2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

IUSE/PFE:RED Collaboration in Transformation

Presented at NSF Grantees Poster Session II

This paper provides insights into the progress made in our department’s NSF RED project (IUSE/PFE:RED 2234256) as it enters the middle stages. Cal Poly’s Computer Engineering department is in a period of significant transformation that includes both developing policies as a young department and preparing for institutional change from quarters to semesters. During this time, we aim to involve a variety of stakeholders in collaborative transformation to expand capacity, interrupt inhibiting structures, and dismantle and replace structures of oppression.

Over the past two years we have engaged in a collaborative vision process that has brought together students, faculty, and other stakeholders to enact our vision for departmental culture change. As a result of these activities, we have seen significant student involvement in proposing and implementing student-focused programming and mentoring in the department. We are working together to reduce barriers to belonging in the department.

Another highlighted area of impact is pedagogical development, as we have analyzed syllabi in our department and found barriers to faculty redesign. We used these findings to lead a workshop on syllabus design. Finally, the faculty were asked to participate in a number of micro-retreats on the topic of critical mentoring and given the opportunity to enroll in the Inclusive STEM Teaching Project (ISTP). Discussions on these topics were held during regularly scheduled department meetings to ensure high levels of attendance and engagement. The implications of our work this year include both opportunities for change within our department and documentation of work that may be a resource to other institutions.

Authors

Carlos Diaz Alvarenga California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Dr. Andrea L. Schuman California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo [biography]

Andrea Schuman is an assistant professor in the Department of Computer Engineering at Cal Poly. She holds a Ph.D. in Engineering Education and an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Virginia Tech, and a B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Oklahoma. Her research interests include experiential teaching and learning in ECE, sociotechnical engineering development, and global engineering.
Dr. Andrew Danowitz http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4842-2005 California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo [biography]

Andrew Danowitz received his PhD in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University in 2014, and is currently an Associate Professor of Computer Engineering at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. His research interests involve student mental health and accessibility in engineering education.
Dr. Lynne A Slivovsky http://orcid.org/https://0000-0001-8815-9312 California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo [biography]

Dr. Lynne Slivovsky is the Inaugural Chair of Computer Engineering at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California, USA.
Dr. Jane L. Lehr California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo [biography]

Jane Lehr is a Professor in Ethnic Studies and Women's and Gender Studies and Director of the Office of Student Research at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. She is affiliated faculty in Computer Science & Software Engineering and
Dr. John Y Oliver http://orcid.org/https://0000-0003-2877-6751 California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo [biography]

Dr. Oliver is a professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. His field of expertise is in computer architecture and system performance analysis, dabbler in cybersecurity and passionate about broadening pathway
Prof. Nina J. Truch [biography]

Prof. Truch is a lecturer in the communication studies department at Cal Poly.
Dr. Bridget Benson California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo [biography]

Bridget Benson received a Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obipso in 2005, a Master's degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of California Santa Barbara in 2007 and a Ph
Dr. Lizabeth L Thompson P.E. California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo [biography]

Lizabeth is a professor Emeritus at Cal Poly, SLO in Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering. She has been taught for 32 years and held various administrative positions. She also participated in multiple NSF grants over the time she spent at Cal Poly and also participated in a valuable collaboration with Cal State LA.

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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