2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Overseas Team Building for Student Leaders in Academic Makerspaces

Presented at International Division (INTL): Cultivating Global Competencies

This practice paper discusses the design, implementation, and outcomes of an overseas team-building program organized by the [Innovation Center] at [Institution]. Established in December 2020, the center has actively supported Student-Initiated Interest Groups (SIGs) focused on technology exploration and development among undergraduate students. In the 2023-2024 academic year, the center had expanded to accommodate 22 active SIGs with over 300 student participants, fostering an interdisciplinary, project-based, hands-on learning culture within the [Institution].
Despite the growth of SIGs, several issues have surfaced. Primarily, silos exist among the SIGs, hindering effective interactions and collaboration. Additionally, some SIGs have started contending for resources, particularly project space, leading to escalated conflicts. Moreover, a redundancy in training topics among various SIGs for new members has been noted, resulting in duplicated workloads for newcomers.
In the 2024-25 academic year, we implemented an overseas team-building program for student leaders to address these challenges. Following the Tuckman Team Model, we introduced five incentives to boost engagement. The program aims to unite leaders into a cohesive ambassador team, enhancing their understanding of academic makerspaces' educational value. By immersing them in global makerspace activities, they learn best leadership practices to bring back and foster a collaborative culture within the [Innovation Center].
In September 2024, fourteen leaders representing seven SIGs took part in the pilot program. They engaged in ice-breaking activities to dismantle silos, brainstorming sessions to strategize how their SIGs could enhance the [Innovation Center], goal-setting discussions to define outcomes for their involvement in an overseas makerspace symposium, presentations to share their insights, and knowledge-sharing sessions to disseminate experiences and conclusions to other makerspace members.
Surveys and analysis of written reflections from the team leaders indicate that the overseas team-building program effectively dismantled silos, enhanced collaboration, and promoted personal growth among student leaders. These leaders showcased a shift in perspective when offering recommendations for the improvement of the [Innovation Center]. Comparing them with the 2023/24 cohort of leaders, these individuals displayed a more proactive approach to enhancing the overall functionality and effectiveness of the makerspace for one another, rather than solely focusing on the benefits of their individual SIGs.

Authors

Dr. Chun Kit Chui University of Hong Kong [biography]

Dr. Chun Kit Chui serves as the Director of the Tam Wing Fan Innovation Wing in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Hong Kong (HKU). The Innovation Wing aims to unleash students' creativity by entrusting them to spearhead ambitious innovation and technology projects that will shape the future. This iconic facility is situated at the heart of the campus, offering 2400m2 of space with state-of-the-art resources and a supportive environment to enhance hands-on and experiential learning for undergraduate students.

In addition to his role as Director, Dr. Chui holds the position of Assistant Dean (Teaching and Learning) in the Faculty of Engineering at HKU, responsible for driving curriculum reform and active learning activities. His research interests include database and data mining, as well as pedagogical research in engineering education.

Dr. Chui has been the recipient of several prestigious awards, including the University Distinguished Teaching Award (Individual Award) at the University of Hong Kong for the 2024-25 academic year, the University Outstanding Teaching Award (Individual Award) at the University of Hong Kong for the 2015-16 academic year, and the Faculty Outstanding Teaching Award (Individual Award) in the Faculty of Engineering for the 2023-24 and 2012-13 academic years. Additionally, he has been honoured with the Teaching Excellence Award in the Department of Computer Science for the academic years 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15, and 2015-16. Furthermore, he was a shortlisted candidate for the UGC Teaching Award (Early Career Faculty Member).
Dr. Match Wai Lun Ko http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1219-213X University of Hong Kong [biography]

Dr. Match Wai Lun Ko holds the position of Assistant Head of Department, Senior Lecturer and MSc(Eng) in Mechanical Engineering Programme Director in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, the University of Hong Kong. He is also fractionally appointed in Innovation Academy, Faculty of Engineering of HKU. Dr. Ko obtained his B.Eng and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Before joining HKU, he was an Assistant Professor in Nazarbayev University, Postdoctoral Fellow in the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Visiting Scholar in the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Visiting Professor and Scholar in the University of Warwick. Dr. Ko’s research focused on the engineering education, biomechanics, biomedical image processing, biomechanical properties characterization, finite element modeling, design and fabrication of related medical device to assist the clinicians to preform disease diagnosis and decision making regarding screening of disease and treatment management. Dr. Ko has been the recipient of several teaching awards, including the Faculty Outstanding Teaching Award (Individual Award) for 2019-20 academic year and Best Teacher Award for 2022-23 academic year at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Hong Kong.
Kei Yiu Mo University of Hong Kong [biography]

Mo Kei Yiu is a Senior Technical Assistant at the Tam Wing Fan Innovation Wing in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Hong Kong. He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from HKU in 2024 and is currently pursuing a taught postgraduate degree in the same field.

During his studies, Mo led the Design, Build and Fly team, where he oversaw the design, manufacturing, and testing of a scaled unmanned aerial vehicle. He has developed hands-on expertise in 3D printing, laser cutting and engraving, and 3D modeling.

Mo is committed to supporting innovative projects and creating a collaborative learning environment within the Innovation Wing, contributing to the growth of fellow students and the advancement of engineering education.
Chun Kit Chan University of Hong Kong [biography]

Ryan Chan Chun Kit is a Mechanical Engineer with a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Hong Kong. During his experience working in Tam Wing Fan Innovation Wing, Ryan has demoonstrated a diverse skillset and rich teaching experience in the field of engineering.

Throughout his academic journey, Ryan has excelled in various engineering projects and research endeavors. He has been actively involved in designing workshops on cutting-edge technologies such as embedded systems, ROS and IoT. Additionally, Ryan has led a undergraduate student research team on robotics, developing various types of smart robots.

Moreover, Ryan has been contributing to the community of Robotics through volunteer means. He has served as an Adviser for BREED and Nestspace at HKU, where he offers consultation and guidance on various projects. Ryan's technical proficiency includes 3D Printing, robotics, 3D modeling and mechanical machining.

With a passion for creating a better learning environment for fellow engineers, Ryan is dedicated to enhancing his skills and contributing to the advancement of mechanical engineering.
LEI YANG http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3284-4019 University of Hong Kong [biography]

Dr. Lei Yang is a lecturer of Innovation Academy of the Tam Wing Fan Innovation Wing under the Faculty of Engineering, The University of Hong Kong. Before that, he worked as a Research Officer at Centre of Transformative Garment Production from 2021 to 2023 and as a postdoctoral fellow at Department of Computer Science, The University of Hong Kong from 2018 to 2021. Dr. Yang received his Bachelor's degree and Ph.D. degree from Dalian University of Technology in 2012 and 2018, respectively. Dr. Yang's research interest includes Computer-Aided Design, Computer-Aided Engineering, and Geometry Modeling and Multimedia.
Tien-Hsuan Wu University of Hong Kong [biography]

Dr. Kevin Tien-Hsuan Wu is a Lecturer at the Tam Wing Fan Innovation Wing within the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Hong Kong. Prior to this role, he served as a Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Law and Technology Centre at HKU. Dr. Wu specializes in developing Natural Language Processing (NLP) applications and guiding student project development initiatives.

Note

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 22, 2025, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 25, 2025

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