DO-IT - AccessERC

Including Universal Design in the Engineering Curriculum

eol — Mon, 13 Mar 2023 05:48:26 +0000

Discover how learning around universal design prepares engineering students to design products that are usable by a wide variety of potential users, including people with disabilities.

Project:

AccessEngineering

AccessERC

AccessINCLUDES

Year:

2022

Including Universal Design in the Engineering Curriculum

Featured:

Engaging Individuals with Disabilities in an Engineering Research Center

eol — Mon, 13 Mar 2023 05:32:00 +0000

This video describes ways that Engineering Research Centers can increase accessibility for individuals with disabilities, including universal design, accessible information technology, accessible engineering labs, and more.

Project:

AccessEngineering

AccessERC

AccessINCLUDES

Year:

2022

Engaging Individuals with Disabilities in an Engineering Research Center

Featured:

off

Case Study: Ana

eol — Sun, 25 Apr 2021 01:45:15 +0000

My name is Ana, and I am a Hispanic woman in a STEM field. I was born in El Paso, TX but raised in Cd. Juarez, Mexico. I graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) with a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and a master’s degree in chemistry. I started my Ph.D. in environmental engineering in August 2016 at Arizona State University (ASU) and joined Dr. François Perreault’s research group. Our research focuses on the application of nanotechnology for water treatment. Particularly, my current research aims to understand the safety and sustainability of carbon nanomaterials for environmental applications.

I am passionate about conducting research to find original and innovative technologies that have promising applications to solve and counteract the environmental difficulties we face as a growing society. I would also like to focus in the developing field of nanotechnology and expand our understanding, improve existing technologies, and advance new methods and practices in water treatment facilities.

I joined ASU with two main objectives: 1) Join Dr. Perreault’s group and develop further understanding regarding the interactions of nanomaterials with living organisms and 2) Join the Nano-Enabled Water Treatment (NEWT) ERC to collaborate with experts in the nanotechnology field across multiple universities. It all started when I was a master’s student in Texas, where my advisor Dr. Jorge Gardea-Torresdey mentioned that he was collaborating with professors around the country to create an ERC that would deal with nanotechnologies to treat water. This immediately caught my attention, and I wanted to be a part of it. Although my research at the time focused on the effects of metal oxide nanoparticles in edible plants, I thought NEWT would be a great place for me to learn about new applications of nanotechnology.

UTEP, ASU, Rice University, and Yale University are all part of NEWT. Learning about how an ERC is created, and witnessing the collaborative work that happens across schools, certainly motivated me to attend ASU and pursue a degree different from what I had a background in. Once at ASU, Dr. Perreault encouraged me to participate in NEWT meetings and events even at an early stage in my degree. These opportunities allowed me to become very familiar with the center, its mission, its research goals, its diverse and inclusive culture, and most importantly, the fellow students, faculty, and researchers that were a part of it. I have been involved in the Student Leadership Council since my first year, and I served as the vice president, the president, and eventually the treasurer throughout my graduate studies. Additionally, I got to collaborate in projects with NEWT members from all schools. I focused on the safe design of nanomaterials for the environment and I received a great amount of support and feedback from researchers who are experts in the field.

I work in Dr. Francois Perreault’s lab. My research focuses on the structure-function relationships of nanomaterials (NMs) and some of their applications in environmental engineering. The overall goal is to investigate NMs of different surface chemistries and assess their interactions with biological models, evaluate the weathering impact and degradation parameters to improve polymer coatings, test their efficiency for contaminant removal and provide further understanding in the safe design of nanomaterials. I work with graphene oxide (GO) and its derivatives like graphene or reduced GO and assess how changes in GO’s surface chemistry alters its interactions with multiple organisms like bacteria, algae, cyanobacteria and invertebrates.

Another project, more closely related to the water treatment area, uses GO by itself or as a composite for pollutant removal, biofouling reduction, and as an antimicrobial agent. Like GO, silver (Ag) is another NM widely used in water treatment for its biocidal properties. Despite the recent growth in this field, fundamental understanding of the function-structure relationships in NMs is still progressing. Through a systematic set of experiments, the structure-properties-function and structure-properties-hazard relationships were investigated. These relationships can be used to establish guidelines to engineer “safe-by-design” functional nanomaterials, where materials are tailored to enhance their function while minimizing their inherent biological or environmental hazard.

