On Monday, February 18th, at 10:30 am, Dr. Cassandra McCall, a candidate for the Discipline-Based Engineering Education Faculty position at UNL, will be sharing her research entitled "Becoming an Engineer: Exploring the Professional Identity Formation of Undergraduate Civil Engineering Students".
Abstract:
The formation of professional identities is crucial for student persistence within the engineering field and is markedly shaped by the ways in which they experience school. These experiences can drastically differ based on other identity dimensions (e.g., race, gender, etc.) and disciplinary contexts. In this talk, I will discuss professional identity formation of undergraduate civil engineering students from two perspectives: 1) the internal processes by which engineering students learn, interpret, and internalize the valued skills, knowledge, and discourse of the civil engineering profession; and 2) the environmental factors that externally inform student identity formation. These processes and factors are used to inform the development and application of pedagogical strategies that promote student engagement and inclusion.
Bio:
Dr. McCall holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in civil engineering from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology and a Ph.D. in Engineering Education from Virginia Tech. Her research interests include professional identity formation and Grounded Theory Methodology. Dr. McCall has extensive engineering education research experience, including several publications and an NSF-funded project examining the professional identity formation of undergraduate civil engineering students with disabilities.
Time: 10:30am on Monday, Feb. 18th
Place: NH W213B / PKI 250
Zoom Link: https://unl.zoom.us/j/592762448