2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

A Year of IDPro: Lessons Learned

Presented at Multidisciplinary Engineering Division (MULTI) Technical Session 11

This Full Empirical Research Paper aims to showcase the findings from the first year of an interdisciplinary project-based learning course in the Department of Engineering Education at a large mid-Atlantic research university. Both literature and industry have expressed the need for undergraduate students to gain experience in interdisciplinary environments and prepare for their post-graduate careers, whether they aim to continue their education or enter the industry after completing their bachelor’s degree. Increasingly, all constituent groups cite advantages in beginning experiential learning early – in the first or second year of college. As such, this study answers the research question, How do students describe enrolling in a vertically integrated project-based learning class in terms of promoting growth and self-determination?

 The Interdisciplinary Projects course (IDPro) had over 80 students enrolled in the pilot year, which was offered at both the 2000 and 4000 levels for 1-3 credit hours. IDPro was designed to provide students with a team-based, interdisciplinary, vertically integrated, project-based learning experience before their degree-specific capstone. .

End-of-semester student feedback from 80 students was qualitatively coded in ATLAS.ti to understand the student experience in the course. Categorization of emergent themes was guided by Self-Determination Theory, which consists of basic needs around autonomy, relatedness, competence, and motivation. Themes included new soft and technical skills acquired by students, challenges faced, and growth throughout the course. Extrinsic and intrinsic motivators were also identified during the coding. Students described learning skills both independently and from peers, by persevering through challenges, and by working on real-world projects.

Keywords: Interdisciplinary, project-based learning, vertically integrated projects, undergraduate, industry partnerships, career readiness

Authors

Mr. Benjamin Edward Chaback http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3791-743X Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University [biography]

Benjamin (Ben) Chaback is a Ph.D. student in engineering education at Virginia Tech. He uses modeling and systems architecture to investigate undergraduate engineering education and is working towards creating sustainable systems for student success. Ben is a member of the American Society for Engineering Education, the Council on Undergraduate Research and is a facilitator for the Safe Zone Project and the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research. He is passionate about student success and finding ways to use research experiences to promote student growth, learning, and support.
Dr. Lisa D. McNair http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6654-2337 Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University [biography]

Lisa D. McNair is a Professor of Engineering Education at Virginia Tech, where she also serves as Deputy Executive Director of the Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology (ICAT).
Dr. David Gray http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0159-9150 Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University [biography]

Dr. Gray receieved his B.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Virginia Tech in 2000. He then earned a M.S. and a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from Virginia Tech in 2002 and 2010, respectively. Much of his graduate education focus
Dr. Mark Vincent Huerta http://orcid.org/https:// 0000-0003-2962-0724 Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University [biography]

Dr. Huerta is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Engineering Education at Virginia Tech. He earned his PhD in Engineering Education Systems & Design at Arizona State University and has a BS/MS in Biomedical Engineering. His research group explores approaches to building positive and inclusive learning environments that support the professional growth of students and faculty within engineering education contexts. His research interests include graduate student mentorship, faculty development, mental health and well-being, teamwork and group dynamics, and the design of project-based learning classes.
Mr. Ernesto Adolfo Cuesta Alvear Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University [biography]

Ernesto Cuesta is a PhD student in the Engineering Education Department at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) in Blacksburg, VA. He holds a B.Sc. in Telecommunications Engineering and an M.S. in Project Management. Before beginning his doctoral studies, he spent eight years in the telecommunications industry, leading data-center swaps and managing large-scale network deployments. As a Graduate Teaching Assistant, he supports Virginia Tech’s interdisciplinary IDPro course, mentoring students through project-based learning and facilitating teamwork across engineering disciplines. His research interests center on student motivation in experiential learning environments and interdisciplinary collaboration in engineering education.
Atlas Vernier Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University [biography]

Atlas Vernier is an interdisciplinary leader, researcher, and innovator at Virginia Tech. As a technologist in the Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology, Atlas specializes in immersive audiovisual environments, emerging modalities of data collection, and large-scale systems integrations for humans and technology. Having completed dual undergraduate degrees in systems engineering and foreign languages, they are now a graduate student in the Grado Department of Industrial & Systems Engineering with a concentration in Human Factors Engineering & Ergonomics.

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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