2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

IUSE/PFE: RED – Implementing and Refining Learning Environments to Develop Holistic Engineers with Entrepreneurial Mindset

Presented at NSF Grantees Poster Session II

This paper summarizes the design, implementation, and assessment of a multi-year professional formation experience (PFE) in a research-intensive department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE). Motivated by the historical loss of CEE students to other majors, this PFE was developed to engage students early in the major to enhance undergraduate students’ sense of belonging to the profession and to augment their engineering efficacy and computational and professional skills. A carefully curated faculty development series prepared the project team to design and pilot a vertically-integrated spine of courses required for all CEE students. The vertically-integrated courses cultivate problem identification and solving around the global grand challenges; computational, communication, team, and reflective learning skills; stakeholder awareness and engagement; entrepreneurial mindset; and a stronger professional identity. The department subsequently adopted the primary goals of the PFE as part of its 5-year strategic plan and worked to scale-up and implement the piloted courses for all CEE students. Through collaboration with the Center for Teaching and Learning, a formative approach for assessing program outputs and outcomes was developed, with the goal to use the assessment information to enhance the PFE. In this paper, we discuss the motivation for this PFE, explain its key design elements as well as the design rationale relative to departmental needs and opportunities. We discuss critical factors for implementing and sustaining the PFE in the long term and outline a framework and instruments for assessing and refining the PFE objectives. This initiative was supported by a PFE grant from the National Science Foundation’s Revolutionizing Engineering Departments (RED) Program and an entrepreneurial mindset development grant from the Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network (KEEN).

Authors

Dr. Donald R. Webster http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3397-9222 Georgia Institute of Technology [biography]

Donald Webster, Ph.D., P.E. is the Karen & John Huff School Chair and Professor in the School of Civil & Environmental Engineering (CEE) at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Webster earned a B.S. from the University of California, Davis (1989), and M.S. (1991) and Ph.D. (1994) degrees from the University of California, Berkeley. He joined the Georgia Tech faculty in September 1997 after completing a postdoctoral research appointment at Stanford University and holding a non-tenure-track faculty position at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Webster’s research expertise lies in environmental fluid mechanics focused on the influence of fluid motion and turbulence on biological systems. His contributions have been in three arenas: 1) illuminating the fluid mechanics processes related to sensory biology and biomechanics; 2) developing advanced experimental techniques and facilities; and 3) translating research results into bio-inspired design. In recognition of these contributions, Dr. Webster is a Sustaining Fellow of the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO) and has won numerous awards including the Felton Jenkins, Jr. Hall of Fame Faculty Award, Class of 1934 Outstanding Innovative Use of Education Technology Award, the Eichholz Faculty Teaching Award, and the British Petroleum Junior Faculty Teaching Excellence Award.
Dr. Adjo A Amekudzi-Kennedy Georgia Institute of Technology [biography]

Professor Adjo Amekudzi-Kennedyâ€™s research, teaching and professional activities focus on civil infrastructure decision making to promote sustainable development. She studies complex real-world systems and develops infrastructure decision support system
Dr. Kevin Haas Georgia Institute of Technology [biography]

Associate Chair of Undergraduate Programs, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Dr. Kate Williams http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5857-0266 Georgia Institute of Technology [biography]

Kate Williams is a psychologist and faculty developer in the Center for Teaching and Learning at Georgia Tech who partners with faculty and academic leaders to design and assess curricular transformation that supports achievement of the Institute's mission to prepare students who advance technology and improve the human condition.

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