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1. Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS) High: Preliminary Findings Regarding Learning Outcomes for Underrepresented Students (Work in Progress, Diversity; Board 130)

   Ruth, Alissa; Spence, Tameka; Velez, Jennifer; Parker, Hope; Ganesh, Tirupalavanam G. (June 2018, ASEE annual conference & exposition proceedings)

   Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS) High utilizes human-centered design processes to teach high school students how to develop solutions to real-world problems within their communities. The goals of EPICS High are to utilize both principles from engineering and social entrepreneurship to engage high and middle school students as problem-solvers and spark interest in STEM careers. Recently, the Cisco corporate advised fund at the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, granted Arizona State University funds to expand EPICS High to underrepresented students and study the student outcomes from participation in this innovative program. In this exploratory study we combined qualitative methods—in person observations and informal interviews—along with pre and post surveys with high school students, to answer the questions: What skills do students gain and how does their mindset about engineering entrepreneurship develop through participation in EPICS High? Research took place in Title I schools (meaning they have a high number of students from low-income families) as well as non-Title I schools. Our preliminary results show that students made gains in the following areas: their attitudes toward engineering; ability to improve upon existing ideas; incorporating stakeholders; overcoming obstacles; social responsibility; and appreciation of multiple perspectives when solving engineering problems. While males have better baseline scores for most measures, females tend to have the most growth in many of these areas. We conclude that these initial measures show positive outcomes for students participating in EPICS High, and provide questions for further research. 

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2. BOARD # 286: NSF REU: Multidisciplinary Collaborative Undergraduate Research Experience: Impacts on Engineering and Technology

   https://doi.org/10.18260/1-2--55650  

   Sahoo, Avimanyu; Park, Haejun (June 2025, ASEE Conferences)

   Early involvement in engineering research has proven to be a highly effective way to inspire undergraduate students to pursue advanced studies or research-intensive careers. By engaging students in real-world, hands-on research projects, they not only sharpen their problem-solving skills but also develop the intellectual independence needed to tackle complex engineering challenges. These benefits are amplified when the research experience is multidisciplinary, allowing students to engage with topics beyond the confines of their chosen major. Moreover, participation in a collaborative cohort—where continual interactions and shared learning experiences occur—helps foster a sense of community and shared purpose, further enhancing the learning process. This paper presents the outcomes and impacts of a unique undergraduate research program conducted collaboratively between Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, and the University of Alabama in Huntsville. What sets this program apart is its fusion of engineering and engineering technology disciplines, its blend of applied and fundamental research, and its focus on multidisciplinary topics such as human safety, fire protection technology, mechanical engineering technology, electrical engineering, and artificial intelligence. The program engages students from sophomore to senior levels, offering them a chance to explore various research methodologies and work on projects that span multiple fields of engineering. This exposure helps them cultivate a comprehensive understanding of engineering systems and their real-world applications. In this paper, we will delve into the structure and activities of the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program, discussing its various components as well as the educational and research outcomes it has produced. A central theme of the program is its focus on multidisciplinary research, which ranges from technical fields such as fire protection and mechanical engineering technology to more advanced areas like electrical engineering and artificial intelligence. This breadth of topics ensures that students are equipped with a wide range of skills, from analytical problem-solving to creative thinking, as they learn to approach engineering challenges from multiple perspectives. Additionally, the program’s emphasis on cohort-building activities plays a crucial role in shaping the students’ experiences. By promoting collaboration among students from different disciplines, the program encourages the cross-pollination of ideas, mutual learning, and the development of soft skills such as communication, teamwork, and leadership. The interactions fostered within the cohort help students build a network of peers who share similar academic and career aspirations, strengthening their commitment to research and professional development. The paper will also present the results of both formative and summative assessments of the program, highlighting its impacts on student learning, skill development, and long-term career trajectories. By examining these outcomes, we demonstrate how this collaborative and multidisciplinary research program has successfully nurtured the next generation of independent researchers and engineering leaders, equipping them to meet the challenges of an increasingly complex and interconnected world. 

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3. Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS) in High Schools: Subtle but Potentially Important Student Gains Detected from Human-Centered Curriculum Design

   https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci9010035  

   Ruth, Alissa; Hackman, Joseph; Brewis, Alexandra; Spence, Tameka; Luchmun, Rachel; Velez, Jennifer; Ganesh, Tirupalavanam (March 2019, Education Sciences)

   A major goal in Engineering training in the U.S. is to continue to both grow and diversify the field. Project- and service-based forms of experiential, problem-based learning are often implemented with this as a goal, and Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS) High is one of the more well-regarded and widely implemented. Yet, the evidence based on if and how participation in such programs shapes student intentions and commitment to STEM pathways is currently limited, most especially for pre-college programming. This study asks: How do high school students’ engineering mindsets and their views of engineering/engineers change as they participate in project–service learning (as implemented through an EPICS High curriculum)? This study employed a mixed method design, combining pre- and post-test survey data that were collected from 259 matched students (63% minority, 43% women) enrolling in EPICS High (total of 536 completed pre-tests, 375 completed post-tests) alongside systematic ethnographic analysis of participant observation data conducted in the same 13 socioeconomically diverse schools over a two-year period. Statistical analyses showed that participants score highly on engineering-related concepts and attitudes at both pre- and post-test. These did not change significantly as a result of participation. However, we detected nuanced but potentially important changes in student perspectives and meaning, such as shifting perceptions of engineering and gaining key transversal skills. The value of participation to participants was connected to changes in the meaning of commitments to pursue engineering/STEM. 

