This paper describes the completion of a multi-year, multi-institution study to explore students' transitions from capstone design courses into engineering workplaces. Numerous studies and industry reports point to gaps between school and work with respect to engineering practice. Such misalignment poses a serious challenge to the professional formation of engineers within the academy. Industry-oriented capstone courses are key opportunities to bridge these gaps. These courses provide a direct connect to industry, and faculty view them as vehicles to help students synthesize prior coursework and engage in real-world projects. Yet few if any studies have examined the effectiveness of capstone courses in the context of the transition from school to work. Most research focuses on course structure, pedagogy, assessment, and end-of-course outcomes. To address this gap, we recruited graduating seniors two years in succession from four different institutions and followed them through their first year of work. Of the 140 participants interviewed prior to graduation, 75 remained in the study for the full year. Data collection included weekly quantitative and qualitative surveys during participants' first 12 weeks of work, followed by semi-structured interviews after approximately three, six, and twelve months of work. In addition, 15 self-identified women participated in interviews near the end of their second year of work. The study focused on four primary research questions. RQ1: What skills, practices, and attitudes fostered through the capstone experience do individuals draw on or apply in their early work experiences? RQ2: What differences do individuals identify between their capstone design and early work experiences, and how do those differences help or hinder their school-to-work transition? RQ3: What specific pedagogical practices or aspects of the capstone course do students identify as helping or hindering their transition? RQ4: In what ways do individuals perceive themselves to be underprepared in their early work experiences? All data from the project have been coded to address the research questions. In this paper, we summarize the answers to these questions, drawing on published journal articles as well as manuscripts in the final stages of development. In short, participants identified significant transfer across four domains: teamwork and communication, self-directed learning, technical engineering work, and engineering identity. Each of these areas posed significant challenges for participants as they entered the workforce, but each also represented areas in which they were able to draw on their capstone experiences to navigate their learning. The industry-orientation of their capstone course played a key role in this transfer. At the same time, participants identified multiple contextual differences between school and work that made the transition more a process of adaptation rather than direct translation of skills and practices. Participants were able to draw on their capstone experiences to develop strategies for navigating their new work contexts.

Capstone design courses serve a dual role of synthesizing the undergraduate engineering experience and supporting student transition to life and work after graduation. Alum voices are an especially important, but underutilized, resource in affirming the outcomes of capstone design courses. This paper focuses on a set of ten podcast episodes featuring interviews with alum teams from the Smith College capstone course, Design Clinic. The alums graduated between 2006 and 2022 and collaborated on Design Clinic projects with different sponsoring organizations. Their responses regarding their Design Clinic experiences, transferable skills, role of Design Clinic in their undergraduate experience, and advice to future Design Clinic students revealed a number of common themes that can be organized into three primary categories: collaboration, professional preparation, and personal growth. The alum perspectives serve as a validation of the intended Design Clinic outcomes and also as a pedagogical tool to motivate current and future students.

Research on engineering work emphasizes the centrality of collaboration in practice, and research on students’ transition from school to work highlights the deep social and organizational learning new engineers experience as they build the working relationships needed to function effectively in their roles. Yet even as engineering programs incorporate communication and teamwork into curricula, little work has been done to examine how students learn to build such relationships as they move from the relational structures of school to those in contemporary workplaces. To better understand this transition, this paper draws on data from a multi-institution study that followed graduates from four U.S. universities through their first year of engineering work, including reflective journals from participants’ first three months and interviews at 3, 6, and 12 months of work. The findings highlight three critical themes that characterize participants challenges related to interpersonal communication at work: 1) building working relationships with a diverse set of colleagues, 2) managing negative relationships, and 3) interacting with appropriate confidence. The findings point to the importance of targeted mentoring and collaborative projects that emphasize workplace cultures in undergraduate education. While such learning often happens in the design projects students undertake in their final year ("capstone" or "senior design"), it also points to the need for sustained attention to these skills throughout the curriculum.

