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There is a major lack of diversity in engineering, technology, and computing subjects in higher education. The resulting underrepresentation of some population groups contributes largely to gender and ethnicity pay gaps and social…
This research model uses an emancipatory approach to address challenges of equity in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) workforce. Serious concerns about low minority participation call for a rigorous evaluation of new…
This article summarizes recommendations made by the Community Engagement Frontier conveners as part of the 2022 Snowmass process. It suggests that institutions involved in high energy physics (e.g., universities, national laboratories,…
Symbolic planning models allow decision-making agents to sequence actions in arbitrary ways to achieve a variety of goals in dynamic domains. However, they are typically handcrafted and tend to require precise formulations that are not…
This article details the impact arising from a sustained public-engagement activity with sixth-form students (16- to 17-year-olds) across two further education colleges during 2012/13. Measuring the impact of public engagement is…
Effective and ethical mentorship practices are crucial to improving recruitment and retention especially for historically minoritized groups (HMGs). Spectrum is a diversity, inclusion, equity, and accessibility (DEIA) grassroots…
In the evolving landscape of education, robotics has emerged as a powerful tool for fostering creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills among students of all ages. This innovative approach to learning seamlessly integrates…
The limited representation of women in STEM workforce is a concerning national issue. It has been found that the gender stratification is not due to the lack of talent amongst young females, but due to the lack of access to female role…
Successful implementation of active learning strategies in the engineering classroom -- and in particular in certain subjects which are highly technological in nature such as, for instance, rocket engines and space propulsion -- means…
The shift towards the use of electronic media in scholarly communication appears to be an inescapable imperative. However, these shifts are uneven, both with respect to field and with respect to the form of communication. Different…
Scientific communication inside and outside the classroom is the main means for providing an adequate understanding of how science and technological innovation relate to society. In order to achieve this goal, it is important to explore new…
Learning complex robot behavior through interactions with the environment necessitates principled exploration. Effective strategies should prioritize exploring regions of the state-action space that maximize rewards, with optimistic…
This paper presents initiatives aimed at fostering female involvement in the realm of computing and endeavoring to inspire more women to pursue careers in these fields. The Meninas++ Project coordinates activities at both the high school…
Robots are increasingly being deployed in public spaces. However, the general population rarely has the opportunity to nominate what they would prefer or expect a robot to do in these contexts. Since most people have little or no experience…
The Michigan Robotics MBot is a low-cost mobile robot platform that has been used to train over 1,400 students in autonomous navigation since 2014 at the University of Michigan and our collaborating colleges. The MBot platform was designed…
Educators are more than workers within educational systems; they are stewards of educational systems. They must analyze student performance data, identify patterns that inform targeted interventions and personalized learning plans,…
We describe a summer outreach program developed to cultivate interest in physics in particular and physical sciences more broadly among high school and early college students using small projects in the Python programming language. We…
We build on theoretical foundations of tool-mediated learning, tool design, and human computer interaction to develop a framework for implicit scaffolding in learning environments. Implicit scaffolding employs affordances, constraints,…
Professional development workshops are commonly used to promote the adoption of research-based instructional strategies among physics and astronomy faculty. After learning about such strategies, faculty are often motivated to modify and…
University extension activities play a fundamental role in bridging the gap between academia and society by fostering the socialization of scientific knowledge. This study reports and analyzes an outreach activity conducted in a public…