Engineering Education Commons^™

Effect Of Rheology Modification On Fiber Orientation And Dispersion In 3d-Printed Ultra-High-Performance Concrete, Haodao Li, Alfred Addai-Nimoh, Seongho Han, Kamal H. Khayat

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The extrusion process in 3D concrete printing (3DCP) facilitates horizontal alignment of steel fibers along the printing direction, thus enhancing the load-bearing capacity of printed elements. However, such shear-induced fiber alignment is highly sensitive to rheological properties. This study investigates how variations in dynamic yield stress (τd) and plastic viscosity (μ), influence the extrudability, fiber orientation and dispersion, and anisotropic mechanical behavior of ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC). Five viscosity-modifying agent (VMA) types were incorporated at two content levels to modify the rheology of printable UHPC. Results showed that moderate VMA additions improved printability, whereas excessive contents markedly increased τd and μ; …

How Does Competitive Adsorption Between Vma And Pce Influence Yield Stress Of Cement Paste? A Novel Insight From Interparticle Forces And Percolation Threshold, Huamin Sun, Le Teng, Xiaohan Yu, Xin Shu, Zhangli Hu, Jiaping Liu, Kamal H. Khayat

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Viscosity modifying admixture (VMA) and polycarboxylate superplasticizer (PCE) are often combined to optimize rheological properties of cement-based materials. However, the competitive adsorption of these complex admixtures can greatly influence rheological properties. Many studies have investigated the variation of yield stress due to competitive adsorption between VMA and PCE; but the mechanisms are not fully understood. This study aims to shed a new light on this question in cement paste systems prepared with low water-to-binder ratios of 0.16–0.30. The competitive adsorption of VMA and PCE was quantitatively assessed using the Total Organic Carbon and Ultraviolet-Visible Spectroscopy measurements. The effect of competitive …

Transforming Dredged Sediment Into Reactive Clay: Critical Review Of Calcination, Reactivity, And Sustainable Valorization As Supplementary Cementitious Material, Seongho Han, Sanghwon Wi, Koochul Ji, Keun Hyeok Yang, Farshad Rajabipour, Kamal H. Khayat, Jinyoung Yoon

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Dredged sediment (DS) is generated worldwide in large volumes through routine port and waterway maintenance, yet its disposal presents environmental and economic challenges. Recently, calcined dredged sediment (CDS) has emerged as a supplementary cementitious material (SCM), offering a viable alternative to traditional SCMs, such as fly ash and slag cement. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the physical, chemical, and mineralogical characteristics of raw DS and pretreatment strategies aimed at dewatering, organic matter removal, and contaminant stabilization. The effects of calcination on the production of reactive amorphous aluminosilicates are also discussed. Emphasis is placed on physicochemical changes revealed by experimental …

Low-Carbon Concrete For Sustainable Construction: A Comprehensive Review Of Performance Characteristics, Implementation Challenges, And Decarbonization Pathways, Fazel Azarhomayun, Jingjie Wei, Kamal H. Khayat

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Reducing the carbon footprint of concrete has become a central objective in sustainable construction. Low-carbon concrete (LCC), developed primarily through clinker reduction, supplementary cementitious materials, and alternative binder strategies, offers a promising route for lowering embodied emissions while maintaining the performance requirements of structural concrete. This comprehensive review consolidates the current state of knowledge on LCC, identifies critical research and implementation gaps, and examines its material composition, mixture-design methodologies, performance characteristics, structural applications, implementation challenges, and decarbonization pathways. Single-SCM systems have been reported at clinker-replacement levels approaching 50%, although durability at these replacement levels, particularly carbonation resistance, remains system- and …

Chatbot-Based Feedback + Revision And Reflection For Lab Reports, Janie Brennan

Generative AI Teaching Activities

Students will upload draft versions of laboratory reports to a specially designed chatbot trained on course guidelines and instructor preferences. The chatbot gives structured feedback on the submission, and then students update their work and write a reflection about the experience.

