Virginia Tech Engineering Education

Engineering education is full of obstacles and opportunities that spark a range of emotions — yet conversations about student support often ignore the emotional realities of undergraduate engineering. Malini Josiam,?Jazmin Jurkiewicz,?and?Walter Lee’s latest research article, “Working towards emotionally responsive student support: an exploration of the emotions that surface when navigating undergraduate engineering education," dives deeper into the emotions that students experience as they navigate their education. Through interviews with undergraduate engineering students, they found that: ?? Heavy course loads and marginalization often evoke emotionally uncomfortable experiences. ?? Interactions with peers and instructors can spark both positive and negative emotions. ?? Future career plans are a common source of emotional comfort. These insights highlight the need for emotionally responsive student support — recognizing the need to respond to challenges students face alongside the full range of emotions that shape their journeys. Read the full article below!

Check out the latest article written by Olivia Ryan, Susan Sajadi, Sergio Barrera, and Reza Tavakkoli, “Understanding the Effects of a Math Placement Exam on Calculus 1 Enrollment and Engineering Persistence.” This work examines the impact of the ALEKS placement exam on enrollment in Calculus 1 and student persistence, as well as assessing the effects of remedial math courses for students near the placement cutoff. Key Findings: ?? While placing in Pre-Calculus can hinder persistence, those who persist to Calculus 1 earn similar grades to their peers who started there. ?? Math readiness is an increasing challenge amid declining K-12 math scores; the findings highlight that a one-size-fits-all approach to math support does not meet students' diverse needs, emphasizing the need for more tailored interventions.

We are happily celebrating 20 years of impact, and there’s no better way to honor this milestone than by inviting our alumni to share their experiences and the lasting benefit this community has had on their lives and careers. “My graduate training gave me a diverse toolkit and the confidence to tackle challenges, big or small. It also sharpened my ability to bridge the gap between what industry expects from engineers and what academia prepares us for. This perspective has been instrumental in shaping my approach to projects and collaborations. What really made my experience unique, was the unwavering support from the department, particularly the faculty. They are genuinely committed to helping align the program with your personal and professional goals.” - Bushra Chowdhury, Ph.D. 2017, AI/ML Practice Lead at Dexian IT Solutions “The program provided me with the skills and knowledge to ask and answer critical research questions. It empowered me to raise awareness of the community college route as a crucial means of making engineering degrees more accessible and equitable. This degree has not only advanced my career but also allowed me to make meaningful contributions to a field I care deeply about.” - Amy Richardson, Ph.D. 2023, Research Scientist, Virginia Tech Thank you Bushra and Amy for sharing your experiences and being a part of our community. We’re excited to continue growing together! ??

We're happy to announce that Sarah L. Rodriguez has been appointed as the Scholar in Residence for the Virginia Tech Center for Rural Education! We look forward to seeing the positive impacts you'll continue making. Read Sarah's article below to learn more about her journey! Congratulations ??

We're updating the job profiles that we show students who are taking the Virginia Tech Engineering Education first-year general engineering courses! If you're an engineering alum, it would be great if you could take a few short minutes to fill out this short survey and let us know what you're doing now so we can share the breadth of jobs out there! We'll compile this info into brief slides that we'll show at the beginning of some of our classes throughout the semester. https://lnkd.in/gAsgKZNy

Our approach to global AI ethics - data-driven and cross-cultural I didn't know they were gonna film this, but I'm glad I wore that shirt :) "Towards a culturally responsive approach to global AI ethics" by Qin Zhu, Subho Majumdar, PhD, and me. Background: Approaches to AI ethics are culturally biased, since they are grounded in values, principles, and frameworks that fail to represent the diversity of global populations. BUT attempts to debias AI are unlikely to be successful, since they are based on incorrect psychological assumptions about how people think about and behave regarding AI and ethics. Solution: RATHER a culturally responsive, psychologically realist approach to the advancement and adoption of AI in global contexts is needed. This depends on understanding how people from diverse backgrounds think about issues of right and wrong and behave (psychologically realist), and how culture affects these judgments and behaviors (culturally responsive), using empirical insights and methodologies from the behavioral and social sciences. Thanks Virginia Tech, Virginia Tech College of Engineering, Virginia Tech Engineering Education! At the Beyond Compliance 2024 - Workshop "Research Ethics in the Digital Age #global #ai #ethics #aiethics #responsible #responsibleai #culture #moral #psychology #weird #bias

We are happily celebrating 20 years of impact, and there’s no better way to honor this milestone than by inviting our alumni to share their experiences and the lasting benefit this community has had on their lives and careers. “I received tremendous support as a graduate student particularly in preparing for my career after graduate school. I truly believe that reaching this point in my career would have been much more challenging without the support and connections I’ve gained along the way.” - Julia Brisbane, Ph.D. 2024, Postdoctoral Fellow, Georgia Institute of Technology “What stands out to me the most about Virginia Tech Engineering Education is the breadth of opportunities available. I was able to work on exciting projects and even contribute to publications/presentations right from the start. I also felt that my advisor and mentors were genuinely invested in my success and development.” - Andrew Gillen, Ph.D. 2019, Assistant Teaching Professor, Northeastern University Thank you Julie and Andrew for sharing your experiences and being a part of our community. We’re excited to continue growing together! ??

HITT Contracting Inc. recently celebrated the groundbreaking of its new 270,000-square-foot headquarters near Washington, D.C., marking a significant milestone for sustainability, collaboration, and innovation. Designed by Gensler, this state-of-the-art facility aims to become a global benchmark for smart construction. ?? Project Highlights: ? Sustainability & Net-Zero Goals – Targeting LEED Platinum certification, powered entirely by a 100,000-square-foot solar canopy, wind turbines, and innovative energy solutions achieving net-zero energy and carbon neutrality. ? Academic Collaboration – Partnering with Virginia Tech's Coalition for Smart Construction, the facility will host a dedicated R&D hub addressing industry challenges like labor shortages, sustainable materials, and construction innovation. ? Transit-Oriented Development – Strategically located near the West Falls Church Metro station, offering sustainable transit options for over 900 local team members. ?? Kimberly Roy, CEO, HITT Contracting: "As we break ground on our new headquarters, we're laying the foundation for innovation, progress, and collaboration." ?? Learn more about this innovative project: [https://lnkd.in/grgCXZFi] #ProjectSpotlight #SustainableConstruction #SmartConstruction #HITT #VirginiaTech #LEEDPlatinum #Innovation

We are excited to share that Andres Nieto-Leal has passed the preliminary exam! He is advised by Diana Bairaktarova and committee members Susan Sajadi, Juan David Ortega álvarez, Inês Direito, and Nadia Kellam. Congratulations!

As we celebrate our 20th anniversary, we are thrilled to announce the launch of our Academy of Distinguished Alumni in Engineering Education! Through this academy, we aim to honor those who have exemplified excellence, success, and are beacons of inspiration. We look forward to naming our first Distinguished Alumni and are excited to continue recognizing those who have made lasting impacts on students, faculty, and society. We invite you to join us in this celebration by nominating an outstanding individual today! For more details and to submit your nomination, visit ?? https://bit.ly/4kp3dGW Here’s to honoring the past, inspiring the future, and continuing to shape the future of engineering education!