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Investigating How Engineering Faculty’s Perceptions of Students are Influenced by Experience Level

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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

Student Division Technical Session 6: Belonging

Tagged Division

Student Division (STDT)

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/47689

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Paper Authors

biography

Emily Nicole Fitzpatrick University of Nebraska, Lincoln

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Emily is an undergraduate student researcher focused on engineering education in the Mechanical & Materials Engineering department at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

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biography

Chloe Faith Mann University of Nebraska, Lincoln

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Chloe is an undergraduate student researcher on engineering education in the Civil Engineering department at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln

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biography

Jessica Deters University of Nebraska, Lincoln Orcid 16x16 orcid.org/0000-0001-8766-9548

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Dr. Jessica Deters is an Assistant Professor of Mechanical and Materials Engineering and Discipline Based Education Researcher at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln. She holds her Ph.D. in Engineering Education and M.S. in Systems Engineering from Virginia Tech.

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Abstract

The field of engineering, traditionally dominated by homogenous groups, is undergoing a transformative shift towards embracing diversity and inclusion. As institutions aim to diversify their student bodies, it is imperative to understand the multifaceted experiences of students from underrepresented backgrounds, particularly those students who are the first in their family to pursue a college degree. Moreover, examining the experiences of students at different academic stages provides a nuanced understanding of the evolving challenges and opportunities faced by first-generation students in engineering. Comparing and contrasting these viewpoints can empower institutions to foster an environment that is truly inclusive from start to finish. This paper is a subset of a project focused on investigating minoritized engineering undergraduate students at a large, public, land-grant university in the Midwest. Through detailed, hour-long, semi-structured interviews, participants shared their experiences as minoritized engineering students, especially as their experiences relate to their own mental health. This paper specifically explores the narratives of two participants, illustrating the contrast in perspectives of a first-year and fourth-year first-generation student. This paper underscores the importance of continual dialogue with first-generation students, emphasizing that true inclusivity in engineering education extends beyond mere integration; it demands sustained understanding and unwavering support.

Fitzpatrick, E. N., & Mann, C. F., & Deters, J. (2024, June), Investigating How Engineering Faculty’s Perceptions of Students are Influenced by Experience Level Paper presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon. https://peer.asee.org/47689

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