Recent Advances In The Rheological Properties Of Ultra-High-Performance Concrete: A Critical Review, Le Teng, Kamal H. Khayat, Jiaping Liu

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) with adapted rheology continues to attract interest considering the requirement for novel processing techniques such as self-consolidating, pumping, spraying, and three-dimensional (3D) printing. The rheology of UHPC is complex due to its high solid volume fraction, low water content, and wide range of constituent materials that affect its flow properties. This work provides guidance for tailoring the mixture proportioning of UHPC to secure proper rheological properties and performance of UHPC for various applications. In the first part of this work, key physical, physicochemical, and chemical factors that can affect the rheological properties of UHPC are discussed. Rheological …

Shared Language For Responsible Ai Integration, Asa B. Stone, Mark C. Stone, Alisha Bevins, Jean Claude Niyomugabo, Irene Magara, Jacob Abaare, Derek M. Heeren, Mubarak Abu Zouriq

PRAIRIE: Pioneering Responsible AI for Research, Innovation, and Education

As AI rapidly reshapes how we work and learn, employers increasingly seek graduates who can think before they prompt, exercising judgment under pressure rather than merely producing output. Yet students are praised for AI use in one course and penalized for it in the next, and faculty are left to lead responsibly on shifting ground, with no shared language to guide them.

This paper introduces the PRAIRIE Framework for AI Integration, a shift from reactive gatekeeping toward proactive stewardship. It emerged from a qualitative sentiment analysis of three communities (students, faculty, and industry partners) whose concerns converged on one need: …

Software Engineering: Ai-Enhanced Full Stack Development, Huixin Wu, Haiying Xiao

Open Educational Resources

This course provides instruction in full‑stack web application development using modern JavaScript technologies. Students design, implement, and deploy web‑based solutions while applying AI‑assisted development tools in an ethical and effective manner. The curriculum emphasizes problem‑solving, system design, teamwork, and industry‑standard best practices, with dedicated focus on cloud‑native development—including containerization, distributed services, and modern deployment pipelines—as well as API‑first architecture, enabling students to build scalable, maintainable, and interoperable applications aligned with current industry expectations.

Computer Vision And Machine Learning Approaches For Defect Detection In 3d-Printed Cementitious Materials: A Systematic Review, Muhammad Ali Musarat, Ruben Paul Borg, Jingjie Wei, Carl James Debono, Kamal Khayat

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

3D printing is evolving at a fast pace in both the manufacturing and construction sectors. These advancements can greatly benefit these industries. However, the 3D printing of concrete structures presents some challenges due to defects in the 3D concrete printed elements. Hence, this study systematically reviews Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven techniques, such as Computer Vision and Machine Learning, to identify surface defects that can occur in 3D-printed cementitious material structures. The adopted methodology was the PRISMA statement with the aim of reporting the systematic review and meta-analysis. Two well-known databases, Web of Science and Scopus, were utilised for data extraction of …

Undergraduate Design Spine For Biological Systems Engineering And Agricultural Engineering, David Mabie, Derek M. Heeren, Deepak R. Keshwani, Heidi A. Diefes-Dux, Nicole M. Iverson, Rachel Padrnos, Greg Bashford, Taryn King, Jenna Hefley, Curtis L. Tomasevicz

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Presentations and White Papers

Engineering education is undergoing a shift toward preparing graduates with demonstrated capabilities that integrate technical knowledge, durable skills, and the ability to adapt in a rapidly evolving professional landscape. This paper describes a comprehensive redesign of the undergraduate curriculum in Biological Systems Engineering (BSEN) and Agricultural Engineering (AGEN) at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. The redesign is grounded in a “Design Spine” framework, which distributes and scaffolds design experiences across all four years of the program to support progressive development of problem solving, systems thinking, communication, and professional skills. The curriculum is organized around clearly defined capabilities and threads that connect …

Community Engagement Through Robotics Mentoring – Unlv, First Nv, And High School Robotics Teams, Brendan O'Toole

Community Engagement Expo Research Posters

The UNLV Robotics Mentorship program includes a two-semester course that trains students to support local high school FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) teams. ‘ME 464 Robotics Mentoring I’ provides training in design, mentoring,  fabrication, and programming. ‘ME 465 Robotics Mentoring II’, pairs students with local high school teams to serve as technical mentors for the competition season.

