswell-drained crops like peanuts

Collection

2025 ASEE -GSW Annual Conference

Authors

Sandipon Chowdhury, West Texas A&M University; Swastika Bithi, West Texas A&M University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

educational camps, and use a dedicated water education website to enhance studentlearning and problem-solving skills.Students explore groundwater's critical role in sustainingecosystems, agriculture, and community life. Activities cover aquifer recharge processes, bothnatural and artificial, addressing the growing demand for water resources. Lessons on water heightmeasurement demonstrate its applications in flood management, irrigation, and hydropower,helping students understand water dynamics and how material properties influence displacement.Experiments on capillary action illustrate water transport in plants and soil, linking environmentalprocesses to real-world applications in agriculture and medical diagnostics. These activities buildobservation

Collection

2025 ASEE -GSW Annual Conference

Authors

Kenneth R. Leitch P.E., West Texas A&M University; Colton Atkins, West Texas A&M University; Benton Allen, West Texas A&M University

as water management, soil conservation, and crop andlivestock optimization. In addition, the program aims to provide students with the necessaryskills to enter the agricultural field and apply what they learned in real-world scenarios. Thisranges from working with producers on technology adoption to the creation of new innovations.The ET-AG Program also serves as a bridge between academia and the agricultural industry.Faculty are actively seeking to collaborate with professionals and entrepreneurs from diversesectors to design curriculum and projects that reflect real-world agricultural demands. Thesecollaborations expose students to practical applications of agricultural technology, fostering thecritical thinking and adaptability needed to

Collection

2025 ASEE -GSW Annual Conference

Authors

Roy Uzoma Lan; Chinedu Okonkwo, The University of Texas at San Antonio; Ibukun Gabriel Awolusi, The University of Texas at San Antonio; Jiannan Cai

Teaching SustainabilityEmbedding sustainability within construction education requires a diverse range of pedagogicalapproaches that actively engage students and emphasize practical, real-world applications. Efforts toembed sustainability within construction courses often utilize active and experiential learningstrategies, reflecting the idea that real-world applications better enable students to internalize andretain environmental concepts (Abraham, 2020). Project-based learning (PBL), a student-centeredpedagogy that emphasizes active, real-world problem-solving, engages students in interdisciplinarychallenges like designing net-zero energy buildings or retrofitting structures, fostering collaboration Proceedings of the 2025

Collection

2025 ASEE -GSW Annual Conference

Authors

Chinedu Okonkwo, The University of Texas at San Antonio; Roy Uzoma Lan; Ibukun Gabriel Awolusi, The University of Texas at San Antonio; Jiannan Cai

Tagged Topics

Diversity

al., 2024; Khalid et al., 2024). Thisparadigm shift underscores the urgency of reforming construction education to integrate AIcompetencies, preparing graduates to meet the evolving demands of the industry. Currenteducational frameworks, however, often emphasize traditional engineering principles and manualmethods, missing the opportunity to equip students with the programming and analytical skillsneeded for AI application in real-world scenarios (Elzomor et al., 2020). Integrating AI intoconstruction curricula presents an opportunity to bridge this gap. This leads to recent studiesemphasizing the need for construction to prioritize experiential learning, enabling students toapply AI tools for predictive analytics, such as estimating

Collection

2025 ASEE -GSW Annual Conference

Authors

Olukayode Emmanuel Apata, Texas A&M University; John O Ajamobe, Texas A&M University; Segun Timothy Ajose; Peter Oluwaseyi Oyewole, Kent State University, Kent; Grace Iyinoluwa Olaitan

unique challenges and progress.In engineering education, AI-based platforms adjust the difficulty of problems according to a student’sperformance, keeping them engaged and challenged without feeling overwhelmed (Slomp et al., 2024).Similarly, language learning applications use AI to adjust lesson difficulty dynamically, which ensuresthat students are constantly improving without encountering content that is too easy or too difficult (GuttaEssa et al., 2023). These adaptive systems create a personalized learning environment that fostersmotivation and engagement.Automated Assessment and FeedbackAutomated assessment and real-time feedback are essential to AI's impact on education. AI-drivenassessment systems allow instructors to evaluate

Collection

2025 ASEE -GSW Annual Conference

Authors

Rojan Shrestha, The University of Texas at Arlington

Tagged Topics

Diversity

. analysis was implemented using Python 3.8 with pandas (version 1.3.3) for underscores the importance of highlighting the real-world benefits of AI to no. 3, pp. 257-276, March 2023, doi: 10.1109/JPROC.2023.3238524. enhance its acceptance among students. [2] Y. -C. Wang, J. Xue, C. Wei and C. . -C. J. Kuo, "An Overview on Generative AI at Scale With Edge–Cloud Computing," in In academic sectors as well, recent developments have shown that AI data manipulation

