Understanding the Joint Development of Engineering and Leadership Identities

Abstract

This work seeks to understand how undergraduate students view development of their engineering and leadership identities. The construct of engineering identity is important because its development improves student retention in college and into industry. Similarly, developing leadership identity influences leadership interest and self-efficacy. Through data collected in twenty focus groups and coded using consensus techniques this study finds similarities and differences between the development of each identity. Similarities include the positive impact of authentic experiences and importance of both internal and external recognition, while the linear development of engineering presents a stark contrast with student views of how leadership develops.

Keywords:

• Leadership
• Identity Development
• Leadership Development
• Engineering Identity
• Engineering Leadership

EMJ Focus Areas:

• Engineering Management Profession
• Leadership

Acknowledgements

This material is based in part upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Number EEC- 1664231 through the Research in the Formation of Engineers program. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Additional support for this work provided by the Undergraduate Scholars Program at Montana State University.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Science Foundation Directorate for Engineering [EEC-1664231].

Notes on contributors

William Schell

William Schell earned his PhD in industrial and systems engineering – engineering management from the University of Alabama in Huntsville and MS and BS degrees in industrial and management engineering from Montana State University (MSU). He is associate professor and program coordinator of industrial and management systems engineering and associate director of the Montana Engineering Education Research Center at MSU. His 14 year industry career included executive positions at both Fortune 50 and Inc 500 companies.

Bryce E. Hughes

Bryce E. Hughes is an assistant professor in education at Montana State University and holds a PhD in higher education and organizational change from the University of California, Los Angeles, as well as an MA in student development administration from Seattle University and a BS in general engineering from Gonzaga University. His research interests include teaching and learning in engineering, STEM education policy, and diversity and equity in STEM.

Brett Tallman

Brett Tallman is currently a doctoral student in engineering at Montana State University (MSU), with focus on engineering leadership. His previous degrees include a master’s degree in education from MSU (active learning in advanced quantum mechanics) and a BS in mechanical engineering from Cornell. Prior to his academic career, he worked in the biotech, product design, and automotive (Toyota) sectors for 14 years, and is a licensed professional engineer.

Monika Kwapisz

Monika Kwapisz (they/them) is entering the PhD program in industrial and systems engineering at the University of Washington. They hold a BS degree in industrial and management systems engineering with a minor in mathematics from Montana State University. Monika was the president of MSU’s Out in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (oSTEM) chapter in 2019.

Tessa Sybesma

Tessa Sybesma is an industrial and management systems engineering master’s student at Montana Status University. She has worked with a variety of university teams to reconnect alumni with the IMSE program, to better understand the intersection of engineering and leadership in her peers, and to support the connection between the U.S. military and industry. She holds interests in organizational and human skill development and systems analysis.

Emma Annand

Emma Annand received her BS in industrial and management systems engineering from Montana State University (MSU) in 2019. During her time in college, Emma worked as a research assistant for MSU’s engineering leadership identity development project funded by the NSF. Emma is currently a data analyst at Gordian, a facilities and construction data company in the USA.

Christy Bozic

Christy Bozic is the Lockheed Martin professor of engineering management and faculty director of the engineering management program at the University of Colorado Boulder. She holds a PhD in curriculum and instruction from Purdue University, an MBA in marketing, and a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering technology. Dr. Bozic builds upon her extensive industry experience to develop curriculum to better prepare engineers for careers in business and engineering management.

Daria A. Kotys-Schwartz

Daria A. Kotys- Schwartz is director of the Idea Forge and of Undergraduate Programs at the Design Center Colorado. She is a teaching professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Kotys-Schwartz holds a PhD in mechanical engineering from the University of Colorado Boulder. She is researching the impact of cultural norms in an engineering classroom context, performing comparative studies between engineering education and professional design practices, and exploring informal learning in engineering education.

Caroline C. Krejci

Dr. Caroline C. Krejci is an assistant professor of industrial, manufacturing, and systems engineering at The University of Texas at Arlington. She holds a PhD in industrial engineering from the University of Washington. Her research is focused on the development of quantitative methodologies for the analysis and sustainable management of sociotechnical systems, including supply networks and production systems.