2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Developing a Research and Mentoring Training Tool for Minority Graduate Students in Engineering

Presented at Graduate Studies Division (GSD) Technical Session 4: Mentoring Programs in Graduate Education

Effective mentoring is critical to the success of graduate students; however, many mentors lack the skills and resources necessary to provide comprehensive support. To address this issue, the STAND model offers a framework for faculty mentors to guide and support their students through five main actions: setting expectations, providing training and education, activating and motivating, facilitating network development, and documenting and analyzing progress. In this paper, we synthesize the current literature on mentoring in graduate education, highlight the main actions of the STAND model, and discuss limitations and next steps. Our methodology includes a systematic review of graduate-level mentorship literature with a focus on identifying areas for improvement, particularly as it pertains to minority graduate students. To implement the STAND model effectively, faculty mentors must be educated and trained on its principles, and clear guidelines and expectations should be established. Ongoing evaluation and feedback are also essential. Our findings suggest that academic mentorship has traditionally focused on learning rather than career development or psychosocial needs, highlighting a gap that the STAND model aims to address. By implementing the STAND model, institutions have the potential to foster positive mentoring relationships and support the success of graduate students. We recommend that institutions prioritize effective mentoring strategies and incentivize the retention of diverse students to build a stronger and more inclusive community of scholars.

Authors

Ms. Nahndi Tirrell Kirk-Bradley http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7254-1955 Texas A&M University [biography]

Nahndi Kirk-Bradley hails from the sunny palmetto state of South Carolina. She graduated from North Carolina A&T State University with a Bachelor of Science in Biological Engineering with an emphasis in Bioprocess Engineering. She earned a Master of Science in Biological and Agricultural Engineering from Texas A&M University, where she studied post-harvest treatment technologies and integrated pest management. She is a first-year doctoral student at Texas A&M University, where she is continuing her master's degree work in post-harvest treatment technologies and integrated pest management. Nahndi specializes on managing storage pests like Callosobruchus maculatus, Sitophilus zeamais, and Tribolium castaneum via a revolutionary treatment approach called Atmospheric Cold Plasma.
Cara London Texas A&M University [biography]

Cara is a Ph.D. student in the Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department at Texas A&M University. Her research focuses on understanding shared patterns of cultural influence on engineering decisions. She is particularly interested in the integration of behavioral modeling into engineering design decisions and adoptability predictions of health preserving technologies, specifically, regarding rural and smallholder stakes.
Eldridge Raymond Jr. http://orcid.org/https://0000-0001-7307-7525 Texas A&M University [biography]

My name is Eldridge Raymond Jr., and I am an Interdisciplinary Engineering Department (ITDE) graduate student at Texas A&M University. I work for the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Keyport in Keyport, WA and I work as an Information Systems Security Officer (ISSO). I also recruit for NUWC Keyport and NAVSEA (Naval Sea System Command).

I believe that the next major conflict between countries will be conducted within the realm of cyberspace and the United States needs to be at the forefront of technology and have the ability to protect this nation from any attacks within cyberspace. In addition to currently working on my PhD focused on Autonomous Shipping and the Impacts on Agricultural Terrorism, I have a Master’s Degree in Systems Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School and my Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science. I am also CompTIA Security + Certified.

I am a military dependent and I was raised in numerous places (California, England, and Texas) but the majority of my upbringing was in Wichita Falls, TX. I am a graduate of S.H. Rider High School in Wichita Falls, TX. I have had internships and worked for companies such as Siemens Automation and Engineering, National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA) - Johnson Space Center (JSC), The Raytheon Company, The Boeing Company (Space Division), Alcatel, USA (Alcatel-Lucent) and the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA).

My professional goals consist of achieving the position of Senior Executive Service (SES) member within the Department of Defense (DoD). Afterwards, I would like to pursue either a research position at a national laboratory, think-tank, or board of directors and/or academia as a second career.

I am a certified scuba diver, I enjoyed skydiving, trying different foods/eating, traveling the world, live sporting events/comedy shows, attending events such as Homecoming at Prairie View A&M University, spending time with my family, friends, fraternity brothers, and love ones!
Dr. Janie M. Moore http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3138-9632 Texas A&M University [biography]

Dr. Janie McClurkin Moore is an Assistant Professor in the Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department at Texas A&M University in College Station. A native of Columbus, Ohio, she attended North Carolina A&T State University where she received a B.S. in Bio Environmental Engineering in 2006. She then began pursuing her graduate education at Purdue University in the Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department, completing her Ph.D. in 2015. Her primary research areas include 1) mycotoxin risk assessment and treatment in stored grains and 2) innovate instructional strategies for Biological and Agricultural Engineering students. She is also a Member of the Engineering Education Faculty, Institute for Engineering Education and Innovation, Food Science Graduate Faculty, and Multidisciplinary Engineering Graduate Faculty groups at Texas A&M University.

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