Since I started doing research, even as an undergraduate, I have been learning continuously about nanomaterials, how to detect, characterize, and apply them in different fields. What has been very interesting to me is that no matter how much you think you know a material, there is always a new application for it, or a new way to improve it or change it for it. I have learned that research is definitely a collaborative effort. We need multiple people’s input and support even in the simplest of tasks. In this aspect, I have learned that it is always to one’s benefit to have the feedback of your teammates and collaborators because it always yields better results than when you are doing the work yourself. Something as simple as discussing a chart to best represent one’s data or getting advice as to how to design an experiment turns out to be better when you seek help from other people in the field.

Throughout the years as a researcher I have learned that you never stop learning. The key is to remain curious and to keep asking questions because sometimes those questions can give very interesting answers. I have also learned that one has to be perseverant and organized. Projects don’t always work out as one expected and we just have to keep trying. Research is a thing of trial and error. One might have an idea or a hypothesis about what might happen but sometimes we don’t get the expected results, and that is okay. I have also learned to be flexible, patient, and to communicate better. These are all traits that I think are important in any environment, in research though, they help you delegate tasks better, understand other people better and overall, easier to work with.

There are several pieces of advice I would give to other students from underrepresented groups. First, I would encourage students to take advantage of all the opportunities presented throughout their studies. Apply for scholarships or internships, and even if the first or second attempt does not work, keep trying. Sometimes applications can be long and time consuming, however, you have more chances of getting a scholarship or any position if you apply but zero chances of getting it than if you do not apply.

Secondly, students need to make sure they talk to people. You can meet very interesting people throughout your career that can have a huge impact in your life. Talk to someone who you admire, to someone who’s job seems interesting, to someone who is following a similar career path as yours. Do not hesitate to ask how they got there and what they have done to achieve success (professional, personal). My advisor, Dr. Francois Perreault, was instrumental for my success while in graduate school. He always pushed me to do better and to reach goals I never thought were possible.

Finally, get involved with your community. Participating in outreach activities and student organizations has helped me strengthen my knowledge and delineate my interests. Additionally, professional development events and participating in conferences has helped me be a part of a big network of young professionals and scientists that have become collaborators throughout my studies.

For leaders who want to welcome individuals from underrepresented groups and ensure their full inclusion, they should follow the following tips:

Be patient. Oftentimes, we did not grow up in the same environment or under the same conditions than them. We might even speak a different language, so be patient with us when we are asking questions or need more time to understand something.
Do not assume things. At least in my case (as I am sure it is the case for most underrepresented individuals), I enjoy explaining things about my upbringing and my culture, traditions, food, and any other aspect that might be different from others.
Include us in your discussions, projects, collaborations. Do not discriminate on a basis of gender or ethnicity but also don’t “pick” us whenever it is convenient just because we fit a certain profile.
Help us improve/grow. We want the same opportunities as everyone else. In my case, I often feel insecure about my accent or the way I write. Please help us by correcting us or guiding us.

Lastly, my advice for engineering faculty who might have students from underrepresented groups in their classes and labs are as follows:

Provide an inclusive work environment. Make us feel welcome by including us in different discussions, group projects, showing us around the lab, etc.
Do not make comments regarding a particular person. Oftentimes, as the only minority in a group, it is difficult when others say things about one’s culture or traditions. Ensure that everyone embraces the differences amongst individuals.
Help us improve/grow. We want the same opportunities as everyone else. In my case, I often feel insecure about my accent or the way I write. Please help us by correcting us or guiding us.

Case Study: Beatriz

eol — Fri, 23 Apr 2021 00:45:06 +0000

I identify as Hispanic/Latinx. For me it has been very hard to find my place and identity within STEM research fields, as there isn't always a lot of support for underrepresented groups. It can be hard to get a research position in STEM/engineering for Hispanic/Latinx students. I think there needs to be more support from professors, head researchers, and departments to make sure there are opportunities for people from all backgrounds. I have generally had to go outside of my department to find opportunities for myself.

I am an engineering student at the Crockell School. I would like to work for an international service company in the oil and gas sector, particularly in a lab. Previously I worked in the labs inside the Petroleum and Geosystems (PGE) department. I got interested in enhanced oil recovery research that was taking place at the PGE department. Some of the topics were based on the micro study of oil properties and pore size of rocks.

Through my research I learned a lot about teamwork, deadlines, compromise, accountability, and effort. Science projects in the lab need a lot of hours, and you need to be committed to your research. Once you start you should continue until you get the results and the data needed to make some change. The best research is done towards a greater purpose, and I learned that I will go the extra mile when I am very interested in something. For example, I often stayed over time to finish my work at the lab and complete all my tasks.

My advice for fellow students would be to know that while it is not easy, you should try to experience doing research in a lab in your department. There are meaningful skills to be acquired in this type of environment. Reach out to everyone who is conducting research on topics you like and ask for an opportunity.

