2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Development and Implementation of the SWEET Outreach Program for Middle School Students: Successes, Challenges, and Lessons Learned (Evaluation)

Presented at Pre-College Engineering Education Division (PCEE) Technical Session 12: Expanding Access and Interest in STEM Through Outreach and Enrichment

PCEE Evaluation Abstract:
Development and Implementation of the SWEET Outreach Program for Middle School Students: Successes, Challenges, and Lessons Learned

Deciding on a future career can be a daunting process for many students, influenced by personal interests, family expectations, and social or cultural factors. Research indicates that middle school is a pivotal stage in shaping career aspirations, as students at this age are naturally curious and open to exploring diverse disciplines. Early engaging exposure to engineering concepts can therefore play a critical role in fostering long-term interest and confidence in the engineering fields. Recognizing this opportunity, our team developed a hands-on engineering workshop designed to introduce middle school students to real-world problem solving, teamwork, and creative design through experiential learning. Led by Engineering faculty and assisted by members of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) student Chapter, the goal of SWEET (Society of Women Engineers: Engineers in Training) is to provide an opportunity for middle school students (grades 6, 7, and 8) to be introduced to engineering as a potential future career. This paper presents the successes, challenges, and lessons learned from almost 4 years of the program. Since its inception, the workshop has achieved notable success, including repeated sponsorship, sold-out workshops each year, and several returning participants. Positive feedback from both parents and students highlights the program’s engaging and inclusive learning environment. Over the years, some challenges have emerged, shaping the workshop's structure. Because the workshop relies on volunteer students, scheduling must accommodate their academic calendars; attendance also occasionally falls short due to last-minute cancellations. Additionally, balancing activity duration remains an ongoing improvement area to ensure consistent pacing across sessions, reducing idle time between activities or rushing through them towards the end, which can eventually lead to a loss of participant engagement. Through continuous feedback and iteration, we have refined the curriculum to offer fresh experiences for returning students and to showcase the breadth of engineering disciplines. Incorporating industry guest speakers and leveraging on-campus resources, such as the planetarium and innovative engineering laboratories, has significantly enhanced the workshop’s educational impact and participant interest.

Authors

Dr. Melissa Montalbo-Lomboy Rowan University [biography]

Dr. Melissa Montalbo-Lomboy is an associate teaching professor in the Experiential Engineering Education department at Rowan University. She has been teaching at Rowan since 2016. Before joining Rowan, she worked on various research projects, including ultrasonication, biofuels, bioplastics, sustainability, and life cycle assessment. Her recent interests involve developing teaching materials, pedagogies, and projects, particularly in the first and second-year engineering programs. She is the current coordinator of the Sophomore Engineering Clinic program at Rowan and the current adviser to the Society of Women Engineers - Rowan student chapter.
Adriana C Trias Blanco Rowan University [biography]

I am an Assistant Professor in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at Rowan University. I have a PhD in Civil Engineering from Rutgers University, focusing on Structural Engineering. My research primarily concerns the incorporation of new technologies that facilitate the structural evaluation and assessment of bridges through improved methods, including remote sensing, non-destructive evaluation (NDE), and structural health monitoring (SHM) for long-term performance, as well as construction progress evaluation for quality assurance and quality control. At Rowan University, I have taught courses in bridge engineering, civil engineering materials, statics, and steel design. I am an active member of the Structural Health Monitoring of Intelligent Infrastructure (SHMII), the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering (IABSE), and Women in Transportation (WTS).
Fahmida Rahman Rowan University [biography]

Fahmida Rahman is an Assistant Teaching Professor at Rowan University. She received her Ph.D. degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Kentucky in 2022 with a focus on Transportation Engineering. Her main research expertise covers transportation safety, traffic operation, congestion management, data mining, big data analysis, and ITS. She developed speed-based Safety Performance Functions (SPFs) for Rural Two-Lane Highways in Kentucky as part of her dissertation research. She also showed the application of Machine Learning techniques for better safety assessment of these roads. She contributed to developing the Kentucky Road User Cost tool and Travel Time Savings tool for Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC).

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