2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

This paper presents findings from an exploratory qualitative case study examining the effects of integrating Continental and Diasporic African STEM achievements into an Historically Black College and University (HBCU) engineering curriculum on African-descended students’ views and interpretations of STEM, motivation, and engineering identity. The study also investigates how African-descended students understand the goals of this integration and assess its value and influence within their engineering education. The study investigates three research questions: How well do African-descended students demonstrate an understanding of the goals of their exposure to Continental and Diasporic African STEM achievements? How does exposure to Continental and Diasporic African STEM achievements influence African-descended students’ views and interpretations of STEM, motivation, and engineering identity? How do African-descended students evaluate the relevance and effectiveness of lectures centered on Continental and Diasporic African STEM achievements within engineering education? To address these research questions, a qualitative case study design was employed. The study draws on written reflections from 101 undergraduate engineering students at Morgan State University who were exposed to a forty-five-minute lecture highlighting Continental and Diasporic African STEM achievements between Fall 2024 and Fall 2025. Students responded to prompts reflecting on the lecture’s objectives, content, impact, and value. Student reflections were analyzed using deductive coding and interpreted through the African-Centered STEM Education (ACSE) model developed by Dr. DeAnna Bailey. Findings indicate that students demonstrated a moderate understanding of the lecture objectives. The lecture broadened students’ awareness of Continental and Diasporic African innovation and shifted their views and interpretations of the STEM field. Students also reported feelings of pride and motivation, a renewed or deepened connection to their cultural identity, and a desire for this knowledge to be shared with others. This paper describes the lecture, discusses the African-Centered STEM Education model, details the study’s research methods, presents key findings, and discusses the implications and conclusions.