2016 Seminar Series

Friday, October 7, 2016

Training Days: Inadvertent lessons instructors teach students and vice-versa
Presenter: Dr. Patrick Herak, The Ohio State University

Dr. Herak brings his training experience as former animal trainer for the Dog Owner Connection and Columbus Zoo Show Staff to the classroom.  He will discuss the undesirable behaviors that instructors reinforce in their students, and that students reinforce in their instructors.  He will facilitate discussion and share techniques to break these habits.

 

Thursday, November 10, 2016

Diversity Across Engineering Disciplines: Factors that Influence Student Major Choice    
Presenter: Dr. Joyce Main, Purdue University

Thursday, November 10, 2016

Although initiatives and programs designed to broaden participation in academic institutions have generated many positive changes, the proportions of women, African American, Hispanic, and Native American students have not seen commensurate increases in engineering fields. Diversifying the undergraduate engineering population has important consequences for our nation’s ability to meet the increasing demands for a larger technological and scientific labor force. My research will help explain why there is variation in diversity across engineering disciplines by examining a critical juncture—selection into an engineering major.  In this seminar, I will present results on the effects of individual student factors and departmental demographic composition using over 20,000 individual student transcripts from a large, Midwestern research university. I will also discuss findings from thematic analysis of 39 engineering student interviews to provide rich details regarding the major selection process.

University administrators, faculty, and stakeholders could use these findings to help develop strategies to encourage more women and underrepresented students to pursue engineering and to consider more fully the wide range of engineering disciplines available. 

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