Design, develop, launch: the making of an innovative Honors Minor program focused on “Engineering Positive and Intentional Change"

Kathryn O'Harra

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Conference: 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Publication Date: August 23, 2022
Start Date: June 26, 2022
End Date: June 29, 2022
Conference Session: Social Justice and the Curriculum: Equity, Culture & Social Justice in Education Division Technical Session 3
Page Count: 16
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--41802
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/41802
Download Count: 339

Paper Authors

biography

Kathryn O'Harra The University of Alabama

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Dr. Kathryn (Katie) O’Harra is an Assistant Professor spearheading a partner program in the College of Engineering and Honors College: Engineering Positive and Intentional Change (EPIC). Katie possesses a distinctively creative and technical background, with educational and experiential investment in the arts and engineering. In addition to her passions for teaching, collaborative problem solving, and educational outreach, O’Harra enjoys the balance provided by her creative outlets including ballet and ballroom, painting, sewing, and baking. Katie is thrilled to contribute and merge her skills in the Honors College, as she works to develop STEAM-themed transdisciplinary courses and innovative programs. Katie serves as a mentor to undergraduates in the EPIC Scholars Program, which aligns with her teaching philosophy and focuses on developing DEI advocates and fostering well-rounded, diversified scholars, with an appreciation for the intersection of culture, humanities, and engineering.

Dr. O’Harra completed B.S., M.S., and PhD in degrees in Chemical Engineering, alongside a B.A. in Dance with a Mathematics Minor, from the University of Alabama. Katie has published over 30 peer-reviewed journal articles, presented her research at numerous national and international conferences, contributed as an inventor on several US patent applications, and gained teaching experience to support her pursuits in academia. Her research focused on the design of high-performance ionic materials for membrane-based gas separations and additive manufacturing applications. Her interest in materials science and polymers has influenced her transdisciplinary course offerings including The Chemistry of Baking and Art and Science seminars. Her technical experience pertaining to environmental and energy sectors, in addition to her leadership experience and DEI advocacy, serves as the foundation for her work with EPIC. Katie is excited to be a part of the development of this unique program which will provide each yearly cohort with the resources to be active agents of change in their future workplaces with an understanding of how engineering disciplines are intertwined with environmental responsibility, society, energy, resources, policy, empathy, & humanity.

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Abstract

This work introduces and summarizes a pioneering Engineering Honors program, Engineering Positive and Intentional Change (EPIC), launched jointly by the University of Alabama (UA) Honors College and College of Engineering in 2021. EPIC is an Honors minor for Engineering/Computer Science undergraduates, which focuses on developing Diversity-Equity-Inclusion (DEI) advocates and fostering well-rounded, ethical scholars, with an appreciation for the intersection of culture, humanities, and engineering. This transdisciplinary program will provide the yearly cohort with the resources to be active agents of change in their future workplaces, with an understanding of how engineering disciplines are intertwined with concepts including: environmental responsibility, equitable access (i.e., technology, education, healthcare, food, and housing security), energy and resource stewardship, engineering ethics and policy, empathy for humanity, allyship, and social justice. The inaugural cohort in this first-of-its-kind partner program drew applicants with a wide array of experiences and backgrounds, and generated one of the most diverse groups of students under the engineering or honors divisions here at UA, supporting a majority of scholars from and allies of conventionally underrepresented or marginalized groups in STEM. Here, the EPIC program framework and design will be detailed, including the student learning objectives for each stage, general curriculum flow and seminar requirements, courses complementary to the vision, and distinctive professional opportunities and social support provided by the EPIC Scholars Program. Information related to application and participation in the EPIC program will be discussed, including the points of emphasis in the requested applicant essays, the process of committee review, and acceptance process for each annual EPIC cohort (limited annual admission). There were no demographic or socioeconomic specifications required for acceptance into each cohort to avoid exclusivity, beyond the general admission requirements of the Honors College, although the EPIC vision has naturally garnered interest from student applicants representing all engineering and computer science disciplines offered at UA. This report will consider the formulative stage of the program, discussing initial observations, key discussion topics, relevant driving forces, and curricular strategies established during EPIC Year One. The first-year pilot of this program will be placed in the context of full and future implementation, highlighting the EPIC mission and themed progression planned, as program development continues over the next four years.

Citation
Format

O'Harra, K. (2022, August), Design, develop, launch: the making of an innovative Honors Minor program focused on “Engineering Positive and Intentional Change" Paper presented at 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Minneapolis, MN. 10.18260/1-2--41802

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - This work introduces and summarizes a pioneering Engineering Honors program, Engineering Positive and Intentional Change (EPIC), launched jointly by the University of Alabama (UA) Honors College and College of Engineering in 2021. EPIC is an Honors minor for Engineering/Computer Science undergraduates, which focuses on developing Diversity-Equity-Inclusion (DEI) advocates and fostering well-rounded, ethical scholars, with an appreciation for the intersection of culture, humanities, and engineering. This transdisciplinary program will provide the yearly cohort with the resources to be active agents of change in their future workplaces, with an understanding of how engineering disciplines are intertwined with concepts including: environmental responsibility, equitable access (i.e., technology, education, healthcare, food, and housing security), energy and resource stewardship, engineering ethics and policy, empathy for humanity, allyship, and social justice. The inaugural cohort in this first-of-its-kind partner program drew applicants with a wide array of experiences and backgrounds, and generated one of the most diverse groups of students under the engineering or honors divisions here at UA, supporting a majority of scholars from and allies of conventionally underrepresented or marginalized groups in STEM. Here, the EPIC program framework and design will be detailed, including the student learning objectives for each stage, general curriculum flow and seminar requirements, courses complementary to the vision, and distinctive professional opportunities and social support provided by the EPIC Scholars Program. Information related to application and participation in the EPIC program will be discussed, including the points of emphasis in the requested applicant essays, the process of committee review, and acceptance process for each annual EPIC cohort (limited annual admission). There were no demographic or socioeconomic specifications required for acceptance into each cohort to avoid exclusivity, beyond the general admission requirements of the Honors College, although the EPIC vision has naturally garnered interest from student applicants representing all engineering and computer science disciplines offered at UA. This report will consider the formulative stage of the program, discussing initial observations, key discussion topics, relevant driving forces, and curricular strategies established during EPIC Year One. The first-year pilot of this program will be placed in the context of full and future implementation, highlighting the EPIC mission and themed progression planned, as program development continues over the next four years.
AU  - Kathryn O'Harra
CY  - Minneapolis, MN
DA  - 2022/08/23
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Design, develop, launch: the making of an innovative Honors Minor program focused on “Engineering Positive and Intentional Change"
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/41802
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--41802
ER  -