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2025 Rocky Mountain Section Conference

Authors

Alexander Aronov; Daniel Knight, University of Colorado, Boulder; Angela Bielefeldt; Joseph Polman; Fabiola Palomar

Using Student Posters to Investigate the Impact of Inquiry-Based STEM Learning on Rural K-12 Students Alexander Aronov1, Daniel Knight1, Angela Bielefeldt2, Joseph Polman3, and Fabiola Palomar1 1Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder2Department of Civil, Environmental, Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder 3School of Education, University of Colorado BoulderAbstractThis study examines student posters produced as part of the Colorado SCience and ENgineeringInquiry Collaborative (SCENIC) program, which engages rural K-12 students in inquiry-basedSTEM projects. SCENIC leverages low-cost, portable sensor pods that enable students

Collection

2025 Rocky Mountain Section Conference

Authors

Angela Bielefeldt; Malinda Zarske

designprocess while also exciting them about engineering. These hands-on courses can provide helpfulmotivation while also building feelings of belonging and engineering identity. Early researchfound that FYEP courses could increase student retention, particularly for female students [9].These FYEP courses employ an array of the strategies used to increase student retention inengineering via hands-on components, real-world problems, and fostering community [3].Teamwork and GenderTeamwork is a critically important skill in engineering. The ABET criteria acknowledge theimportance of interpersonal dynamics within teams, noting the effective teams will have a“collaborative and inclusive environment” [Criterion 3 Student Outcome 5 [10]; [11] removedthe words

Collection

2025 Rocky Mountain Section Conference

Authors

Pedro Cordeiro Povoa Cupertino; Anubhav Pant; Yuto Minami; Ami Goto; Kubeshavarsha Kalithasan; Adam Carlton Lynch

AbstractObjective: This paper presents students' views, experiences, and peer review of a capstoneproject for designing and manufacturing a Short Takeoff and Landing (STOL) Unmanned AerialVehicle (UAV). The project was part of the Boeing Bronze Propeller Competition, whichfocused on learning through Project-Based Learning (PBL), Model-Based Engineering (MBE),and Quality-Cost-Delivery (QCD) principles.Background: While the project had technical goals, its impact investigates how it shapedstudents' understanding of engineering practices. Students underwent teamwork, systemthinking, and trade-off difficulties in an actual, constraint-driven environment. Feedback fromclassmates resulted in diverse observations, showing both improvements and

Collection

2025 Rocky Mountain Section Conference

Authors

Abigail Neering; Mitchell Keck; Julia Reyna; Natcin Sorensen; Travis Price; Randy Hurd

in projectslike the one we completed.This approach to engineering projects was mostly successful, though there are a few areas wherewe think improvements to the process could be made. We feel that the skills we gained andlessons we learned will be very valuable for future careers, but would have liked to see moreinvolvement from students of other disciplines, and more involvement by the faculty such aslectures, progress checks, hands on engagement, and feedback. We hope that this style ofcapstone project grows in popularity, providing a more diverse project selection, and providingstudents more unique project options that will help students plan for future careers

Collection

2025 Rocky Mountain Section Conference

Authors

Benjamin Bruxvoort; Nehemiah Emaikwu; Kim Trenbath; Jason Schmidt

students to the buildingscience disciplines and builds connections to industry (JUMP into STEM, n.d.).As part of this work, multiple researchers investigated the broader impact of the competition onits participants, and documented the successes and challenges of engaging students through thecompetition (Bruxvoort et al., n.d.; Fumo, 2024a, 2024b; Hubbard et al., 2021; Rippy et al.,2022). In addition, Rippy et al. (2022) conducted a longitudinal look across 4 years of theprogram’s operation, distilling key themes of success including how students felt the competitionhad impacted their career path; promoted and valued a range of perspectives; providednetworking, mentorship, and team-forming experiences; and given real-world, applied

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2025 Rocky Mountain Section Conference

Authors

Abdirahman Abdi; Phil Courey; Malinda S Zarske

)emphasize the need for visible and structured support systems to aid students from low-incomebackgrounds. Hashemikamangar et al. (2024) demonstrate that the integration of financial aid withacademic and community support can significantly enhance student retention and engagement.However, research remains limited in assessing the combined effects of financial, academic, andleadership support in scholarship programs. Overall, this study explores how these elementscollectively impact student success within the framework of the Lattice Scholars Program.Research Questions and ObjectivesThis study aims to contribute to the growing body of research on engineering education byevaluating a holistic support model for first-generation students. Specifically

