2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

An Analysis of the Impacts of Imposter Syndrome on Engineering Students

Presented at Student Division (STDT) Technical Session 4

This study, led by undergraduate engineering researchers, examines how imposter syndrome changes across students’ academic careers and identifies events that increase or decrease imposter syndrome levels.

Imposter syndrome is characterized by persistent self doubt and fear of being exposed as a fraud despite objective evidence of success. Prior research has linked imposter syndrome to decreases in self-efficacy, psychological well-being, and student retention in demanding academic environments. Within engineering programs, competitive grading structures and heavy workloads may exacerbate these feelings, particularly for students navigating additional structural barriers such as gender and socioeconomic status. For this reason, this study was conducted on third- and fourth- year engineering students at Louisiana Tech University enrolled in a National Science Foundation (NSF) program meeting eligibility criteria based on demonstrated financial need. This group was compared to third- and fourth year engineering students from Louisiana Tech University not enrolled in the program. Quantitative data was collected using the Clance Imposter Phenomenon Scale (CIPS), which measures dimensions of imposter syndrome such as fear of failure and discounting success. Group differences were analyzed using independent-samples statistical tests to examine variation across program participation. Qualitative data was collected through open-ended survey responses to determine how students interpret their academic experiences and attribute success or failure to imposter syndrome each academic year.

By integrating quantitative and qualitative approaches, this study aims to better understand how imposter syndrome manifests among financially and socially supported students, and to identify features that may support student confidence and persistence in engineering.

Authors

Ashtyne Klair Monceaux Louisiana Tech University [biography]

Ashtyne Monceaux, from Crowley, Louisiana, is a fourth-year undergraduate student at Louisiana Tech University, currently pursuing a Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering. Ashtyne's involvement with her university's own NSF S-STEM Success Scholars Program led to her research in engineering education. At Louisiana Tech, Ashtyne is the Past President of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) student chapter, the past Vice President of the Tau Beta Pi honor society, and an ambassador for the College of Engineering and Science.
Caroline Cresap http://orcid.org/0009-0001-8136-0280 Louisiana Tech University [biography]

Caroline Cresap is a fourth-year chemical engineering major. She is a Louisiana Tech University College of Engineering and Science SUCCESS Scholar with Ashtyne Monceaux, and president of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) and Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK). In addition to her research in engineering education, she is an undergraduate researcher in Dr. Yang Xiao's Reaction Engineering and Catalysis Science Laboratory at Louisiana Tech University.
Mrs. Ashton Garner Ward Louisiana Tech University [biography]

Ashton Ward is an Engineering Education Ph.D. student researching students' perceived value of course content. She has five years of industry experience working as an Electrical Design Engineer. She holds a master’s degree in electrical engineering and has an active professional engineering license in the state of Louisiana.
Dr. Krystal Corbett Cruse Louisiana Tech University [biography]

Dr. Krystal Corbett Cruse is the First-Year Engineering Programs Coordinator and Assistant Professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Louisiana Tech University. She is also the Director of the Office for Women in Science and Engineering at Louisiana Tech.
Jeremy Kahmye Beaner Louisiana Tech University

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