Leaders should get to know their students by asking them to share their background and their story with others. Select students based on merits but also take into account their background and life experiences. See how many students with similar characteristics (from a particular underrepresented group for example) are getting opportunities in the lab. Ask the students how they can be supported. Engineering faculty who might have students from underrepresented groups in their classes and labs should support them in their journey to achieve their goals. Become more than their “boss” by providing mentoring and support.

Disability-Related Videos

eol — Thu, 12 Nov 2020 23:29:25 +0000

Listed below are video collections that share personal stories of individuals with disabilities and universal and other inclusive design strategies that make the world more inclusive of people with disabilities.

DO-IT Videos

DO-IT Videos promote the success of people with disabilities, particularly in school and work settings. DO-IT Videos play in a custom accessible media player with audio description and transcripts provided. Enter a search term to locate content of interest to you.

DO-IT Webinars

Our DO-IT Webinars page features presentations and panels on a variety of topics, including universal design, accessibility, accessible programming, and more.

Rooted in Rights DO-IT Videos

Rooted in Rights partners with ��ԭ��’s DO-IT Program to train disabled youth how to write, shoot and edit videos to tell their own stories.

The ADA National Network Videos

The ADA National Network provides information, guidance and training on how to implement the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in order to support the mission of the ADA to “assure equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for individuals with disabilities.”

Microsoft Story Labs - Simple Things Count

Microsoft Story Labs offers seven ways to be more inclusive of people with disabilities.

Section508.gov: An Introduction to Universal Design

A four-part video series that provides an introduction to Universal Design for content creators, developers, managers and procurement professionals.

Lime Connect

Lime Connect videos showcase students and professionals with disabilities from across the U.S. and Canada to step "In the Limelight" and share their stories of living and achieving as a person with a disability.

Ted Talks

Over one thousand videos are linked from the Ted Talks Topics page. Select “Disability” and other topics to locate content of interest you.

STEM for All Multiplex

The Multiplex is an online, free, interactive platform featuring over 1000 short videos that showcase federally funded projects aimed at transforming science, technology, engineering, math, and computer science learning. These videos, first presented at annual STEM for All Video Showcase events, are collected in the STEM for All Multiplex website. Select “disability” and other search terms to locate content of interest to you.

Creating Inclusive Learning Opportunities in Higher Education: A Universal Design Toolkit

eol — Mon, 02 Nov 2020 07:09:34 +0000

Creating_Inclusive_Learning_Opportunities.pdf

Published by Harvard Education Press, we announce Sheryl Burgstahler's new book, Creating Inclusive Learning Opportunities in Higher Education. Details about the book can be found in this in-depth book review by professor Alan Hurst. Frédéric Fovet published another review of the book in Teachers College Record at Harvard.

Sheryl Burgstahler delivers a step-by-step guide for putting the principles of universal design (UD) into action for all aspects of a postsecondary campus. She offers top-down, bottom-up, and middle-out strategies for transforming a higher education environment into one where physical spaces, learning materials and activities, technology and digital resources, and campus services are welcoming and accessible to all students, while minimizing the need for accommodations for individuals with disabilities.

Complementing her edited book Universal Design in Higher Education: From Principles to Practice, this volume lays out how faculty, service providers, high-level administrators, and other stakeholders can contribute to a barrier-free environment for all students, including those with disabilities. Along with principles, guidelines, practices, and processes that underpin a framework in which to conceptualize and apply UD, Dr. Burgstahler shares the implementation model to tailor to any campus exploring ways to meet broad goals with respect to diversity and inclusivity.

Details about the book can be found in Harvard’s sales flyer and an expanded table of contents. It can be ordered online from these retailers:

Bringing ERCs into the INCLUDES National Network (2019)

smira3 — Tue, 12 Nov 2019 23:13:27 +0000

ERC-INCLUDES_CBI_Proceedings.pdfa

This publication shares the proceedings of the ERC-INCLUDES Capacity Building Institute (CBI). The content may be useful for people who

participated in the CBI;
work on diversity goals within National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded Inclusion across the Nation of Communities of Learners of Underrepresented Discoverers in Engineering and Science (INCLUDES) projects, NSF-funded Engineering Research Centers (ERCs), or postsecondary engineering departments;
seek to increase their understanding of issues surrounding the participation of individuals from different underrepresented backgrounds in INCLUDES projects or ERCs;
would like to access resources to help make their courses, products, programs, and activities more welcoming and accessible; and/or
have promising practices to share with others.

��ԭ�� the CBI

The goals of the CBI were to integrate evidence-based broadening participation practices of INCLUDES into the ERCs, share ERC diversity activities and outcomes to inform research and practice of INCLUDES projects, and build a durable collaborative infrastructure for broadening participation in NSF-funded research through the engagement of ERCs with the NSF INCLUDES National Network.

