Implementing Structured Mentorship to Broaden Participation of Underrepresented Minorities in Aerospace Engineering

Carl Anthony Moore; Chiang Shih

Download Paper | Permalink

Conference: 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Baltimore , Maryland
Publication Date: June 25, 2023
Start Date: June 25, 2023
End Date: June 28, 2023
Conference Session: Mentorship, Retention, Minority Participation, and Examining the Experiences of Women
Tagged Division: Minorities in Engineering Division(MIND)
Tagged Topic: Diversity
Page Count: 13
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--42286
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/42286
Download Count: 241

Paper Authors

biography

Carl Anthony Moore Jr. Florida A&M University - Florida State University

visit author page

Carl A. Moore Jr. is an associate professor at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering. He earned his B.S. in mechanical engineering from Howard University and his M.S. and Ph.D. from Northwestern University. Before entering graduate school, Dr. Moore worked as a research engineer and manufacturing engineer for Eastman Kodak Company in the Copy Products and Single-Use Camera divisions. He also has professional research experience with Ford Motor Company's Interactive Conceptual Design and Applications lab. Dr. Moore was instrumental in developing cobots - a novel human-robot collaborative technology for applications requiring humans to work in physical contact with robots. His research interests include robot-based 3D printing, haptic interface design and control, and teleoperation. Through grants from NASA and NSF, Dr. Moore is preparing students for STEM-related fields and developing success strategies for undergraduate and graduate STEM majors. He is also a member of the NASA SMD Bridge Workshop Organizing Committee. Dr. Moore has published 22 papers in robotics, graduated 12 graduate students, and been awarded nearly $11.0 million as principal or co-principal investigator. In the classroom, Dr. Moore enjoys implementing nontraditional instructional methods, including flipped classroom learning. He and his wife have five children and live in Tallahassee, Florida.

visit author page

biography

Chiang Shih Florida A&M University - Florida State University

visit author page

Dr. Chiang Shih is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering Department, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Florida State University. He received his Ph.D. degree from the Aerospace Engineering Department at the University of Southern California in 1988.

visit author page

Download Paper | Permalink

Abstract

Traditionally, aerospace engineering disciplines are substantially underrepresented by African American, Hispanic, and female students. For example, Black and Hispanic American students collectively earn only 10.6%, 8.4%, and 6.4% of the BS, MS, and Ph.D.’s in aerospace engineering, respectively. They are among the lowest percentages of all major engineering disciplines, leading to underutilization of the talent pool in the aerospace industry. [NCSES 2021] To tackle this concern, a multi-institution coalition sponsored by NASA is established to engage underrepresented minorities in coordinated educational and professional development activities, including senior design projects, undergraduate research experiences, and career traineeship in aerospace-centric fields. The streamlined process of recruitment and project-based learning in collaboration with NASA and other aerospace professionals has shown to be effective in training the first cohort of undergraduate and graduate students during the first year of program implementation. During the summer of 2022, 6 NASA interns and 6 summer Research Experiences for Undergraduate (REU) students participated in the 10-week summer program with professional development (PD) program featuring project management, career planning, RCR training, self-reflection, and technical communication. Because research shows that STEM students cite positive mentoring experiences as the most crucial factor in their retention, we developed a structured and evidence-based mentoring program as a critical element to make the professional preparation process more robust and sustainable. The program contains 4 parts: an Individual Development Plan (IDP) uses self-assessment to explore career opportunities and identify developmental needs and priorities for the mentoring relationship. 2) A mentorship compact illuminates the dimensions of the working relationship to eliminate misunderstandings between the mentor and the mentee. 3) A mentoring map survey identifies sources to help the mentee achieve goals, and if necessary, shows where unmet needs will benefit from additional support. 4) Finally, a mentoring plan includes the tools and philosophy that guide the program for a group of mentors and mentees. In this paper, we discuss the design and implementation of the BP-AE mentoring program and show how we plan to expand and evaluate the program.

Citation
Format

Moore, C. A., & Shih, C. (2023, June), Implementing Structured Mentorship to Broaden Participation of Underrepresented Minorities in Aerospace Engineering Paper presented at 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Baltimore , Maryland. 10.18260/1-2--42286

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - Traditionally, aerospace engineering disciplines are substantially underrepresented by African American, Hispanic, and female students. For example, Black and Hispanic American students collectively earn only 10.6%, 8.4%, and 6.4% of the BS, MS, and Ph.D.’s in aerospace engineering, respectively. They are among the lowest percentages of all major engineering disciplines, leading to underutilization of the talent pool in the aerospace industry. [NCSES 2021] To tackle this concern, a multi-institution coalition sponsored by NASA is established to engage underrepresented minorities in coordinated educational and professional development activities, including senior design projects, undergraduate research experiences, and career traineeship in aerospace-centric fields. The streamlined process of recruitment and project-based learning in collaboration with NASA and other aerospace professionals has shown to be effective in training the first cohort of undergraduate and graduate students during the first year of program implementation. During the summer of 2022, 6 NASA interns and 6 summer Research Experiences for Undergraduate (REU) students participated in the 10-week summer program with professional development (PD) program featuring project management, career planning, RCR training, self-reflection, and technical communication. Because research shows that STEM students cite positive mentoring experiences as the most crucial factor in their retention, we developed a structured and evidence-based mentoring program as a critical element to make the professional preparation process more robust and sustainable. The program contains 4 parts: an Individual Development Plan (IDP) uses self-assessment to explore career opportunities and identify developmental needs and priorities for the mentoring relationship. 2) A mentorship compact illuminates the dimensions of the working relationship to eliminate misunderstandings between the mentor and the mentee. 3) A mentoring map survey identifies sources to help the mentee achieve goals, and if necessary, shows where unmet needs will benefit from additional support. 4) Finally, a mentoring plan includes the tools and philosophy that guide the program for a group of mentors and mentees. In this paper, we discuss the design and implementation of the BP-AE mentoring program and show how we plan to expand and evaluate the program.
AU  - Carl Anthony Moore Jr.
AU  - Chiang Shih
CY  - Baltimore , Maryland
DA  - 2023/06/25
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  -  Implementing Structured Mentorship to Broaden Participation of Underrepresented Minorities in Aerospace Engineering
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/42286
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--42286
ER  -