2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

WIP: A Delphi Study on Identifying Competencies for Entrepreneurial Opportunity Recognition and Social Impact Measurement of Engineers

Presented at Entrepreneurship & Engineering Innovation Division (ENT) Technical Session 9

Technology plays a key role in tackling major social challenges in the present time, such as clean water and healthcare accessibility. This fact opens new doors for engineers, who are interested in creating social value based on their technical expertise by creating their own technology social ventures. To pursue such a career, engineers need to develop various competencies beyond their core technical expertise, while it remains fundamental. Among the various competencies, a few noteworthy involves opportunity recognition (OR) and social impact measurement (SIM).
Engineer-entrepreneurs who want to create social value with technology need to be able to recognize entrepreneurial opportunities for the social value creation, and once the venture is established, they need to be able to assess whether their venture is making the intended social impact. However, there is limited knowledge in specific sub-competencies needed for OR and SIM, which makes it difficult for educational institutions and professional organizations to design structured training programs that effectively prepare engineers for this role.

This work-in-progress study, therefore, introduces our ongoing efforts to build expert consensus on the essential sub-competencies for engineers who launch and manage their own technology social ventures. Our central research questions are: (1) What sub-competencies are required for engineers to identify opportunities for launching their own technology social ventures? and (2) What sub-competencies are required for engineers to effectively measure the social impact that their ventures are making? To answer these questions, we are employing the Delphi study method with three rounds of survey data collection and analysis. The anticipated outcome of this research is a detailed competency framework, validated through expert input. The outcome of this study will provide the basis for new curriculum development or refinement in engineering education, with the emphasis on technology entrepreneurship for social impact.

Authors

Arsalan Ashraf Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University [biography]

Arsalan Ashraf is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Engineering Education at Virginia Tech. His research interests include AI ethics, ethics and social responsibility, and lifelong learning. He has broad experience in academia and industry, which motivates him to do research on these vibrant areas. He is a first-generation student from a small village in Punjab, Pakistan. He completed his B.S. in Aviation Management from Lahore in 2017 and then worked in the aviation industry. After gaining experience, he changed his career path and entered academia as a lecturer at The University of Faisalabad in 2022. He joined Virginia Tech in the fall of 2024.
Emad Ali Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University [biography]

Emad Ali is currently pursuing a PhD in Engineering Education at Virginia Tech. His research focuses on the integration of artificial intelligence in engineering education, with a particular emphasis on its ethical implications. He holds a Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, specializing in Embedded Systems, from the Information Technology University of the Punjab (ITU Lahore), as well as a Bachelor's degree in Avionics Engineering from the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) in Islamabad, Pakistan. Through his work, he aims to contribute to the advancement of educational practices in engineering by addressing both the opportunities and challenges presented by emerging technologies.
Mr. Kabiru Adeseun Okegbenro Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University [biography]

Kabiru Okegbenro is a Ph.D. student in Engineering Education at Virginia Tech, with a robust background in Technology Education (Building and Woodwork Technology). His research focuses on workforce development in engineering, and ethical way AI can be used in educational practices and professional training. Kabiru is passionate about investigating how engineering graduates can successfully transition into the professional world. His work examines the key factors that influence employability, workforce readiness, career progression, and long-term success in engineering fields.
Through collaboration with educational institutions, industry partners, and policymakers, he aim to enhance curricula, foster professional skills, and create pathways that empower graduates to thrive in their careers. Through his research and community engagement, he aims to bridge the gap between engineering education and workforce needs, promoting ethical and inclusive lifelong learning pathways for diverse engineering professionals.
Dr. Dayoung Kim Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University [biography]

Dr. Dayoung Kim is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Engineering Education (College of Engineering) at Virginia Tech and a Director of the LABoratory for Innovative and REsponsible ENgineering workforce (LAB-IREEN). She also serves as an Executive Committee Member and Affiliate Faculty of the Center for Future Work Places and Practices (CFWPP). Her Engineering Practice research examines the practice of engineers across a range of employment settings, including business organizations – from startups to large, established firms – and government agencies. Building on insights from this work, her Engineering Workforce Development research focuses on developing the future engineering workforce capable of contributing innovatively and responsibly within their own contexts. Across her research, teaching, and service, she aims to bridge academia, industry, and government by translating insights from engineering practice into scalable systems for education, workforce development, and science and technology policy. She received her Ph.D. in Engineering Education from Purdue University and her B.S. and M.S. in Chemical Engineering from Yonsei University and Purdue University, respectively. She was the 2022 Christine Mirzayan Science & Technology Policy Graduate Fellow at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM).

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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