2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Measuring the Integration of Diversity Equity and Inclusion Principles in Engineering Teaching Practices in Select PWI and HBCU

The integration of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) principles in engineering education is increasingly essential for training engineers to address complex global challenges. These principles foster environments and spaces that respect and support all learners to fully and independently engage and contribute. Despite the widespread advocacy for this pedagogy, the extent to which DEI principles are explicitly embedded in training remains under-examined, particularly across different institutional contexts. This study was designed to investigate current states of DEI integration in engineering lectures in select Predominantly White Institution (PWI) and a Historically Black College and University (HBCU). A qualitative content analysis approach was employed using 20 recorded engineering courses lecture videos originating from both institution categories, spanning a minimum of one hour each. Each lecture video was systematically coded using a DEI observation framework that captured indicators such as DEI in content delivery by instructors, DEI in giving instructions on assignment and assessment as well as DEI in oral communications during lectures. All results from the study were analysed using descriptive statistics. Findings from this study suggest notable variation in how DEI is represented across institutional types. The deliberate incorporation of DEI in engineering training and teaching practices can strengthen classroom inclusivity and student engagement, sense of belonging, and career readiness. The establishment of inter-institutional communities of practice that equips instructors to collaboratively share strategies, reflect on teaching behaviors and also co-develop inclusive pedagogical models suited to diverse academic environments are therefore encouraged. By empirically comparing PWIs and HBCUs, this research contributes to the growing discourse on inclusive engineering education and provides a framework for institutional policy and faculty training programs which can advance equity and representation in the engineering field of practice.

Authors

Dr. Oludare Adegbola Owolabi P.E. Morgan State University [biography]

Dr. Oludare Owolabi, a professional engineer in Maryland, joined the Morgan State University faculty in 2010. He is the Director of the Sustainable Infrastructure Development, Smart Innovation and Resilient Engineering Research Lab Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Jennifer Cromley [biography]

Jennifer Cromley is Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her research focuses on two broad areas: achievement/retention in STEM and comprehension of illustrated scientific text
Blessing Isoyiza ADEIKA http://orcid.org/https://0009-0007-5600-8051 Morgan State University [biography]

Blessing ADEIKA is a graduate student at Morgan State University currently studying Advanced Computing. She has interest in teaching student basic concepts by adopting an Experiment-centric approach to it. She also is currently working towards being a Data Scientist - AI/ML Expert and hope to use her skills to prefer solutions in the Medical, Financial, Technology and any other Sector she sees a need to be filled/catered for.
Raymond Deji Olamijulo Morgan State University [biography]

Mr Raymond Olamijulo is a graduate assistant in the Computer Science department at Morgan State University. With a research focus on experiment-centric pedagogy in engineering education, Mr. Olamijulo has contributed to advancing both theoretical and practical aspects of engineering education and technology integration in the curriculum.

Mr Olamijulo holds a B.Sc. in Information and Communication Technology from Crawford University. He also holds a Masters degree in International MBA from Ulyanovsk State University. He has been a part of multiple international conferences promoting technological advancements.

In addition to his academic work, Mr Olamijulo is committed to enhancing the educational experience of undergraduate and graduate students through innovative teaching strategies and hands-on projects. He is actively involved in advising student projects, mentoring research groups, promoting hands-on learning experiences and is dedicated to fostering diversity and inclusion in the engineering field.
Dr. Blessing Funmbi Sasanya http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1985-9021 Morgan State University [biography]

Dr. Blessing Funmbi Sasanya is a scholar in water resources and environmental engineering, specializing in hydrology, climate science, and sustainable water management. He is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in Civil and Environmental Engineering at Morgan State University. His expertise includes watershed hydrology, modelling (using statistical, physical based and Machine learning algorithms) and environmental monitoring, with applications in water scarcity mitigation, agricultural productivity, and climate resilience. Dr. Sasanya has published widely in international journals, contributing to advances in rainfall probability models, hydroclimatic trend analysis, and hydrological modeling. By integrating statistical, remote sensing, and modeling approaches, he fosters multi-disciplinary collaborations for wetlands and waterways mitigation forecasting. His academic trajectory demonstrates strong intellectual merit through methodological innovation and broad impacts in advancing sustainable environmental systems .

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