Participants discussed their unique learning goals for the CBI, which included the following:

Connecting with other participants for collaborative grant writing
Discovering ways to scale up inclusion practices in specific INCLUDES projects
Widening the knowledge base of best practices for broadening participation
Implementing broadening participation strategies utilized by ERCs
Gathering information to develop a tip sheet or other tools related to diversity and inclusion
Understanding better ways to recruit and retain underrepresented students
Learning about meaningful ways to participate in activities of the INCLUDES National Network
Identifying how to improve opportunities to connect virtually with participants and stakeholders
Discovering ways to include more engineering activities in outreach activities
Understanding best practices for engaging current and future STEM faculty to ensure faculty are diverse
Ensuring educators are welcoming and inclusive in the classroom
Learning about methods to partner with industry
Improving project and program accessibility for students with disabilities
Enhancing the ability to leverage technology to provide mentoring virtually
Understanding how to encourage underrepresented students to pursue PhDs
Exploring ways to have a national impact together

Increasing the Participation of People with Disabilities in Engineering Research Centers (Dec 2017)

eol — Fri, 23 Feb 2018 00:38:15 +0000

AccessERC_CBI_Proceedings.pdf

Proceedings of the December 2017 AccessERC Capacity Building Institute: Increasing the Participation of People with Disabilities in Engineering Research Centers

This publication shares the proceedings of the third AccessERC Capacity Building Institute (CBI) entitled Increasing the Participation of People with Disabilities in Engineering Research Centers (ERCs). The content may be useful for people who

participated in the CBI;
work on diversity goals within ERCs or postsecondary engineering departments;
seek to increase their understanding of issues surrounding the participation of individuals with disabilities in ERCs;
would like to access resources to help make ERC courses, products, and activities more welcoming and accessible to individuals with disabilities; and/or
have promising practices to share with others.

��ԭ�� AccessERC

The ultimate goal of AccessERC is to increase the participation of people of people with disabilities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), as well as to improve these fields with their perspectives and expertise. Its objectives are (1) to make ERC activities and products welcoming to, accessible to, and usable by people with disabilities and (2) to increase the engagement of individuals with disabilities in ERCs. AccessERC staff work with ERCs across the country to reach the following objectives for ERCs and their collaborating STEM departments:

Activities: Increase knowledge, skills, and actions in recruiting, accommodating, and engaging people with disabilities in leadership, advisory boards, research teams, internships, presentations, workshops, engineering labs, and other activities.
Materials: Increase knowledge, skills, and actions in making websites, curriculum materials, online learning, video presentations, engineering labs, and other products more welcoming to, accessible to, and usable by individuals with disabilities.
Consultation: Offer individual consultation to ERCs regarding accessible products and activities as well as on accommodations for specific individuals with disabilities engaged in their activities and offer ERC participants (and potential ones) with disabilities opportunities to engage in an existing online mentoring and peer support community hosted by DO-IT.

To reach its goals and objectives, AccessERC staff conducts training and community-building activities that include an online community of practice, on-site CBIs, teleconferences, and individual consultation. AccessERC provides financial support to ERCs to conduct relevant activities (e.g., travel to a disability-related conference for staff, a focus group, or a panel of students with disabilities; a guest speaker with a disability; an internship in the ERC; STEM conference attendance for a student with a disability). AccessERC staff also develop and deploy resources to help current and future ERCs work toward reaching project goals and objectives.

AccessERC is funded by the National Science Foundation as a supplement to an existing ERC, the Center for Neurotechnology (CNT), headquartered at the ��ԭ�� in Seattle. The CNT has excelled in the ERC community at including individuals with disabilities in research, leadership, and education. The ultimate impact of AccessERC will be to increase the successful participation of people with disabilities in STEM and improve these fields with their perspectives and expertise.

Broadening Participation in Engineering to Include People with Disabilities

eol — Fri, 07 Apr 2017 22:44:50 +0000

This video showcases students and educators discussing careers in engineering for people with disabilities. Learn how educators can make engineering more welcoming and accessible.

Project:

AccessEngineering

AccessERC

Year:

2016

Broadening Participation in Engineering to Include People with Disabilities

Featured:

off

Creating Accessible Documents

eol — Fri, 07 Apr 2017 22:27:52 +0000

Regardless of whether documents are created in Adobe PDF, Microsoft Word, or another format, there are right and wrong ways to create documents in order to ensure people with disabilities can access them.

Project:

Year:

2016

Creating Accessible Documents

Featured:

off

UD Topic: