Experiential Learning in the Civil Engineering Curriculum: Collaborations between Community Colleges, Research I Universities and National Laboratories

Kristen Parrish is an Assistant Professor in the School of Sustainability and the Built Environment at Arizona University (ASU). Kristen’s work focuses on integrating energy efficiency measures into building design, construction, and operations processes. She has published journal articles, conference papers, and technical guides on novel design processes that financially and technically facilitate energy-efficient buildings. She has also published articles that explore how principles of lean manufacturing facilitate energy-efficiency in the commercial building industry. Kristen strives to bring research experience into the classroom, and her education research focuses on integrating curriculums across courses, institutions, and research areas. Prior to joining ASU, Kristen was at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) as a Postdoctoral Fellow (2009-11) and then a Scientific Engineering Associate (2011-2012) in the Building Technologies and Urban Systems Department. She worked in the Commercial Buildings group, where her responsibilities included managing two staff, developing energy efficiency programs, and researching the technical and non-technical barriers to energy efficiency in the buildings sector. She has a background in collaborative design and integrated project delivery. She holds a BS and MS in Civil Engineering from the University of Michigan and a PhD in Civil Engineering from UC Berkeley. Abstract The next generation of engineering professionals must be prepared to solve complex and multidisciplinary problems in a sustainable and global context. However, based on the authors’ perceptions, many university- and community college-educated engineers do not feel prepared to address these challenges because they are not introduced to these concepts during their engineering education. Faculty collaboration between Arizona State University and Mesa Community College faculty as well as Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory researchers and Laney College faculty are piloting the development of learning modules for incorporation into courses where sustainability research themes and/or active learning are not typically present. The learning modules employ active, experiential learning through team-based activities that bring contextualized experience into the classroom, allowing students at the different institutions to deepen their "real-world understanding." This paper examines the expansion of a peer network of engineering educators that facilitate the collaborative development of module sets, making it easy for faculty at research I (research extensive) universities, community colleges and national laboratories to incorporate challenges and experiential learning into higher education classrooms. The expansion of the peer network revealed that experiential learning modules and the transformation of higher education is generally met with enthusiasm and passion to create institutions that are committed to excellence. ,