2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Board 431: Work in Progress: Fostering Team Science in an Engineering Education Research Team

Presented at NSF Grantees Poster Session

This poster displays results from a project supported by an NSF grant to enhance interdisciplinary collaboration in civil and environmental engineering education. In its second year, part of the project focused on improving team science competencies within the core research group. Key activities included workshops on collaborative writing and grant writing best practices. The team attended a Science of Team Science (SciTS) workshop to refine collaboration skills and responded to the Teaming Readiness Survey, which revealed strengths in valuing expertise but identified areas for improvement, such as role clarity and effective communication. In addition, the team responded to a Social Network Analysis Survey that showcased a growing network of research ties, indicating a robust collaborative environment, particularly among Principal Investigators. The preliminary results highlight a development in the team’s effectiveness and psychological safety ratings, fostering trust and collaboration. The social network evolved from professional to social connections, with new members gradually integrating into the team. The research team concludes that focusing on collaborative skills and effective communication strengthens interdisciplinary collaboration in the changing scientific landscape.

Authors

Dr. Rodolfo Valdes-Vasquez http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6971-1885 Colorado State University [biography]

Dr. Rodolfo Valdes-Vasquez is an Associate Professor and Graduate Program Coordinator in the Department of Construction Management at Colorado State University. His research, teaching, and engagement align with sustainable design and construction topics. He has received grant funding from federal and state agencies and private organizations. Rodolfo has taught multiple courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and he is well-versed in the scholarship of teaching. His efforts in leading the Sustainable Buildings program were recognized with the 2019 Award for Excellence in Education Abroad Curriculum Design. He has also worked as a construction project engineer, consultant, and safety inspector. He believes educating the next generation of professionals will be pivotal in sustainability standard practices.

Regarding engagement, Dr. Valdes-Vasquez has served as the USGBC student club's adviser and the ASC Sustainability Team's faculty coach since 2013. He is a CSU President's Sustainability Commission member, among multiple other committees. In addition, he is involved with various professional organizations at the national level, including the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), the Associated School of Constructions (ASC), the Construction Research Congress (CRC), and the Center for Infrastructure Transformation and Education (CIT-E). At the international level, he is the Associate Editor for the ASC International Journal of Construction Education and Research and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Journal of Construction Engineering Management. He collaborates with faculty members in Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama, and Spain.
Dr. Kristen L. Sanford P.E. http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7115-0119 Lafayette College [biography]

Dr. Kristen Sanford is an associate professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Lafayette College. Her expertise is in sustainable civil infrastructure management and transportation systems, and transportation engineering education. She teaches a
Dr. Frederick Paige http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3380-6444 Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University [biography]

Dr. Frederick (â€œFreddyâ€) Paige is the Assistant Director of the Virginia Center for Housing Research and an Assistant Professor at Virginia Tech in the Vecellio Construction Engineering and Management Program. Dr. Paigeâ€™s main scholarship goal is to
Dr. Philip J. Parker P.E. University of Wisconsin, Platteville [biography]

Philip Parker, Ph.D., P.E., is Program Coordinator for the Environmental Engineering program at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. He is co-author of the textbook "Introduction to Infrastructure" published in 2012 by Wiley. He has helped lead the

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