This engineering education research project seeks to further explore the results from a pilot project that indicated that students who come to college under-prepared academically but who develop an engineering professional identity early in the curriculum perform better and are more likely to be retained. By understanding the role of identity on retention and academic success, more effective curricula can be created. A second aspect of the study is to examine, using the national MIDFIELD data set, the potential pool of students from under-represented groups, who can benefit from similar programs, and how identifying such students can expand the pool of qualified students to draw from.
The broader significance and importance of this project arises from the potential to dramatically increase the pool of students who have the ability to succeed in undergraduate engineering programs. If the project succeeds in verifying the hypothesis that there is a large pool of students from under-represented groups capable of success, this can significantly increase the STEM pipeline for these groups, and address pressing workforce issues. This project overlaps with NSF's strategic goals of transforming the frontiers through preparation of an engineering workforce with new capabilities and expertise. Additionally NSF's goal of innovating for society is enabled by creating results and research that are useful for society by informing educational policy and practices.
