2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

The Rising Doctoral Institute: Empowering Minority Students to Thrive in Engineering Ph.D. Programs

Presented at NSF Grantees Poster Session I

Data demonstrates that underrepresented minorities only account for 5.73% of all engineering doctoral degrees awarded in America between 2020 and 2022. These are exemplified by students experiencing a disconnect from the prevailing academic culture during the transition period into the doctoral environment. The RDI aims to mitigate these issues by equipping incoming students with the knowledge and community support necessary for a successful academic journey.
The Rising Doctoral Institute (RDI) is a targeted intervention developed to address persistent disparities in retention and time-to-degree for underrepresented minority (URM) students in engineering Ph.D. programs. Launched in 2019, the RDI's core is a comprehensive workshop that demystifies the "hidden curriculum" of doctoral education. The curriculum focuses on practical skills and strategic knowledge, with modules on navigating the advisor-advisee relationship, building a dissertation committee, managing research funding, and effective time management. A primary goal of the institute is to foster the creation of a robust peer support network from day one.
To evaluate the program and study the experiences of URM doctoral students, our project utilizes a mixed-methods research design. Data collection includes pre/post-program surveys, focus groups, and semi-structured interviews during students' first year. This year, we have expanded our data collection to include interviews with RDI alumni to better understand the program's longer-term impact on their doctoral studies. This longitudinal approach provides critical insights into the specific obstacles and needs of this student population.
Following successful implementations in 2019 and 2021, the RDI model was scaled for adoption at five universities across the U.S. in 2022-2024. In 2024, the project's PI team mentored organizers across a broader nationwide call for participating institutions for expansion in 2026. Data gathered from monthly student interviews throughout this expansion continue to inform our understanding of the first-year doctoral experience and validate the RDI's role in a positive transition.
This research detailed the development and multi-institutional expansion of the RDI. Findings from the project confirmed that the RDI is a vital component of the graduate student onboarding process at participating institutions. We conclude that the RDI serves as a sustainable and replicable model for fostering a more inclusive and equitable environment in graduate engineering education.
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Nos. 2029796, 2029782, 2029785, & 2029784. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Authors

Jordan Peyton Ohio State University [biography]

Jordan Peyton [游敏] is a Ph.D. student and Graduate Research Assistant in the CHARGE Research Group led by Dr. Mayra Artiles. Their research examines engineering Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs), undergraduate-to-graduate pathways, and equity-oriented data disaggregation within the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) umbrella. Drawing on professional experience across K-12 education, higher education, corporate DEI, and APIDA nonprofit organizations, Jordan’s work centers on understanding how educational structures and support systems shape students’ agency and access in engineering education.
Shuyu Wang http://orcid.org/0009-0004-9576-6371 The Ohio State University [biography]

Shuyu Wang is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Engineering Education at The Ohio State University. Her research focuses on the motivation of graduate students and how it connects to their identities. Shuyu is a member of the Research on Identity and Motivation in Engineering (RIME) research group, led by Dr. Rachel L. Kajfez, focusing on studying the intersection between motivation and identity to improve engineering students’ success. Her work not only embodies her commitment to the field but also her dedication to tackling complex challenges that transcend traditional boundaries, fostering a holistic perspective on engineering education.
Dr. Camila Olivero-Araya http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5251-3911 The Ohio State University [biography]

Camila is a Postdoctoral Scholar in the Department of Engineering Education at The Ohio State University. She earned her B.S. and M.S. degrees in Industrial Engineering from Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción in Chile and her Ph.D. in Engineering Education from The Ohio State University.
Dr. Mayra S Artiles http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7604-0410 The Ohio State University [biography]

Mayra S. Artiles is an assistant professor in engineering at the Polytechnic School of the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University. Her research expertise includes engineering doctoral education structure, experiences of underrepr
Dr. Juan M Cruz http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7426-682X Rowan University [biography]

Juan M. Cruz is an assistant professor in the Experiential Engineering Education Department at Rowan University. He has a B.S. in Electronic Engineering and a Masters in Education from Universidad Javeriana in Colombia and a PhD in Engineering Education from Virginia Tech. His research uses a systems perspective to understand the dynamics of the academic system and how it influences faculty motivation to change, undergraduate students’ motivation to learn, and retention and persistence of doctoral students (with special attention to underrepresented minority (URM) students).
Dr. Stephanie G. Adams University of Texas at Dallas [biography]

Dr. Stephanie G. Adams is the 5th Dean of the Eric Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Texas, Dallas and Past President of the American Society of Engineering Education. Previously Dr. Adams served as the Dean of the Fr

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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