2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Board 2A: WIP:Opportunities in Cultural Dimensions between Architecture and Civil Engineering students in Ecuador

Presented at Architectural Engineering Division (ARCHE) Poster Session

Designing infrastructure demands architects and civil engineers to converge into an effective workflow in the real world. However, this type of collaboration is almost non-existent in most academic settings. In fact, students are taught different approaches to design and problem-solving which can translate into issues and delays at work. As a result, the purpose of this study is to explore how architecture and civil engineering students perceive different dimensions associated with culture. We are applying Hofstede’s theory of dimensions of national cultures to measure students’ perceptions on individualism, power distance, uncertainty avoidance, masculinity and long-term orientation. We collected data from 252 students (110 during the Fall 2021, and 142 during Fall 2022) in Ecuador at Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ. Before administering the online survey, it was translated into Spanish and was reviewed by several native Spanish speakers. The results provide insight into the prevalent differences between the fields of architecture and civil engineering. We discuss the possible factors driving these differences and explore the avenues academia could take to reduce barriers for cooperation. Implications for research and practice are provided.

Authors

Daniel Cartuche
victor R viteri
Dr. Miguel Andres Guerra http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7496-3753 Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ [biography]

MiguelAndres is an Assistant Professor in the Polytechnic College of Science and Engineering at Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ. He holds a BS in Civil Engineering from USFQ, a M.Sc. in Civil Engineering in Construction Engineering and Project Management from Iowa State University, a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering with emphasis in Sustainable Construction from Virginia Tech, and two Graduate Certificates from Virginia Tech in Engineering Education and Future Professoriate and from USFQ in Structures for Construction Professionals. MiguelAndres’s research includes Architectural and Civil Engineering Project Management, Sustainable and Resilient Urban Infrastructure, and the development of engineers who not only have strong technical and practical knowledge but the social awareness and agency to address global humanitarian, environmental, and social justice challenges. For him, social justice is a concept that should always be involved in discussions on infrastructure. Related to STEM education, Miguel Andres develops disruptive pedagogies for STEM courses as a tool for innovation, and assessing engineering students’ agency to address climate change. Currently, MiguelAndres is working on a framework to support and conduct undergraduate research.
Dr. Homero Murzi http://orcid.org/https://0000-0003-3849-2947 Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

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