Maine Center for Research in STEM Education (RiSE Center)
Colloquium Series
Presents
Ethan Geheb, University of Maine
Monday, March 4, 2024, 3:00–4:00 p.m.
Bumps Room (MU 229) and Zoom (link available by email)
Refreshments provided
What does it mean to “Be a Biomedical Engineer?”: Program Influences on Student & Faculty perspectives about the Discipline
Abstract:
The engineering student educational experience is commonly assumed to be homogenous, however engineering disciplines have been characterized as having unique cultures and traditions. There lacks investigation into various ways in which members (students, faculty) experience and engage with discipline-specific cultures, and how these experiences are related to student engineering identity development. This study aims to characterize and compare the disciplinary-specific culture of a biomedical engineering (BME) program from multiple perspectives (students, instructors), and understand its role in students’ disciplinary-specific engineering identity development. This case study was conducted within a biomedical engineering program at a research-intensive university located within the north-eastern United States. The primary data source was a collection of ethnographic interviews (45-60 minutes) conducted with senior undergraduate students (n=8) and faculty members (n=8). In addition, student surveys, departmental documents, and fieldnotes from classroom observations were collected as supplementary data about the culture of the program. The transcripts were analyzed qualitatively using the constructs of Engestrӧm’s cultural historical activity (e.g., cultural norms, tools, community) and role identity theories as primary coding categories, with inductive coding (constant comparative) utilized to generate subcodes. An overview of select findings from this study will be covered, along with discussion about implications and future directions.
Bio:
Ethan Geheb is a long-time Black Bear. He attended the University of Maine, Orono and graduated in 2013 with a B.S. in Bioengineering, followed by a Master of Science in Teaching in 2018 (with Secondary Physical & Life Science certification). Ethan is a candidate for the Doctorate of Philosophy in Education from The University of Maine in May 2024.
To be added to the Colloquium email list and receive the Zoom link and passcode, please email the RiSE Center: risecenter@maine.edu.
To request a reasonable accessibility accommodation to participate, please submit a request form and/or contact the RiSE Center: risecenter@maine.edu or 207-581-4672.