2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Flexible Internship-Research-Education (FIRE) Model: A Multisector, Multi-Team System Collaboration for Graduate Student Success

Presented at College Industry Partnerships Division (CIP) Technical Session 3

Studies have established the value of experiential learning opportunities in higher education for undergraduate STEM student success. Specifically, they are associated with improved outcomes such as sustained interest in STEM fields, the pursuit of graduate degrees, career placement, and creation of start-ups. While these relationships are well-studied in undergraduate populations, there is a dearth of studies exploring the impacts of these experiences on engineering master’s students.

Often, engineering students are “tracked” into post-graduation pathways based on the types of experiential learning opportunities in which they engage as undergraduates. Traditional master’s programs treat research experiences and internships as mutually exclusive options with linear pathways to doctoral programs and careers in academia or research labs (public or private) for the former; or practice in industry, government, or consulting for the latter. Our Flexible Internship-Research-Education (FIRE) model for scholar development was designed to offer multiple integrated and dynamic pathways that evolve as student interests evolve. Scholars may choose research and/or design-based experiences and work in teams that cross traditional boundaries.

Supported by the National Science Foundation, our team created a project, which aims to implement and evaluate the impact of the FIRE model on master’s students’ success. This project is a partnership among four universities (with a fifth conducting educational research under a subaward to the lead institution) plus a federal agency workforce partner. The FIRE model integrates evidence-based strategies that provide career and educational development support for master’s students in engineering programs.

This work-in-progress paper presents an overview of experiences with elements of the FIRE model to date. It includes case study qualitative data from the multi-sector multi-team system that manages this project, as well as preliminary findings about student experiences. The results may help institutions and employers identify strategies for initiating and/or improving academic-workforce partnerships toward STEM career success for master’s students.

Authors

Meaghan Pearson University of Texas at Dallas [biography]

Meaghan Pearson is a Postdoctoral Scholar in Engineering & Computer Science at the University of Texas at Dallas. Her research examines how organizations inside of STEM ecosystems can cultivate environments that are more affirming, safe, and supportive, particularly for those who find themselves on the margins.
Dr. Yvette E. Pearson P.E. http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8781-7085 University of Texas at Dallas [biography]

Dr. Yvette E. Pearson is Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Strategic Initiatives in the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and Associate Dean for Effectiveness and Accountability in the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science at The University of Texas at Dallas. A Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), Pearson is recognized globally for 30 years in higher education, particularly for her work to advance sustainability, access, and opportunity in STEM education and practice. Her university-based and consulting efforts have led to over $40M in funding for projects to support initiatives in STEM and changes to policies and practices of global engineering organizations. She founded The PEER Group in 2017 to support principal investigators and STEM leaders in program design, workforce development, and in organizational assessment and continuous improvement processes.

Pearson is a registered Professional Engineer, an ENVISION® Sustainability Professional, and a member of the Executive Committee (ExCom) for ABET’s Engineering Accreditation Commission. Among her awards and honors are ABET’s Claire L. Felbinger Award for Diversity and Inclusion, ASCE’s Professional Practice Ethics and Leadership Award, the Society of Women Engineers’ Distinguished Engineering Educator Award, the UT System Regents Outstanding Teaching Award, ASCE’s President’s Medal, and the 2026 ASCE Outstanding Projects and Leaders (OPAL) Award in Education, one of the highest honors awarded in this global organization of over 160,000 members.

Pearson hosts the ENGINEERING CHANGE® podcast, with audiences in over 100 countries. Her book, Making a Difference: How Being Your Best Self Can Influence, Inspire, and Impel Change, chronicles her journey and her work’s focus on “making sure other ‘Yvettes’ don’t fall through the cracks.”
Florence Emilia Castillo University of Texas at Dallas [biography]

Florence Emily Castillo completed her PhD in Sociology with a focus on Race & Ethnicity and Education at the University of New Mexico. Along with her current research on Multi-Team Systems (MTS) in multi-sector STEM projects, she has worked on a multi-district research practice partnership (RPP) studying the impacts of ethnic studies on student success and reducing racial disparities. Her research takes an intersectional approach and is informed by Black and Chicana feminist theories with a focus on employing and advocating for Indigenous methods and methodologies in sociological research.
Dr. Sherri S Frizell Prairie View A&M University [biography]

Sherri S. Frizell is a Professor in the Computer Science Department at Prairie View A&M University. She has a B.S. in Computer Science from Jackson State University and a Ph.D. in Computer Science and Software Engineering from Auburn University. Her research interests include responsible computing, STEM education, and the persistence of minorities and women in engineering.
Oleksandra Romanyshyn Rice University [biography]

Lesia Guinn is the NSF S-STEM Track III project manager for the Scholar Award Program I-ACED (Improving Access to Educational and Career Development) and a postdoctoral associate at Rice University in Houston, TX. She received her bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and biology and chemistry education from Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Ukraine and her M.S. and Ph.D. in biomedical engineering at Stony Brook University, NY. As part of the I-ACED program she oversees the programming, project reporting, and facilitating the inter-institutional collaboration around students’ professional development and extracurricular activities
Dr. Torrie Cropps http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2974-8798 University of Texas at Dallas [biography]

Dr. Torrie A. Cropps is a research scientist and lecturer in the Department of Science and Math Education in the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at The University of Texas at Dallas. Her work focuses on how socialization, mentoring, and advising contributes to career and workforce development, as well as retention in a field post-graduation.

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