2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Biomedical Engineering: Staying hands-on in an online world

Presented at Professional Development and Career Pathways

Distributed biomedical engineering (BME) programs face persistent challenges in maintaining hands-on learning when coursework is delivered in hybrid or asynchronous formats. This paper describes the iterative redesign of a required Properties of Biomaterials course that is delivered across two geographically separated institutions. Declining student evaluations and qualitative feedback requesting experiential engagement prompted a response from the faculty. The course redesign was informed by scaffolding and self-efficacy frameworks in engineering education. To improve course morale and engagement, the instructor developed four low-risk, structured hybrid hands-on modules.

1. Toothpick and marshmallow crystal structures (edible activity)
2. 3-point bend testing (ASTM D790)
3. Tensile testing (ASTM D638)
4. Customized orthopedic finger splint design (final design project)

The modules leverage makerspace tools across both campuses for 3D printing finger splints and utilize equipment from the newly established Tissue Engineering and Cell Culture Laboratory (TECCL) and the Soft Matter Characterization laboratories. Mixed-methods assessment included student surveys, small group instructional diagnosis, exam performance, and project outcomes were used to evaluate the effectiveness of these interventions. Results indicate that scaffolded, standards-aligned hands-on modules were associated with improved student perceptions of understanding, confidence, and preparedness for professional engineering practice in a distributed hybrid BME program.

Authors

Dr. Katrina J Donovan http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0410-7847 South Dakota Mines [biography]

Dr. Katrina Donovan received her B.S. degree from South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in 2010. She received her Ph.D. in Materials Science from Oregon State University in 2019, studying the microfluidic investigations of capillary flow and surface phenomena in porous polymeric media for 3D printing. She worked for multiple years at HP, Inc. in the 3D Printing Department. She is currently a Lecturer at South Dakota Mines and Research Scientist at Dragon Materials, LLC, an engineering consulting firm. Her research involve experimental design and technique development for soft materials, complex fluids, and surface phenomena. She a wide range of experience in rheological, thermal, structural, and molecular characterization that she leverage fundamentally for academic purposes as well as industrially for applications. As her three patents can show, designing experiments and creating novel techniques to answer fundamental questions that drive applications and technology forward captivates her interest. She has volunteered countless hours to the community, led multiple STEM Education grants that engage the local K-12 schools of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, and has submitted proposals that engage even more tribal communities.
Travis W Walker http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9225-7051 South Dakota School of Mines & Technology [biography]

Dr. Travis Walker is an Associate Professor in the Karen M. Swindler Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at South Dakota School of Mines & Technology (SDM). He received a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Stanford University and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and a B.S. in Applied and Computational Mathematics from SDM. His research focuses on developing theoretical and experimental methods that can be applied to the study of complex fluids, soft solids, miscible fluid interactions, and biological systems.
Laura Brunmaier South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

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