2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

WIP Exploring the Interplay Between Social Identities and Engineering Identity Formation

Presented at Identity, Experiences, and Perceptions (Equity, Culture & Social Justice in Education Division ECSJ Technical Session 2)

This work-in-progress study investigates how do first-year college students reflect on their engineering/computing identity in light of other social identities. Our study is guided by an integrated identity framework that includes engineering identity dimensions and multiple dimensions of identity model that frames identity as dynamic and fluid. We conducted semi-structure interviews with 17 students who are part of the S-STEM program, are low-income, and high achieving students at a research-intensive, Minority Serving Institution. However, for this work-in-progress paper, we focused on 5 students who are first-generation college students, low-income, and high achieving. Our preliminary findings include evidence that family and community (i.e. S-STEM community) propel students’ engineering journey and impact their identity development. The findings also document that access (or lack of therefore) to resources and support informs the way students identify as engineers. These findings have implications for academic support programs for low-income, first-generation college students that aim to support their engineering identity development.

Authors

Dr. Renata A Revelo The University of Illinois at Chicago [biography]

Renata A. Revelo is a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Illinois, Chicago in the department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Her research focuses on shifting the culture of engineering via the study of engineering identity and the study of curricular change.
Melissa Espindola University of Illinois at Chicago
Dr. Betul Bilgin University of Illinois at Chicago [biography]

Betul Bilgin is a Clinical Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). With a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Michigan State University, Dr. Bilgin has extensive experience in both biotechnology research and engineering education. Since joining UIC, she has developed and taught various undergraduate courses, integrating innovative teaching methods and industry-relevant content to enhance student learning and engagement.

Dr. Bilgin's research focuses on engineering education, particularly in fostering professional identity among engineering students and integrating data science into the chemical engineering curriculum. She has received multiple awards for her contributions to teaching and mentoring, including the ASEE Ray Fahien Award and the UIC COE Harold Simon Award. Dr. Bilgin is also actively involved in professional service, currently serving as the Director of the Chemical Engineering Division for ASEE and participating in various initiatives to improve engineering education and student success.
Prof. Houshang Darabi http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7881-6542 University of Illinois at Chicago [biography]

Dr. Houshang Darabi is a Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering in the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Dr. Darabi’s research focuses on the use of Big Data, process mining, data mining, Operations Research, high performance computing, and visualization in improving educational systems and students’ learning. Dr. Darabi’s research has been funded by federal and corporate sponsors including the National Science Foundation, and the National Institute of Occupational Health and Safety.

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