This paper addresses the collaborative journey of the SmithVent team, a 30-person distributed group of volunteers, who designed, fabricated, and tested a simplified and cost-efficient ventilator over a three-month period, and won the CoVent-19 Challenge in July 2020. The paper first presents the SmithVent experience through a co-constructed narrative that describes the team's approaches to collaborative distributed design and fabrication. The paper next reviews frameworks from five theoretical lenses and then details the process of extracting, synthesizing, and organizing relevant factors to create a new and emergent framework reflective of the SmithVent experience. Lastly, the paper discusses educational implications of the SmithVent experience and proposed framework, emphasizing that the team's strategies provide a model for educational and industry settings for future collaborative and distributed design and fabrication.

Background: Communication is critical to engineering work, and despite its emphasis within engineering education, it is still noted as a gap in new engineers' preparedness for work. Literature review: Prior research points to communication gaps among new engineers. Few studies have extensively examined transitions between academic and professional engineering contexts. Work remains for understanding how new engineers transfer communication skills. Research questions: 1. In what ways do new engineers transfer communication practices from school to work? 2. What challenges do new engineers experience in moving from communication as practiced at school to communication as practiced at work? Research methodology: This study presents a thematic analysis of data from weekly reflections and regular semistructured interviews conducted during new engineers' first year of work. Results and conclusions: Despite relying heavily on academic experiences involving both documenting and presenting technical work, new engineers report experiencing communication-related challenges. While further attention to communication activities can be given within engineering curricula, the complexity and situated nature of communication in the workplace cannot be fully replicated in the classroom. As new engineers move between school and work, they experience challenges adapting to a new environment including communication activities embedded within unique sociocultural contexts. While the classroom cannot fully replicate these professional settings and all of their nuances, students can be made more fully aware of the embedded nature of communication activities. Moreover, engineering educators can simulate aspects of the workplace in capstone courses, and companies can provide guidance to help mentor new engineers through the inevitable context gaps.

engineering entrepreneurial Her include innovations in engineering design education, entrepreneurship education across disciplines at the undergraduate level, and durability and structural performance of cementitious and natural building materials. Abstract This work details a survey of engineering capstone design courses focused on faculty teaching load and capstone funding levels. The survey was distributed to the attendees of the inaugural National Capstone Design Course Conference in June 2007. The survey yielded responses from 59 participants, representing 45 institutions. The results of the survey provide valuable insight into number and duration of design projects, team size, capstone teaching credit, faculty involvement, direct project costs, and external funding levels.

NOTE: The first page of text has been automatically extracted and included below in lieu of an abstract Session 2540 “TO MOVE PEOPLE FROM APATHY”: A MULTI-PERSPECTIVE APPROACH TO ETHICS ACROSS THE ENGINEERING CURRICULUM Donna Riley, Glenn Ellis, and Susannah Howe Picker Engineering Program, Smith College Abstract Humanist Algernon Black wrote that the unifying goal of ethics is “to move people from apathy, from an acceptance of the evils in life, to face the possibilities of the world….” To this end, faculty in the Picker Engineering Program at Smith College are teaching ethics across the curriculum, employing a range of pedagogical tools that are learner-centered, grounded in real- world contexts, and supportive of critical thinking and reflective action. Ethics are woven across five required courses in the Smith curriculum: a design-based introductory course, a first year course in mass and energy balances, continuum mechanics, thermodynamics, and the capstone design clinic. The first-year courses motivate a well-rounded engineering education and social responsibility, encourage reflective thought and values articulation, and introduce frameworks for ethical problem solving and case analysis. Core engineering courses build on this experience, employing additional cases that integrate relevant engineering content. In the capstone design course, students apply what they have learned preventively to identify potential pitfalls related to their particular projects. Additionally, advanced ethics topics are explored in two upper-level technical electives, examining key issues of environment and sustainability and considering critically the role of engineering in global development. The theme of celebrating multiple perspectives unifies this work. Not only are students encouraged to develop the skills of approaching ethical problems from many different viewpoints and engaging in respectful dialogue with peers who hold different positions, but also this difference of perspective is modeled throughout the curriculum as students experience ethics through varying pedagogies, teaching styles, and learning activities. Assessment of student progress includes evaluating student narratives, case studies, and interactive reflective essays for student ability to reflect deeply, articulate values, frame problems, employ multiple perspectives, think critically and analytically, and generate creative solutions. Results from student focus groups provide additional data that influence our next steps for curricular development. Proceedings of the 2004 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright © 2004, American Society for Engineering