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2025 ASEE -GSW Annual Conference

Authors

Sivaganeshwar Subramaniam, Wichita State University; Adam Carlton Lynch, Wichita State University

system.Results: The system architecture allows for flexibility and modularity in modifying the systemwithout the need for hardware reconfiguration to fit different use cases by the customers. Thecuriosity aspect of KEEN aided in a structured approach to identify the problem and provide aninnovative solution. A non-kinetic C-UAS strategy with an adaptable signal jamming capability is amore feasible option to current C-UAS solutions on the market.Conclusion: The integration of KEEN’s curiosity principle and the INCOSE system engineeringframework allowed for the development of C-UAS solution that is resilient, adaptable, affordable,and scalable. Future research should explore real world applications and the integration of machinelearning for algorithm

Collection

2025 ASEE -GSW Annual Conference

Authors

Oliver Cole Harrison, Wichita State University; Adam Carlton Lynch, Wichita State University; Ridge Daniel Towner, Wichita State University

rather to enhance them.They are a way to improve motivation, increase applicability of concepts, and prepare students for theworkforce once they graduate.Active learning is the philosophy of facilitating the learning process by using real world problems andsituations to educate. There is much debate as to whether active learning is a valid instructionalapproach or just a tool educators can use to assist education, leading to papers discussing the validityand effectiveness of active education5. The University of Texas (UT) Austin implemented an activelearning project in a Mechanics of Materials course where they learned how the equation for criticalbuckling load behaves in real life. This study allowed students to see both, their class in a

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2025 ASEE -GSW Annual Conference

Authors

Hoo Kim, LeTourneau University; Jaden Schuster, LeTourneau University; Ray Holt

practical application of both sub-system and whole-systemarchitectures. These hands-on experiences deepen their understanding of engineering principleswhile developing critical problem-solving skills. When students meet and interact with a real-world engineer, they gain unique insights into professional practices and industry expectations,which can inspire their aspirations for engineering careers. Such encounters also build students'confidence by providing actionable knowledge that bridges classroom theory with practicalexpertise, empowering them to envision and pursue impactful roles in the field of engineering. Figure 1. Key components of accidental mentorship Project DescriptionThe

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2025 ASEE -GSW Annual Conference

Authors

Ahmed Hasan, University of New Mexico; Alex V Maynes

 2025, American Society for Engineering Education 8 Section XXXXThe system’s gesture control is highly responsive, nearly instantaneously activating attachmentswhen desired, which is promising for real-world applications. Joint Motion Max Speed Range (with max 250g) J J1

Collection

2025 ASEE -GSW Annual Conference

Authors

Hoo Kim, LeTourneau University; joshua ryan millikan, LeTourneau University; Joonwan Kim, LeTourneau University; Alan Clipperton, LeTourneau University

experiences toprepare them effectively for industry roles. Through these initiatives, the curriculum bridges thegap between academic theory and professional practice, equipping students with the skills andknowledge necessary to excel in the semiconductor field. Case Studies and ExamplesTo equip students with the real-world skills needed to thrive in the semiconductor industry,LeTourneau University has developed innovative courses and projects that bridge theory withpractical application. These efforts aim to ensure students are not only academically prepared butalso possess hands-on experience that aligns with industry demands. Key examples of innovativecourses and projects include the introduction of the

Collection

2025 ASEE -GSW Annual Conference

Authors

Ali Gharib, The University of Texas at Austin; Ahmed Elsaid; Abdulla Ali Al Dabbagh; Nayef Alyafei, Qatar University; Ghada Salama, Texas A&M University at Qatar

several case studies facilitated bythe two-week Summer Engineering Academy. This program, developed by Texas A&M Universityat Qatar, delved into the real-world chemical engineering challenges faced by the world, and ahands-on STEM program approach was applied to involve students in the solution to thesechallenges. In this paper, the details of the program structure and the research projects conductedhave been described in the form of two case studies. These case studies illustrate the ways thathands-on application of theoretical knowledge in an unfamiliar field can lead to great outcomes inSTEM education, building on student knowledge and providing them with valuable experience todraw from in the future. Proceedings of the

Collection

2025 ASEE -GSW Annual Conference

Authors

Heidar A Malki, University of Houston - COE

principles with real-world applications, providing students with visual examples of exploration and production operations.The structured format allows learners to explore multiple solutions, fostering deeper understandingand professional development. The accessible and self-paced nature of the curated videos creates apersonalized learning experience that benefits both students and professionals worldwide. IntroductionEngineers in the workforce face a challenging job, with very complex situations and many unknowns.Academia does an excellent job of teaching theories and first principles. However, what, where, whenand why these skillsets are used in a very complex industry situation are skillsets not