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4. Experiences during the implementation of two different project-based learning assignments in a fluid mechanics course.

   Ayala, O. (August 2022, Zone 1 Conference of the American Society for Engineering Education)

   There is growing evidence of the effectiveness of project-based learning (PBL) in preparing students to solve complex problems. In PBL implementations in engineering, students are treated as professional engineers facing projects centered around real-world problems, including the complexity and uncertainty that influence such problems. Not only does this help students to analyze and solve an authentic real-world task, promoting critical thinking, but also students learn from each other, learning valuable communication and teamwork skills. Faculty play an important part by assuming non-conventional roles (e.g., client, senior professional engineer, consultant) to help students throughout this instructional and learning approach. Typically in PBLs, students work on projects over extended periods of time that culminate in realistic products or presentations. In order to be successful, students need to learn how to frame a problem, identify stakeholders and their requirements, design and select concepts, test them, and so on. Two different implementations of PBL projects in a fluid mechanics course are presented in this paper. This required, junior-level course has been taught since 2014 by the same instructor. The first PBL project presented is a complete design of pumped pipeline systems for a hypothetical plant. In the second project, engineering students partnered with pre-service teachers to design and teach an elementary school lesson on fluid mechanics concepts. With the PBL implementations, it is expected that students: 1) engage in a deeper learning process where concepts can be reemphasized, and students can realize applicability; 2) develop and practice teamwork skills; 3) learn and practice how to communicate effectively to peers and to those from other fields; and 4) increase their confidence working on open-ended situations and problems. The goal of this paper is to present the experiences of the authors with both PBL implementations. It explains how the projects were scaffolded through the entire semester, including how the sequence of course content was modified, how team dynamics were monitored, the faculty roles, and the end products and presentations. Students' experiences are also presented. To evaluate and compare students’ learning and satisfaction with the team experience between the two PBL implementations, a shortened version of the NCEES FE exam and the Comprehensive Assessment of Team Member Effectiveness (CATME) survey were utilized. Students completed the FE exam during the first week and then again during the last week of the semester in order to assess students’ growth in fluid mechanics knowledge. The CATME survey was completed mid-semester to help faculty identify and address problems within team dynamics, and at the end of the semester to evaluate individual students’ teamwork performance. The results showed that no major differences were observed in terms of the learned fluid mechanics content, however, the data showed interesting preliminary observations regarding teamwork satisfaction. Through reflective assignments (e.g., short answer reflections, focus groups), student perceptions of the PBL implementations are discussed in the paper. Finally, some of the challenges and lessons learned from implementing both projects multiple times, as well as access to some of the PBL course materials and assignments will be provided. 

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5. Does EPICS as a Pre-college Program Foster Engineering Identity Development as Correlated to Doing Engineering?

   https://doi.org/10.18260/1-2--34475  

   Ferrone, Ciera; Ganesh, Tirupalavanam; Velez, Jennifer; Collofello, James; Squires, Kyle (June 2020, 2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access)

   null (Ed.)

   Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS) is a middle and high school program, with a focus on the engineering design process and delivering real solutions to community partners. In order to evaluate the efficacy of the program, a pre-post test design was implemented to examine changes in attitudinal and behavioral measures. Pre-data were collected at the beginning of the school year, and paralleled the program’s registration process to ensure high response rates; post- data were then collected at the end of the school year. Demographic data demonstrate that of all 2018 - 2019 registered EPICS participants (N = 414), 41 percent were female; 66.6 percent were non-white; and 30 percent held first generation student status. Importantly, 68.5 percent of participants reported that neither parent or guardian is an engineer, and 65.7 percent of participants reported that they “definitely will attend” a four-year university. These data suggest that the current sample is ideal for evaluating EPICS as a pre-college engineering education program, because most participants are not experiencing engineering in the home and may be less susceptible to parental pressures for choosing engineering as a college major and potential career, but have salient intentions to attend college. In addition to collecting demographic information, participants completed a series of measures designed to capture attitudes and behaviors toward engineering as a potential career field. The main measures of interest include Engineering Identity and Doing Engineering. Engineering Identity scores reflect participants’ personal and professional identities as engineers; Doing Engineering scores indicate participants’ prior experience with engineering and its related technical skills. Baseline data on the sample reveal average engineering identities (M = 38.41, SD = 6.44, 95% CI [37.77, 39.05]). A series of t-tests was conducted to examine gender differences in these measures. Men reported significantly higher engineering identities (M = 37.65, SD = 6.58) compared to women (M = 39.54, SD = 6.09), t(360) = 2.95, p = .003, F = .037. Men reported stronger and more frequent experiences with engineering, indicated by their higher Doing Engineering scores (M = 13.75, SD = 5.16), compared to women (M = 15.31, SD = 4.69), t(368) = 3.13, p = .002, F = .003. Interestingly, first generation students reported higher engineering identities (M = 37.45, SD = 6.53) compared to non-first generation students (M = 39.66, SD = 5.99), t(375) = 3.46, p = .001, F = 1.39. To examine the relationship between Engineering Identity and Doing Engineering, a correlation analysis was conducted and a moderate, positive relationship emerged, such that as students’ experience with engineering increased, their engineering identities also increased (R = .463, p > .000). 

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