New Insights Into Dynamic Evolution Of Colloidal Network Structure During Early-Age Hardening Of Cementitious Materials, Hengrui Liu, Kaiyin Zhao, Shipeng Zhang, Hanghua Zhang, Shuangshuang Liu, Lucen Hao, Hongyan Ma, Kamal Khayat, Chi Sun Poon

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The evolution of microstructure in cementitious materials during their transition from fluid to solid state plays a critical role in determining their ultimate mechanical strength and overall performance. This hydration stage primarily involves a dynamic densification process occurring within the colloidal network. However, the field of cement-based materials currently lacks a comprehensive theoretical framework and associated parameters capable of effectively characterizing the specific structural regions within this network. In this study, we propose an Improved Particle Linkage (IPL) theory for describing the strength, types, and quantities of particle linkages within colloidal network. The IPL theory classifies the internal network structure …

Advances And Challenges In Nano-Modified Cementitious Composites: Mechanisms, Dispersion Strategies, And Impact On Mechanical Properties, Fatemeh Mohammadi Ghahsareh, Pengwei Guo, Nusrath Jaha, Yi Bao, Kamal H. Khayat, Weina Meng

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Nanomaterials are increasingly utilized to enhance the mechanical properties, durability, and functionality of concrete materials but face challenges such as agglomeration and uneven dispersion in cementitious systems, which can offset the intended improvements. This paper reviews the advances and challenges associated with nano-modified cementitious composites, elucidating fundamental mechanisms and highlighting strategies for overcoming the challenges through experimental and computing techniques. The reviewed contents include (1) the classification of nanomaterials commonly used in cementitious systems and the mechanisms through which they enhance the mechanical properties of cementitious composites; (2) challenges of nanomaterials such as agglomeration in water, re-agglomeration in cementitious systems, …

Hold Paramount The Health, Safety, And Welfare Of The Public And The Planet, Daniel B. Oerther

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Afit By The Numbers, Fy25, Air Force Institute Of Technology

AFIT Documents

AFIT’s mission is to educate defense professionals to innovatively accomplish the deterrence and warfighting missions of the USAF and USSF. AFIT’s vision of leading defense-focused education, research and consultation to accelerate military superiority across all domains is accomplished through operationally relevant advanced academic education, research, and professional continuing education.

The Role Of Spatial Abilities In Stem Learning And The Influence Of Individual Differences, Styliani Malkogeorgou

Masters

Students’ decisions to pursue education and careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) are shaped by an interplay of cognitive, social, and motivational factors. Spatial ability is among the most reliable predictors of STEM success, yet less is known about how it relates to students’ STEM attitudes and aspirations, and whether visuospatial working memory (VSWM) explains this relationship. This study tested the hypotheses that (a) stronger spatial abilities and VSWM would be associated with more positive STEM attitudes and stronger STEM aspirations, and (b) VSWM would mediate the relationship between spatial abilities and STEM attitudes/aspirations, while examining the influence …

Developing And Proposing A Passion Project Course With Institutional Backing, Ron Reaser

2026 Scholarly Teaching Conference: Poster Session Papers

Developing and proposing a new course based on your passion project is achievable and rewarding for faculty of any rank, including teaching-track faculty and adjuncts, but it may feel confusing or daunting to glean the course design principles and institutional knowledge necessary to succeed. This presentation recommends a successful and replicable approach based on proactive communication with stakeholders in your unit and across the broader university system. The approach is tailored to faculty members of West Virginia University, Potomac State College, and WVU Institute of Technology.

