2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

An Open Online Resource for a Conservation Principles Course in Bioengineering

Presented at Innovations in BME Program and Course Design

Bioengineering (BIOE) programs lack a standardized curricular framework, which can hinder students’ ability to transfer knowledge across courses and understand the broader context of their learning. Without a consistent scaffold, students may struggle to build an integrated understanding of core concepts or see how foundational learning connects to later applications. This issue is further exacerbated by the interdisciplinary nature and the lack of standardized bioengineering textbooks or terminology. Here, we describe “BIOEref,” a dynamic, cross-referenced digital resource designed to streamline bioengineering curriculum pathways, standardize terminology, and embed interdisciplinary relevance into foundational engineering principles.

This paper details the development of BIOEref specifically for a core sophomore-level course in Conservation Principles at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The process involved identifying core classes with interconnected curriculum, reformatting existing content, and deploying pages through a Python-driven pipeline to a live website featuring concise technical content, interactive diagrams and animations. Unlike static resources, these pages synthesize instructor notes with relevant prerequisite content and link to existing reference pages across various fields, including mechanical engineering and electrical engineering, as well as the biological, chemical, and physical sciences.

The effectiveness of this resource is evaluated through a mixed-methods approach. Website usage analytics from Fall 2025 are analyzed to identify usage patterns, such as the increased engagement observed prior to homework deadlines, quizzes, and exams. Furthermore, we utilize Biggs’ revised Two-Factor Study Process Questionnaire (R-SPQ-2F) to assess shifts in student motivation and “deep” versus “surface” learning strategies throughout the semester. The findings suggest that structured digital resources can play a vital role in supporting student navigation of complex engineering sequences. This work provides a template for other departments seeking to implement similar cross-course reference tools to enhance creativity and curricular continuity.

Authors

James Abraham University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign [biography]

James Abraham is a Master of Engineering student in Bioengineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he also earned his B.S. in Bioengineering.
Prof. Holly M Golecki http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3691-0420 University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign [biography]

Dr. Holly Golecki (she/her) is a Teaching Associate Professor in Bioengineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Department of Biomedical and Translational Sciences at the Carle-Illinois College of Medicine. Holly studies biomaterials and soft robotics and their applications in the university classroom, in research and in engaging future engineers in human-centered design. Holly received her BS/MS in Materials Science and Engineering from Drexel University and her PhD in Engineering Sciences (Bioengineering) from Harvard University.
Dr. Jennifer R Amos http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9437-8201 University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign [biography]

Dr Amos joined the Bioengineering Department at the University of Illinois in 2009 and is currently a Teaching Professor in Bioengineering.
Dr. Ali Ansari http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2957-8634 University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign [biography]

Ali Ansari is a Teaching Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He holds a Masters and Ph.D in Bioengineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and graduated from Southern Methodist University with a degree in Electrical Engineering. Ali has been teaching for the past two years at Bucknell University in both the Biomedical Engineering and Electrical and Computer Engineering and been focusing on student focused pedagogy centered around Game-based learning techniques.
Shreya Gustafson [biography]

Shreya is an undergraduate student in the Department of Bioengineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Allison Ilene Lewis University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign [biography]

Allison is an undergraduate student in the Department of Bioengineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Yueyang Li University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign
Madison Christine Fanning http://orcid.org/0009-0005-8405-1546 University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign [biography]

Madison Fanning is an undergraduate student in the Departments of Bioengineering and Chemistry at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Cooper Douglas Brown University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign
Prof. Caroline Cvetkovic http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3035-7313 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign [biography]

Caroline Cvetkovic is a Teaching Assistant Professor of Bioengineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where she instructs courses in quantitative physiology, neural engineering, biofabrication, and heat transfer. She earned her B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in Bioengineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She then completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the Center for Neuroregeneration and Department of Neurosurgery at the Houston Methodist Research Institute.

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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