2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Engineering education often emphasizes structured problem-solving and well-defined procedures, which can limit students’ ability to operate effectively under ambiguity and constraint. Traditional project experiences, typically grounded in familiar, Earth-based contexts, rarely expose students to the uncertainty and systems-level complexity characteristic of real-world innovation. To address this gap, this study implemented a semester-long lunar construction project within an undergraduate Construction Project Management course. Students assumed the role of design-build contractors tasked with developing feasible solutions to lunar construction challenges, including dust mitigation, radiation shielding, and thermal control. The project was intentionally designed to operationalize the entrepreneurial mindset through the Curiosity, Connections, and Creating Value framework. Student outcomes were examined using a mixed-methods approach, combining pre–post self-reported confidence surveys (n = 15), rubric-based evaluation of project deliverables, and thematic analysis of written reflections. Quantitative results revealed statistically significant gains across all measured outcomes, with large effect sizes observed for applying engineering knowledge to unfamiliar contexts, using project management tools, developing solutions under uncertainty, and reasoning about tradeoffs. Qualitative findings indicated increased exploratory thinking, systems-level integration, and value-oriented decision-making. Together, the results suggest that frontier engineering contexts such as lunar construction can serve as effective platforms for supporting confidence and behaviors aligned with entrepreneurial-minded learning within core engineering coursework. The semester-long project was implemented in a required undergraduate Construction Project Management course enrolling 18 students. By embedding ambiguity, constraint, and feasibility-driven reasoning into required technical deliverables, the project supported both technical learning and confidence aligned with entrepreneurial mindset dimensions without reducing disciplinary rigor.