A team of Purdue University researchers, led by Polytechnic assistant professor and principal investigator Gaurav Nanda, has been awarded a $395,300 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to develop and integrate new educational modules aimed at preparing engineering and technology students for the complexities of the global workforce.
The project, funded through the NSF’s Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE) program, is designed to cultivate "world readiness" by moving beyond purely subject-matter training. The research addresses a growing need for engineers who can analyze problems from multiple stakeholder perspectives and understand the long-term societal and environmental impacts of their work.
"This proposal focuses on improving the design skills of engineering and technology graduates to develop robust and long-term engineering solutions in interdisciplinary and multi-objective scenarios through humanity-centered design principles," said Nanda.
The research itself is a model of the interdisciplinary collaboration it promotes. Nanda is joined by co-principal investigators Aparajita Jaiswal from the College of Engineering’s EPICS (Engineering Projects in Community Service) program and Aletha Stahl from the College of Liberal Arts' School of Languages and Cultures. Margaret Phillips, professor of library science and the associate head of information studies with a courtesy appointment in Purdue Polytechnic is also senior personnel on the project, critical to the administration and results analysis of the research.
The core of the project involves creating short, self-paced online modules that will integrate two key frameworks into the existing curriculum: Cultural Intelligence (CQ), which helps students collaborate effectively across different cultures, and Humanity-Centered Design (HumD), which emphasizes creating sustainable technological solutions in collaboration with the user community rather than simply descending into that community with a design answer.
As part of their coursework, students will use these principles in their capstone projects and participate in specialized workshops led by experienced design professionals. The goal is to equip them with the skills to address real-world challenges where technical solutions have profound social and cultural dimensions.
The project will advance the understanding of how to effectively implement and scale this type of integrated STEM education. The findings will be shared broadly through publications, educational materials, and implementation guidelines for other institutions to adopt.
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