2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Cultivating Neuroadaptive Learning Ecosystems through AI-Powered Personalized Learning

Presented at NSF Grantees Poster Session II

This newly funded NSF PFE-RED project reimagines the first two years of engineering education through neuroinclusive, AI-enabled learning environments. Grounded in the concept of neurodiversity as the natural variation in how individuals think and learn, the project seeks to create classrooms and support systems that flex to meet the cognitive strengths and needs of all students.

At the University of Missouri and the University of Connecticut, faculty teams are redesigning foundational courses in engineering and mathematics using principles of universal design for learning and inclusive pedagogy. A virtual academic coach, powered by large language models, will support students through personalized feedback and strategies to build self-regulation, time management, and metacognitive skills. Faculty will participate in a structured professional development sequence—including the Neuroinclusive Teaching Institute and interdisciplinary I-teams—to guide course transformation and the integration of AI-powered tools.

Research will examine how these interventions influence engagement, persistence, and engineering identity across cognitively diverse learners, and how institutional practices can foster long-term cultural change toward inclusive excellence. The project will produce openly available tools, training materials, and models to help institutions nationwide create neuroadaptive learning ecosystems that prepare the next generation of engineers.

Authors

Marisa Chrysochoou http://orcid.org/https://0000-0002-2592-925X University of Missouri - Columbia [biography]

Marisa Chrysochoou is the Dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Missouri. Her work has focused on environmental geochemistry, surface chemistry, the treatment and reuse of industrial waste, remediation of contaminated soils and sediments, brownfield redevelopment, and environmental justice. She has also worked on engineering education reform, emphasizing neurodiversity and service learning.
Dr. Roger C Fales http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3408-2070 University of Missouri - Columbia [biography]

Roger Fales serves as the associate dean for undergraduate education and student success at the University of Missouri College of Engineering. An engineer for Caterpillar Inc. before joining MU, Fales has four years of industrial experience developing fluid power and off-highway machine systems and controls. His research has focused on robust control design and stability of dynamic systems with applications in fluid power, respiratory support and the dynamics of blood oxygen saturation in premature infants. His research has been funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institutes of Health (NIH), MU Coulter Biomedical Accelerator, Caterpillar Inc., Honeywell and Boeing.
Dr. Sarah Lynn Orton P.E. http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7896-039X University of Missouri - Columbia [biography]

Dr. Orton is an associate professor in Civil Engineering and is an active member of the American Concrete Institute and the American Society of Civil Engineers. Dr. Orton also serves as the Director of Undergraduate Studies for the Civil and Environmental
Prof. Arash Esmaili Zaghi P.E. http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2246-2911 University of Connecticut [biography]

Arash E. Zaghi is a Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Connecticut. He received his PhD in 2009 from the University of Nevada, Reno, and continued there as a Research Scientist. His latest
Dr. Sarira Motaref P.E. University of Connecticut [biography]

Sarira Motaref is an Associate Professor in residence in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Connecticut. She is a licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Connecticut. She received her PhD in 2011 from the University of Nevada, Reno. She has been teaching junior and senior-level design courses, as well as several large-enrollment classes. Sarira is currently serving as Assistant Director of Faculty Development at the School of Engineering and Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) to enhance teaching and learning effectiveness of engineering courses. She is the winner of 2021 University Teaching Fellow award, 2019 Distinguished Engineering Educator Award, and recipient of 2016, 2017, and 2018 Klewin Excellence in teaching award.
Dr. Connie Syharat http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7913-863X University of Connecticut [biography]

Connie Syharat is an Assistant Research Professor at the University of Connecticut, where she conducts qualitative research in engineering education and serves as Program Manager for the NSF RED project “Cultivating Neuroadaptive Learning Ecosystems through AI-Powered Personalized Learning.” Her work focuses on AI-supported personalized learning, neuroinclusive faculty learning communities, departmental change, and strengths-based approaches to teaching and learning in engineering. She earned her Ph.D. in Engineering Education at the University of Connecticut, where her research explored the experiences of neurodiverse graduate students in STEM fields with an AI-powered Virtual Mentor tool.
Prasad Calyam University of Missouri - Columbia

Note

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 21, 2026, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 24, 2026

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