Capstone design courses, an established component of undergraduate engineering curricula, offer students the opportunity to synthesize their prior engineering coursework and apply professional and technical skills towards projects with practical application. During this experience, capstone faculty enable mentored exploration, coaching students to navigate the design process to complete complex, open-ended projects. These projects typically require specific knowledge and skills that students need to independently identify and develop. Findings from our study of recent graduates during their first year of work suggest that this self-directed learning experienced through the capstone design process provides critical preparation for professional practice. In this paper, we examine self-directed learning in capstone and at work in detail, highlighting critical challenges in managing both knowledge and time. The findings point to important ways that capstone design educators can design projects and mentor students to help promote this critical skill.

This study investigates engineering students' transitions from academic to professional environments by examining the role capstone design courses play in preparing graduates for the workplace. To better understand how capstone design experiences contribute to graduates' professional preparation, we recruited participants from four different institutions as they completed multiple-semester project-based capstone design courses. We then followed them through their first three months of work using weekly quantitative surveys about participants' work activities and perceived preparedness, and weekly reflective journal responses about significant challenges experienced. To analyze the data, we used a priori and emergent codes to identify challenges, strategies, and areas of transfer from capstone to work, in combination with frequency analysis to identify patterns across the data set. The results indicate that participants' most significant challenges centered on self-directed learning and interpersonal communication, and that capstone courses played a key role in supporting professional preparation in these areas.

Effective communication between project teams and client sponsors is an essential skill for engineering students and practitioners alike. This paper outlines the three phases of the development, implementation, and assessment of two Client Interaction Rubrics and a subsequent Client Interaction Checklist to guide and support student-client interaction at the outset and throughout the duration of capstone projects. The developed resources were tested in multiple capstone design and project-based courses over three years at a total of six academic institutions. Both formal and informal assessments were conducted regarding the use of these three tools. Students were surveyed following their use of the tools and data were collected on several aspects of instrument use, content, and design with a mix of Likert and open-ended questions. These methods yielded predominantly positive feedback referencing the value of the tools in effectively preparing for, conducting, wrapping up, and following up after client meetings. Constructive feedback was used to inform and revise subsequent versions of the interaction tools for functionality and usability. All of the materials developed through this research are freely available via download, easily editable, and adaptable for use in whole or in part for capstone and similar project-oriented courses. Through the use of such tools, student engineers are better prepared and positioned for success in their interactions with clients. Likewise, effective professional interactions with project clients can build and strengthen relationships between the clients and the associated academic programs, leading to future opportunities and partnerships.

In preparing engineering students for the workplace, capstone classes provide unique opportunities for students to develop their professional identities and learn critical skills such as engineering design, teamwork, and self-directed learning (Lutz & Paretti). While existing research explores what and how students learn within these courses, we know much less about how capstone courses affect students’ transitions into the workplace. To address this gap, we are following 62 new graduates from four institutions during the participants’ first 12 weeks of work. Participants were drawn from three mechanical engineering programs and one engineering science program. Women were intentionally oversampled in the study, with 29 participants (47%) identifying as female. Weekly surveys were used to collect quantitative data on what types of workplace activities participants engaged in (e.g., team meetings, project budgeting, CAD modeling, engineering calculations) and qualitative data on what challenges they experience in their early work experience. In this paper, we present a descriptive analysis of the data to identify patterns across participants. Preliminary analysis of the quantitative data suggests that the most common activities for our participants were team meetings and project planning (mentioned by >70% of participants) compared to formal presentations and project budgeting (mentioned by <30% of participants). Preliminary analysis of the qualitative data suggests that participants’ most challenging experiences clustered into two dominant groups: 1) self-directed learning, and 2) teamwork and communication. The results are intended to inform both capstone faculty and industry to identify areas of strength and improvement. Our recommendations target current practices in capstone education including course design and structure as well as industry onboarding practices.

