2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Developing a Sustainability Mindset in First-Year Engineering Students Through an Immersive Summer Camp Experience

Presented at Educational Games, VR, and AI - ENVIRON Division

Engineering programs worldwide are being challenged to prepare graduates capable of addressing the environmental, social, and economic complexities of sustainability. Developing a sustainability mindset—defined as the integration of knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors that support sustainable decision-making—is central to this transformation. This study presents the design, implementation, and evaluation of a one-week immersive summer camp created as a pilot experience for a forthcoming Sustainability Engineering minor at a Hispanic-Serving Institution. The camp sought to introduce first-year engineering students to the principles of sustainability through experiential learning, collaborative design, and critical reflection.

Two cohorts of students (N = 23; 8 women, 15 men) participated in the summer camps offered in consecutive years. The first iteration emphasized reflection through presentations and creative performance, while the second incorporated structured design projects and dedicated teamwork sessions to strengthen applied learning. Qualitative data were collected from pre- and post-camp open-ended surveys administered in both English and Spanish to ensure accessibility. Responses were analyzed using grounded theory and constant-comparison methods to identify emergent themes in students’ understanding, motivation, and behavioral changes related to sustainability.

Findings revealed notable shifts in students’ perceptions. Participants initially associated sustainability primarily with environmental conservation, but post-camp responses demonstrated a broader appreciation of interconnected social, economic, and ecological dimensions. Many students reported increased awareness of issues such as resource equity, waste management, and biophilic design. Behavioral outcomes included greater personal responsibility, adoption of sustainable habits (e.g., reusing materials, reducing waste), and a commitment to applying sustainability principles in future coursework and professional goals. Students also described growth in teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills fostered by the camp’s collaborative, project-based environment.

Cross-cohort comparisons indicated that the revised 2024 format—emphasizing iterative design and applied projects—produced stronger evidence of conceptual integration and action-oriented thinking. These results suggest that short-term immersive experiences can serve as powerful catalysts for shaping sustainability mindsets in early-career engineers. The findings inform the development of the Sustainability Engineering minor and provide insights into designing co-curricular interventions that blend technical learning with systems thinking, reflection, and social engagement. By embedding experiential learning at the entry point of the engineering curriculum, institutions can nurture engineers who not only understand sustainability challenges but are equipped and motivated to lead transformative solutions in their communities and professional practice.

Authors

Dr. Aidsa I. Santiago-Roman http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4136-9990 University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Campus [biography]

Dr. Aidsa I. Santiago-Román is a Professor and Former Chair in the Engineering Sciences and Materials (CIIM) Department at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus (UPRM). Dr. Santiago earned a BS and MS in Industrial Engineering from UPRM and Ph.D. in Engineering Education from Purdue University. Dr. Santiago has over 20 years of experience in academia and has been successful in obtaining funding and publishing for various research projects. She's also the founder and advisor of the first ASEE student chapter in Puerto Rico at UPRM.

Her research interests include investigating students' understanding of difficult concepts in engineering sciences, especially for underrepresented populations (Hispanic students). She has studied the effectiveness engineering concept inventories (Statics Concept Inventory - CATS and the Thermal and Transport Concept Inventory - TTCI) for diagnostic assessment and cultural differences among bilingual students. She has also contributed to the training and development of faculty in developing and evaluating various engineering curriculum and courses at UPRM, applying the outcome-based educational framework.

She has also incorporated theories on social cognitive career choices and student attrition mitigation to investigate the effectiveness of institutional interventions in increasing the retention and academic success of talented engineering students from economically disadvantaged families. She's also involved in a project that explores the relationship between the institutional policies at UPRM and faculty and graduate students' motivation to create good relationships between advisors and advisees.
Prof. Christopher Papadopoulos http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0259-7264 University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Campus [biography]

Christopher Papadopoulos is Professor in the Department of Engineering Sciences and Materials at the University of Puerto Rico, MayagÃ¼ez Campus (UPRM). He earned B.S. degrees in Civil Engineering and Mathematics from Carnegie Mellon University (1993) and
Dr. Nayda G. Santiago P.E. http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6049-8782 University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Campus [biography]

Nayda G. Santiago is professor at the Electrical and Computer Engineering department, University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Campus (UPRM) where she teaches the Capstone Course in Computer Engineering. She received an BS in EE from the University of PR, Maya
Dr. Lourdes A. Medina [biography]

Dr. Lourdes A. Medina earned her B.S. in Industrial Engineering in 2006 from the University of Puerto Rico at MayagÃ¼ez, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude and obtained the highest recognitions in the graduation commencements: Luis Stefani Rafucci Award,
Krystal Colón-Rivera University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Campus [biography]

I'm Krystal Colón Rivera, a doctoral student in the School Psychology Program at the Mayagüez Campus of the University of Puerto Rico (RUM), where I completed my master's degree in School Psychology in the summer of 2024. Previously, I earned a bachelor's degree in Sociology with a double concentration in General Psychology at the University of Puerto Rico in Cayey. During my undergraduate studies, I was a member of two student organizations: the Sociology Association (ASOCI) and the Association of Psychology Students (Psy-chi). Additionally, I worked as a research assistant on two projects: the Resilience and Medical Helpseeking project in Cayey (2019-2021) and the Negotiating Dementia project (2021-2022), both under the supervision of Professor Patria López de Victoria.
Currently, I am involved in two research projects at RUM. The first is the Sustainable Engineering (ISOS) project, directed by Dr. Christopher M. Papadopoulos, and the second is the project on the relationship between executive functions and academic performance in university students (ESFERA), under the direction of Dr. Cristina Perea and Dr. Mary Moreno. I am also a member of the Association of School Psychology Students (AEPE) at RUM. I volunteered in the community program Aula en la Montaña.
My research interests cover a wide range of topics, including the role of play in early childhood cognitive development, mindset, social support, behavior, learning, and physical activity. Additionally, I have a particular interest in studying executive functions, with a special emphasis on planning.

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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