Triangulating Primary Sources, Professional Judgement, And Llm-Generated Summaries: Educating Nurses In An Ai-First World, Sarah Oerther, Daniel B. Oerther

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

No abstract provided.

A Transdisciplinary Approach To Advancing Water Security And Public Health: The “Nurse + Engineer” Model For Achieving Sustainability In Wash Systems Using Community-Based Participatory Research, Daniel B. Oerther, Sarah Oerther

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Human health is linked to the health of the environment, a concept referred to as planetary health. As environmental challenges become increasingly complex, single-disciplinary approaches are insufficient to achieve sustainable solutions. This article presents a transdisciplinary framework, termed the "Nurse + Engineer" model, as a novel methodology for addressing complex problems at the nexus of environmental engineering and public health. The model integrates the technical design and systems-level thinking of environmental engineering with the community-based, patient-centered care of nursing. This work details the key lessons learned from the retrospective application of this framework to a series of multi-year, community-based participatory …

Environmental Engineers Develop Solutions To Problems Of Planetary Health: The Legacy Of Professor P. Aarne Vesilind, Daniel B. Oerther

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The principal ethical obligation of the engineering profession, to "hold paramount the health, safety, and welfare of the public," has been challenged for decades. Professor P. Aarne Vesilind identified two primary deficiencies: an anthropocentric bias that values nature only instrumentally and the use of non-mandatory, aspirational language for environmental protection, which resulted in the exclusion of enforceable environmental canons. This paper argues that two recent developments provide a comprehensive response to Vesilind's recommendations for engineering ethics. First, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics has redefined environmental engineering as "developing solutions to problems of planetary health." Second, Oerther proposed a …

Undergraduate Student Support Survey And Scoring Guide, Kerrie A. Douglas, Adrian Gentry, Julie P. Martin, Tiantian Li

School of Engineering Education Working Papers

No abstract provided.

Teaching Strategies In The First-Year Engineering Seminar Course, Akua Oppong-Anane, Wen Juan Mo, Marshal Miezah, Gia Huy Pham, Susie Huggins, Lizzie Santiago

2026 Scholarly Teaching Conference: Poster Session Papers

This poster highlights the teaching strategies that are implemented in the First-Year Engineering Seminar Course at West Virginia University (WVU). The teaching team incorporated active learning techniques into the course to enhance student engagement, promote critical thinking, support the development of engineering identity, and encourage major and career exploration.

Rubric Enhanced Assessment Of Coursework And Teaching (React): Using Portfolios And Rubrics In An Engineering Classroom To Refocus From Grades To Learning, Nathan Lee Galinsky

2026 Scholarly Teaching Conference: Poster Session Papers

The goal of using rubrics in an engineering classroom is to make grading clearer for students and to enhance the learning efforts. Point based grading of work leaves students looking for the correct numerical solution or choice without thinking about their assumptions, process, or approximations. A rubric dissects grading to include the entire solution procedure emphasizing key steps in a solution procedure. Students also don’t have to wonder where partial credit will be focused or what emphasis a solution will be graded on when using rubrics. By combining the rubric assessment techniques with portfolios, students will be empowered to feel …

Artificial Intelligence (Ai) In Educating Next Generation Of Engineering Technology Students, Adel El-Shahat, Murat Kuzlu, Vukica M. Jovanovic, Katherine Smith, Abdullah Al Mamun, Otilia Popescu

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming education, particularly for electrical engineering technology (EET) students, by presenting adaptive learning, immediate responses, and unconventional tools. Therefore, this paper proposes investigating modern learning to employ AI in educating future electrical engineering technology students. Firstly, the paper explores how to shape AI knowledge for EET students, supplying them with hands-on skills in AI tasks, clarifying coding, data analysis, and AI ethical usage. Then, as educators, what are the efficient AI tools to utilize in teaching, such as tailored tutoring, automated code assessment, AI-driven design/simulation, lecture dictation, and smart content creation? Key tools, for instance, Google …