Collection

2025 ASEE -GSW Annual Conference

Authors

Catherine Elisabeth Lugo, UT Arlington Research Experience for Teachers - Fort Worth ISD; Meribah Marie Treadway, The University of Texas at Arlington

‭Session 2025‬ ‭Educational Impact‬‭ readway will implement GIS activities to help students make real-world connections between their‬T‭lessons in mathematics and how it can be used in engineering applications. Examples for which‬ ‭Treadway will base her GIS activities are available from ESRI’s GeoInquiries‬‭TM‬‭.‬‭ ugo’s students were charged with identifying a research topic that a local university was‬L‭researching to focus their own research projects within the identified topic. Students reached out to‬ ‭the research faculty teams to gain support and guidance with their high school research capstone‬ ‭projects. At the culmination of their research projects, students will demonstrate their learnings

Collection

2025 ASEE -GSW Annual Conference

Authors

Kendra Zagozda, Fort Worth ISD; Roberto Wheelock; Raziye Aghapour, The University of Texas at Arlington; Soulmaz Rahman Mohammadpour, The University of Texas at Arlington; Jaivardhan Sood, The University of Texas at Arlington; Erick C. Jones, The University of Texas at Arlington; Victoria C. P. Chen, The University of Texas at Arlington

Tagged Topics

Diversity

department at UTA and the founder and director of the Sustainable and Equitable Allocation of Resources or SEAR Lab. He obtained a PhD from the Operations Research and Industrial Engineering program at the University of Texas at Austin, a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Texas A&M University, and is a fellow of GEM, NSF INFEWS, and DOE MLEF. He spent several years working in the design, manufacturing, oil and gas, and HVAC industries. During this time, he traveled around the world and witnessed how the lack of basic infrastructure like electricity, HVAC systems, clean water, internet, and banking negatively affects the quality of life of the majority of the world’s population. These experiences motivated him to

Collection

2025 ASEE -GSW Annual Conference

Authors

Mohammad A Aliedeh, New Mexico State University

challenging research approach shift. As a part of his parallel research in Higher Education Reform, Dr. Aliedeh has developed and published a new Educational Reform Approach that is called Transparent Thinking Approach (TTA). TTA is a newly developed value-engrained and thinking based educational reform approach. It is generic and unique features enable it to easily diffuse in all domains. The real ”fruits” of this new approach will be ”tasted” by ”feeling” the innovative TTA created harmony between depth, meaningfulness, connectedness and simplicity which is reflected in the practical application of TTA concepts, tools, perspectives. TTA solution frameworks, models and tools are expected to give products. TTA products are

Collection

2025 ASEE -GSW Annual Conference

Authors

chen pan, The University of Texas at San Antonio; Thuy Khanh Nguyen, The University of Texas at San Antonio; Chunjiang Qian, The University of Texas at San Antonio

Paper ID #49520EZ-RA: Enhancing Research Access for Career-Ready Success of UndergraduatesDr. chen pan, The University of Texas at San Antonio Dr. Pan is a tenure-track Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) and directs the Resilient, Intelligent, and Sustainable Embedded Computing and Networking (RISE) Lab. Dr. Pan brings extensive teaching experience in computer architecture, embedded systems, data communication and networking, AI hardware, and programming, with a focus on preparing students for real-world applications and career success

Collection

2025 ASEE -GSW Annual Conference

Authors

Surupa Shaw, Texas A&M University; Danaii Anitzel Elizondo, Texas A&M University

is ‘small’ or ‘large’ and examine the effects of these class sizes from either real-world experiences or based on studies that have been previously completed. A study by Kokkelenberg et al. [3] modeled the impact of class size on the grades of undergraduate students utilizing an ordinal logit analysis on over 760,000 observations and found that larger class sizes may lead to poorer academic outcomes, underscoring the need to reassess the value of class size in higher education. ii. Professor-to-Student Ratio: Another aspect of classroom sizes that should be referenced is determining how the professor-to-student ratio constitutes a ‘small’ and ‘large’ classroom size in higher education

