Cultural Adaptation and Advising Dynamics: Insights from International Engineering Graduate Students

Himani Sharma; Ann F. McKenna; Brooke Charae Coley

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Conference: 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Portland, Oregon
Publication Date: June 23, 2024
Start Date: June 23, 2024
End Date: July 12, 2024
Conference Session: Graduate Studies Division (GSD) Technical Session 8: International Perspectives in Graduate Education
Tagged Division: Graduate Studies Division (GSD)
Tagged Topic: Diversity
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/47101

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Ann F. McKenna is Dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Iowa.

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biography

Brooke Charae Coley Arizona State University, Polytechnic Campus

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Dr. Brooke Coley, an Assistant Professor of Engineering at Arizona State University, is a pioneering force in disrupting the status quo of engineering to create a more equitable and inclusive field where all individuals can thrive. As the Founding Executive Director of the Center for Research Advancing Racial Equity, Justice, and Sociotechnical Innovation Centered in Engineering (RARE JUSTICE), Dr. Coley leads transformative efforts to challenge systemic barriers and promote equity in academia. Her research focuses on amplifying the lived experiences of racially minoritized scholars, dismantling anti-Blackness in STEM, graduate student education, and fostering awareness of, and ultimately, accountability for, the lived realities of individuals navigating STEM through immersive virtual reality experiences. Collaborating with mental health experts, she also is intentional to integrate a head-on focus on the implications for wellness and wholeness in academic environments. Dr. Coley's transparent and culturally responsive approaches, coupled with her dedication and fortitude, have positioned her as a recognized leader in the field. Since 2017, she has secured millions of dollars in grant funding from the National Science Foundation, employing critical qualitative and arts-based methodologies in her work. She received the Wickenden Award and Betty Vetter Award in 2024 and was named a Virtual Visiting Scholar by the ARC Network in 2023. Launching from the Ph.D. in Bioengineering from the University of Pittsburgh oriented to the challenges of navigating STEM as an underrepresented and minoritized scholar, she continues to lead change and advocate for institutional transformation and accountability through novel applications and approaches.

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Abstract

This work-in-progress study explores the role of cultural considerations in advising interactions between advisors and international students in engineering disciplines. While the importance of student-advisor interactions is broadly recognized in literature, little is known about the cultural factors that influence the interactions between advisors and international engineering students. Additionally, there is a lack of understanding of how these international students navigate through the cultural complexities throughout their interactions with their advisors in the engineering field. Our goal is to address this gap and gain a comprehensive understanding of how international students navigate their experiences and establish effective communication with their advisors. We aim to uncover the factors that contribute to successful advising relationships for international students by analyzing the dynamics of these interactions.

Our study addresses the following research questions:

RQ1: What are the cultural considerations that influence advising interactions between advisors and international students in engineering disciplines?

RQ2: How do international engineering students navigate cultural considerations in advising interactions?

We will utilize the Intercultural Competence Framework to investigate how cultural factors affect interactions between international students and advisors in engineering disciplines. Intercultural competence refers to the ability of an individual from a different culture to engage and communicate effectively. The participants of our work-in-progress study are international students enrolled in a Ph.D. engineering program at R1 public institution in the southwest. We are currently collecting data through a demographic survey and a semi-structured interview. The demographic survey collects primary information about the students such as home country, year in the program, etc. The interview emphasizes an in-depth exploration of participants' experiences during their interactions with their advisors. The findings from this study will help understand the perspective of international students and provide recommendations suggested by the students based on their experiences. By understanding the challenges faced by the students and identifying strategies to improve their intercultural competence, we anticipate providing valuable insights and recommendations for effective advising practices in a cross-cultural context.

Citation
Format

Sharma, H., & McKenna, A. F., & Coley, B. C. (2024, June), Cultural Adaptation and Advising Dynamics: Insights from International Engineering Graduate Students Paper presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon. https://peer.asee.org/47101

TY - CPAPER
AB - This work-in-progress study explores the role of cultural considerations in advising interactions between advisors and international students in engineering disciplines. While the importance of student-advisor interactions is broadly recognized in literature, little is known about the cultural factors that influence the interactions between advisors and international engineering students. Additionally, there is a lack of understanding of how these international students navigate through the cultural complexities throughout their interactions with their advisors in the engineering field. Our goal is to address this gap and gain a comprehensive understanding of how international students navigate their experiences and establish effective communication with their advisors. We aim to uncover the factors that contribute to successful advising relationships for international students by analyzing the dynamics of these interactions.

Our study addresses the following research questions:

RQ1: What are the cultural considerations that influence advising interactions between advisors and international students in engineering disciplines?

RQ2: How do international engineering students navigate cultural considerations in advising interactions?

We will utilize the Intercultural Competence Framework to investigate how cultural factors affect interactions between international students and advisors in engineering disciplines. Intercultural competence refers to the ability of an individual from a different culture to engage and communicate effectively. The participants of our work-in-progress study are international students enrolled in a Ph.D. engineering program at R1 public institution in the southwest. We are currently collecting data through a demographic survey and a semi-structured interview. The demographic survey collects primary information about the students such as home country, year in the program, etc. The interview emphasizes an in-depth exploration of participants&#39; experiences during their interactions with their advisors.
The findings from this study will help understand the perspective of international students and provide recommendations suggested by the students based on their experiences. By understanding the challenges faced by the students and identifying strategies to improve their intercultural competence, we anticipate providing valuable insights and recommendations for effective advising practices in a cross-cultural context.

AU - Himani Sharma
AU - Ann F. McKenna
AU - Brooke Charae Coley
CY - Portland, Oregon
DA - 2024/06/23
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Cultural Adaptation and Advising Dynamics: Insights from International Engineering Graduate Students
UR - https://peer.asee.org/47101
ER -