Montreal, Quebec, Canada
June 22, 2025
June 22, 2025
August 15, 2025
Design in Engineering Education Division (DEED) - Design Cognition and Self-Perception in Design
Design in Engineering Education Division (DEED)
Diversity
20
https://peer.asee.org/56547
Andrew L. Gillen is an Assistant Teaching Professor at Northeastern University in the First Year Engineering Program and an affiliate faculty member to Civil and Environmental Engineering. He earned his Ph.D. in Engineering Education from Virginia Tech and B.S. in Civil Engineering from Northeastern University.
Daniel Fisher is an Outpatient Therapist at Community Counseling of Bristol County. He earned his Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the Boston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis where he is currently pursuing his doctorate. He also earned his Bachelor’s/Master’s in Forensic Psychology from John Jay College (CUNY). His work experience spans multiple age groups and contexts, including time spent working in a correctional facility and youth residence programs.
This research paper details a collaboration between an engineering professor with a background in engineering education and a mental health counselor with a background in modern psychoanalysis and cognitive psychology. We discuss the implementation of a novel intervention for first-year engineering students around conscious and unconscious bias in engineering design. Beyond typical discussions of bias in engineering, we take the concept a step further to the root psychoanalytic mechanisms, taking a deep dive into concepts around the unconscious mind, and using these to structure our intervention activities. A qualitative study was conducted based on the results of a group activity where students articulated their thoughts within four psychologically derived categories around one of two design scenarios, aiming to build a better understanding of how student groups characterize their chosen engineering design scenarios within these categories. Lastly, we explore some conclusions and recommendations for practitioners looking to expand their engineering design curriculum by emphasizing the unconscious mind in direct and engaging ways.
Gillen, A. L., & Fisher, D. (2025, June), Exploring the Unconscious in Engineering Design Education: A Psychoanalytic Approach Paper presented at 2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition , Montreal, Quebec, Canada . https://peer.asee.org/56547
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