Wip: Arduino-Based Pbl To Foster Entrepreneurial Mindset, Nathan Q. Holland, Vukica M. Jovanovic

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

This work-in-progress paper examines a semester-long project-based learning initiative begun in an introductory engineering course during the Fall 2025 semester. The project aims to enhance students' hands-on experience by integrating information literacy, the engineering design process (EDP), and an entrepreneurial mindset (EM) [1]. The objective is to boost student confidence in teamwork, technical problem-solving, and application of skills, preparing them for future courses in their discipline. Students in this introduction to engineering course received an Arduino Uno R3 Controller board kit and additional sensors. They were tasked to develop a device addressing engineering in the medicine challenge of their choosing. …

Affordable Course Content And Open Education Resources For Undergraduate Courses Teaching Fundamentals Of Wireless Communications And Networking, Dimitrie C. Popescu, Otilia Popescu

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Wireless communication systems and networks along with the services they provide have become an essential component of the modern 21st century society, fueling job growth in the wireless industry and increasing the need for engineers specialized in wireless communication systems. As a consequence, over the past two decades, undergraduate courses teaching fundamentals of wireless communication systems and networks have become common in electrical and computer engineering and technology programs. At the same time, the number of textbooks dedicated to wireless systems and networks published by mainstream publishers has also grown, with availability in various formats and offerings and a significant …

Explainable Ai-Driven Predictive Maintenance Curriculum For Smart Manufacturing, Abdullah Al Mamun, Murat Kuzlu, Katherine Smith, Vukica Jovanovic, Dalya Ismael, Adel El-Shahat, Angela Sicaja, Md. Hedayetul Islam Chy

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Nowadays, Industry 4.0 has transformed manufacturing industries into a data-rich system driven by IoT, automation, and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Within this context, Predictive Maintenance (PdM) provides a proactive strategy that leverages heterogeneous sensor data such as vibration, acoustic, electrical, and visual signals along with historical performance and advanced analytics to forecast equipment failures before they occur. Usually, AI-driven PdM (AI-PdM) enhances this capability by integrating AI-based sensor analytics to automate fault prediction and optimize system reliability. However, traditional AI-PdM often functions as a “black box,” providing limited interpretability of its decision-making process and posing challenges for trust, validation, and human …

When Slides Replace Thinking: How Powerpoint Culture Undermines Conceptual Learning In Engineering Education, Shahin Nayyeri Amiri, Hamid Eisazadeh

Civil & Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Engineering education has gradually shifted from deep conceptual teaching to a culture dominated by presentation slides. In many universities today, core courses such as Statics, Dynamics, and Mechanics of Materials are taught through PowerPoint files rather than through reasoning, derivation, and problem solving. While slide-based instruction may appear efficient, it encourages passive learning and has severely weakened students’ ability to think independently and make sound engineering judgments. Traditionally, these fundamental courses were taught by seasoned instructors who had mastered the subjects and took genuine pride in explaining complex ideas with clarity and passion. They guided students through the logic behind …

Using A Study Journal To Support Class Engagement And The Development Of Entrepreneurial Mindset Habits, Otilia Popescu, Dimitrie C. Popescu

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Engineering Technology programs were historically introduced to support non-traditional students and offer college pathways for students working and having already a developing career. This is even more true in the current academic environment, with a large percentage of students enrolled in engineering technology programs being either fully or part-time employed, active or retired military, and at different stages in their lives, usually with families to care for. Often, non-traditional students attend classes online, either synchronously or even more often asynchronously, due to their schedule constraints. Course instructors regularly face schedule or time management constraints from the students’ side, and they …

Air Force Institute Of Technology Research Report 2023, Air Force Institute Of Technology

AFIT Documents

This report summarizes the research activities of the Air Force Institute of Technology's Graduate School of Engineering and the Graduate School of Logistics and Acquisition Management. It describes research interests and faculty expertise; list student theses/dissertations; identifies research sponsors and contributions; and outlines the procedure for contacting either school.