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2025 Rocky Mountain Section Conference

Authors

Randy Hurd; Sulabh Khadka; Dustin Grote

(Ackermann, 1991). The summer programs provide varieties of activities for participatingstudents, including academic support, study skills, career counseling, parent involvement,developing relationships on campus, computer literacy, and partnerships with business,communities, and K-12 educators (Kezar, 2000). Many prior studies have found that STEMsummer bridge programs facilitate the transition of students from high school to university,helping them improve their academic performance and persistence rates in STEM-designatedprograms of studies. Although summer school benefits all students, studies show that theseprograms have a greater impact on those from middle-class families than those fromunderprivileged backgrounds (Copper et al., 2000). Based

Collection

2025 Rocky Mountain Section Conference

Authors

Chika Winnifred Agha; Rebecca Atadero; Amir Hedayati Mehdiabad

engineering] exam, the ethics portion of that.”Alex noted that her bachelor’s program did not prepare students for diversity, inclusion, orethics. Sara also reported that she received no formal training on ethics. Spencer stated, “Theequity education I got in college mostly came from my personal life and my side jobs.” Amoscritiqued the lack of discussions about societal impacts in formal ethics education courses. Heshared, “The bigger discussions about what your work is doing were something that was dodgedin my ethics courses.”These varied experiences highlight inconsistencies in how ethics and equity are addressed inengineering education by instructors. Our participants also gave several suggestions on howtheir engineering education can be improved

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2025 Rocky Mountain Section Conference

Authors

Ruhan Yang; Ellen Do

Circuit Sticks workshops, this issue was noticeable but did notsignificantly impact circuit functionality, and students proceeded with their builds withoutfrustration. In the Pre-Prepared Copper Tape Circuits workshops, this was resolved by thepre-cut and pre-applied tape, ensuring that students could focus on circuit assembly anddebugging rather than material handling.Beyond the technical aspects, students found the connection to real-world applicationsparticularly compelling. The tabletop Christmas tree project served as an engaging, goal-orientedtask that contextualized circuit learning within a meaningful seasonal theme. Students wereexcited to show their completed trees to their families, reinforcing a sense of accomplishment.Additionally

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2025 Rocky Mountain Section Conference

Authors

John M. Santiago

engineering education innovationthrough initiatives like IEEE Education Week, STEAM-TEAMS, and K–12 outreach. Motivated by thedesire to connect engineering principles to real-world impact, the Section adopted AI-assisted storytellingas a pilot format to support learner engagement, professional development, and community visibility.4.2 Pilot ImplementationIn Spring 2024, as part of the lead-up to IEEE Education Week 2024, a series of student and educator-ledprojects were launched to create short, AI-enhanced instructional videos using Camtasia. These projectsfeatured: • AI-assisted scripting and narration (ChatGPT and ElevenLabs or similar applications) • DALL·E-generated visuals or other AI-assisted generated images (with overlays and

Collection

2025 Rocky Mountain Section Conference

Authors

Abigail Rose

engage in and benefit from higher education, and up until recently, its protectionsextended to support people of color, women, people with disabilities, veterans, and the LGBTQ+community (Ford et al., 2023). However, the United States Supreme Court’s 2023 decision ending race-consciousadmissions at selective institutions, in the case of Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) v.Harvard College and the University of North Carolina, significantly altered the higher educationlandscape (Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, 2023). Although the ruling did notcompletely reverse the advancements in higher education gained since 1964, it limitedinstitutions’ capacity to promote a diverse student body via their admissions processes

Collection

2025 Rocky Mountain Section Conference

Authors

Rachel Cloud; Spencer MacLaughlin; Adam Lynch; Ridge Towner

engineering problems like addressing loading and unloading issues with the MAKINO. Byengaging with real-world scenarios and engaging with advanced tools like API Metrology andthe API, students not only apply theoretical knowledge but also develop critical skills introubleshooting, teamwork, and professional communication, aligning with the core goals ofactive learning in engineering. Students that participate in active learning commonly score higheron exams than students that go without [4]. “[O]n average, student performance increased by justunder half a SD with active learning compared with lecturing. The overall mean effect size forfailure rate was an odds ratio of 1.95 (Z = 10.4, P << 0.001). This odds ratio is equivalent to arisk ratio of