2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authentic STEM Research Experience for Preservice Teachers on Industries of the Future Research

Presented at Engineering Technology Division (ETD) Technical Session 7

This paper reports a summary of three years’ experience from our implementation of the NSF project titled “Industries of the Future Research Experience for Preservice Teachers in STEM Settings.” The original goal of the project was to host 10 high school preservice teachers each summer to participate in Industries of the Future (IotF) research fields and then convert their experience into high school curriculum. IotF topics include artificial intelligence (AI), quantum information science (QIS), advanced manufacturing, advanced communications, and biotechnology. This six-week program sought to advance future educators’ knowledge of concepts in IotF as a means of enriching high school curriculums defined in the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) standard. In summer 2023, the first cohort of 8 preservice teachers (PST) from the UH teachHOUSTON (tH) PST program participated in the RE-PST program at UH Cullen College of Engineering (CCOE). In summer 2024, the second cohort also had 8 PSTs. In summer 2025, the third cohort successfully recruited 16 PSTs. In total, 32 PSTs participated in authentic STEM Research on Industries of the Future research topics. Compared to the first two years, the research mentors were more experienced in assigning research topics and working more closely with PSTs in the last year of the program. This paper provides details on the commonality and changes in the third year’s implementation, based on the experience obtained from the first two years. Besides lab research, PSTs also participate in workshops, field trips, and lesson plan counseling. Evaluation assesses the knowledge gains, knowledge transfer to lesson plans, impact of lab research, and impact of support activities. The research results show that participants have improved their average knowledge gains and knowledge transfer, and the summer experience will positively impact their future career. Overall, PST participants reported more positive experience with their mentors in the last cohort.

Authors

Prof. Weihang Zhu University of Houston - COE [biography]

Weihang Zhu is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering Technology, University of Houston, USA since 2018. He was a Professor of Industrial Engineering at Lamar University from 2005 to 2018. He received his Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from North Carolina State University (2003), USA and his M.S. (2000) and B.S. (1997) in Mechanical and
Dr. Tomika W. Greer University of Houston - COE [biography]

Dr. Tomika W. Greer uses critical HRD (human resource development) frameworks to conduct research related to postsecondary education/learning, job transitions, remote work, and work-life integration with a focus on helping women and marginalized groups manage and develop thriving and sustainable careers.
Dr. Paige Evans http://orcid.org/https://0000-0001-7175-0931 University of Houston [biography]

Dr. Paige K. Evans is a Clinical Professor in the department of Mathematics at the University of Houston (UH) and the Associate Director of the teachHOUSTON program where she works with preservice secondary STEM teachers to teach innovative lessons as wel
Ramona Mateer University of Houston

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