Collection

2025 ASEE -GSW Annual Conference

Authors

Kenneth R. Leitch P.E., West Texas A&M University; Colton Atkins, West Texas A&M University; Audrey Meador, West Texas A&M University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Assistant Professor in the College of Engineering at West Texas A&M University,specializing in Engineering Technology. His work bridges engineering and agriculture through technology andprecision management, focusing on smart technologies, automation, and data analytics in modern agriculturalsystems. His teaching and research emphasize real-world applications, industry collaboration, and innovativeproblem-solving in digital and smart agriculture.AUDREY MEADORDr. Meador holds a B.S. and M.S. in Mathematics from West Texas A&M University and a Ph.D. in Curriculumand Instruction with an emphasis in Mathematics Education from Texas Tech University. She is an AssociateProfessor in the Department of Mathematics at West Texas A&M University

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2025 ASEE -GSW Annual Conference

Authors

Brinley Boyett, Texas A&M University; Robert Harold Lightfoot Jr, Texas A&M University

behavior” when students use AI inappropriately 5 .Standards of Technological Literacy defines technological literacy as “the ability to use, manage,assess, and understand technology.” 6 Educators introducing new technology such as AI into theclassroom should prepare students to contribute to society by teaching them how to use thattechnology intentionally, responsibly, and in ways that contribute to student mastery ofinformation and application of knowledge.Understanding how to responsibly integrate AI in education is critical for preparing students foran increasingly AI-driven world while maintaining academic integrity. Just as educators adaptedto the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic by embracing new tools and methods, they mustnow navigate

Collection

2025 ASEE -GSW Annual Conference

Authors

James K. Nelson Jr. P.E., Texas A&M University System RELLIS Campus; Celeste Arden Riley, Texas A&M University - Kingsville; Jeffrey John Hatala, West Texas A&M University; Andrew Crawford, Tarleton State University; London Knight, West Texas A&M University; Victoria June Vinzant, Texas A&M University - Kingsville

idea what to expect,and when I was given the guidelines to collaborate as a health science major, with engineering andpsychology students, the immediate thought that struck me was ‘What does this have anything to dowith the career I am pursuing?’ Little did I know, regardless of my future plans of employment, thiscourse was setting me up for real-life interdisciplinary work. Although I would not have originallysought out this concept, I can say that it taught me to look at the world through the lens of otherdisciplines.All three disciplines in this class had something to offer. Psychology taught me that there is always anunderlying reason for an individual's behavior, and mental health is just as important as physicalhealth. Whereas the

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2025 ASEE -GSW Annual Conference

Authors

Pedro Cordeiro Povoa Cupertino, Wichita State University; Adam Carlton Lynch, Wichita State University

its programsremain confidential. This confidentiality makes it more difficult for industry stakeholders toidentify key challenges and align their efforts with defense needs.Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)Cyber-Physical Systems combine computing, communication, and physical processes tomonitor and control real-world environments9, as represented in Figure 2. In this context, CPS Proceedings of the 2025 ASEE Gulf-Southwest Annual Conference The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX Copyright  2025, American Society for Engineering Education 3may face different challenges such as

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2025 ASEE -GSW Annual Conference

Authors

Matthew Kuester, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor

engineering judgements in formulating conclusions about real-world problems.The last objective listed above is particularly important for a fluid mechanics laboratory course;being able to observe fluid mechanics at work (through sight and sound) can help students connectconcepts they learn in the classroom to practical applications [3]. From an accreditation perspective,the objectives listed above are also emphasized in ABET Student Outcome #6: “an ability to developand conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgementto draw conclusions.” [4] The hands-on experience gained through a fluid mechanics laboratorysupports student learning and is an important component of the mechanical engineering

Collection

2025 ASEE -GSW Annual Conference

Authors

Fiona Litiku, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology; Curtis John O'Malley, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology; Matthew Luis Tyrrell, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Engineering student at New Mexico Techwho has assisted in the robotics outreach program for two years.DR. CURTIS JOHN O’MALLEYAssistant Prof at NM Tech since 2016. Teach junior/senior design clinic as well as 1st semesterintroduction to mechanical engineering design. As part of these courses I work closely withnational labs and industry to maintain course projects with real world application. The productsof the class and research projects are then tailored to hands-on activities for K-12 STEMeducation outreach.

Collection

2025 ASEE -GSW Annual Conference

Authors

Todd W Polk, University of Texas at Dallas; Robert Hart P.E., University of Texas at Dallas

design) course. The authors co-teach a combined Biomedical andMechanical Engineering capstone course, as our project teams are routinely multidisciplinary andrequire skills from both majors. There are many benefits to the multidisciplinary capstone experiencewhich has been studied by several authors1. Proceedings of the 2025 ASEE Gulf-Southwest Annual Conference The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX Copyright © 2025, American Society for Engineering Education 2Most of our project teams work on industry-sponsored projects2. Through our course structure andapproach, we strive to provide a “real world