Professional Skills to Support Interdisciplinary Work: Lessons Learned from a Successful Collaboration between Universities, Training Programs, and Professional Societies
- Conference
- Location
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Portland, Oregon
- Publication Date
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June 23, 2024
- Start Date
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June 23, 2024
- End Date
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July 12, 2024
- Conference Session
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Continuing Professional Development Division (CPD) Technical Session 1
- Tagged Divisions
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Continuing, Professional, and and Online Education Division (CPOED)
- Permanent URL
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https://peer.asee.org/47879
Paper Authors
Katy Luchini-Colbry Michigan State University
Katy Luchini-Colbry is the Assistant Dean for Graduate Student Services at the College of Engineering at Michigan State University, where she completed degrees in political theory and computer science. A recipient of a NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, she earned Ph.D. and M.S.E. in computer science and engineering from the University of Michigan. She has published dozens of peer-reviewed works related to her interests in engineering education and graduate student success. Luchini-Colbry is also Co-Director of the national CyberAmbassadors training project and Director of the Engineering Futures Program of Tau Beta Pi, the Engineering Honor Society, which provides interactive seminars on interpersonal communications and problem solving skills. The CyberAmbassadors and Engineering Futures Programs includes a national network of volunteer facilitators who conduct hundreds of sessions serving thousands of STEM students and professionals each year.
Dirk Joel-Luchini Colbry Michigan State University
Dr. Dirk Colbry is a faculty member in the Department of Computational Mathematics, Science and Engineering (CMSE) at Michigan State University. Dr. Colbry earned his Ph.D. in Computer Science and his principle areas of research include scientific image understanding and high performance computing.
Abstract
In 2017, Michigan State University was awarded an NSF (National Science Foundation) workforce training grant to build a professional skills curriculum for students and practitioners in STEM (science, technology, engineering, math). The curriculum provided free training in communication, teamwork, and leadership skills in the context of interdisciplinary STEM research and practice. The project had three overarching goals: develop new curriculum; test and revise the materials with at least 75 participants; and implement a “train the trainers” program to prepare at least 20 volunteers to use the new curriculum to provide professional skills trainings for their own campuses, employers, and communities.
The initial three-year project was extended across six years due to pandemic-related delays, but the team pivoted to adapt the curriculum for interactive, online, synchronous trainings that were very well received. Once in-person activities resumed, additional facilitators were trained and the program was adopted by other institutions and organizations to provide professional skills training to their own audiences. Nearly 11,000 participant trainings were completed in the first six years of the project, with help from 120 volunteers trained as program facilitators, and several organizations have stepped in to provide ongoing support to continue the training program after the NSF funding ended.
This paper reflects on the lessons learned over the first six years of this project, documenting both the challenges that had to be overcome and the collaborations that led to the success of this workforce training effort. Specific suggestions are offered for building collaborations with individuals, public institutions, and private organizations to create sustainable professional development programs for STEM audiences.
Luchini-Colbry, K., & Colbry, D. J. (2024, June), Professional Skills to Support Interdisciplinary Work: Lessons Learned from a Successful Collaboration between Universities, Training Programs, and Professional Societies Paper presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon. https://peer.asee.org/47879
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