Capstone design courses often provide authentic learning opportunities and real-world responsibility at the conclusion of students' undergraduate engineering education, helping prepare them for their career and life trajectories after graduation. Cultivating the broader capstone design ecosystem can further enrich students' learning, expand student connections, and facilitate acquisition of the Engineer of 2020 attributes. This paper presents a framework and associated strategies for a capstone design ecosystem that extends across the capstone design course, across the engineering department, across the institution, and across the alumni community. The paper discusses implementation of the proposed ecosystem approach as a case study supplemented by student testimonials and survey results from students and alumni regarding impact. Capstone educators are encouraged to try these strategies, in part or in whole, within their own institutions so as to improve capstone design experiences and better prepare students for engineering in 2020 and beyond.

Capstone design courses are common in engineering design programs, but they vary substantially across institution and department. The goal of the decennial capstone design survey initiative is to capture data from capstone design courses every ten years to identify current practices and changes over time. In keeping with its predecessor surveys, the 2015 capstone design survey included questions on course logistics, pedagogy, evaluation, faculty, students, projects and teams, expenses and funding, and sponsors. The 2015 survey captured data from 522 respondents at 256 institutions, documenting the variety of implementation strategies for capstone design programs across the U.S. These data include quantitative and categorical responses about current practices and open-ended responses about respondent experiences and opinion. This paper presents the current state of capstone design education, draws comparisons across disciplines, and highlights changes within capstone design practices over the past 20 years. These surveys and the data gathered therein are an important first step in understanding, assessing, and ultimately improving engineering capstone design education.

The national conversation regarding the future of liberal arts education often fixates on a false dichotomy between the humanities and STEM fields; thus, the time seems right to reimagine a framework in which the humanities, social sciences and STEM fields work in synergy to not only prepare students for creative engagement with the complex and challenging problems facing our world, but also for the active creation of the new realities that they have imagined as possible. In this paper, we describe the origins and progress to date of a pilot cross-campus initiative in Design Thinking and the Liberal Arts at Smith College, an all women's residential liberal arts college in Northampton, MA. In addition, we share insights from our experiences to assist those at other institutions who might be interested in engaging in similar kinds of endeavors.

The goal of the 2014 Capstone Design Conference held in Columbus, OH was to build upon the success of three previous conferences (2007 and 2010 in Boulder, CO, and 2012 in Champaign, IL) and expand the community of educators, students, and industry members engaged in discussing, analyzing, and improving capstone design education. Sessions at the 2014 Capstone Design Conference were designed for vibrant sharing of ideas and experiences across the capstone community via interactive panel sessions, poster session socials, and hands-on workshops. This editorial discusses conference planning, structure, and feedback. Technical papers that follow in this issue document scholarship surrounding noteworthy capstone course innovations. Most of these began as four page peer-reviewed papers included in the conference proceedings.

Industry Immersion: The Impacts of a Sabbatical Deep-DiveSabbatical experiences provide an opportunity for faculty to immerse themselves in currentscholarship, to explore new areas of research, and/or to pursue professional development. Forcapstone design instructors, many of whom coordinate projects with industry sponsors, a logicaloption for sabbatical is to spend it in industry. This option is particularly attractive and useful forfaculty members who have followed the standard academic pathway and have not previouslyworked as practicing engineers.This paper reports on one capstone design instructor's experiences during a year-long sabbaticalin industry. The author spent six months working as part of an engineering team at onecompany, and then spent four months on short visits to 24 engineering companies across thecountry to gain an inside look into a variety of engineering disciplines, multiple approaches toengineering design, and different workplace environments. These short visits lasted from 1-3days and included meetings with multiple employees, facility tours, and opportunities to shadowpeople in their daily tasks. At every visit the author solicited input on what skills engineeringstudents should learn in college, especially during their capstone design experience, to beprepared to be effective entry-level engineering employees.This paper reports on the feedback from the wide range of engineering companies regardingimportant skills for entry-level employees. The paper describes how the sabbatical experienceimpacted the author's approach to teaching the capstone design course, and modifications theauthor made to the course as a result. In addition, the paper discusses the process forcoordinating such short visits and recommendations for pursuing a similar sabbaticalexperience. The paper is geared toward design faculty, but is applicable to faculty in anyengineering discipline.