Global Engineering Skills Development During an International Research Experience

This research paper describes the learning outcomes that students believe they developed during an international research program. Research to solve the grand engineering challenges is advanced more quickly and effectively when engineers from around the world collaborate. Since 2006, the National Science Foundation has funded International Research Experiences for Students (IRES) programs in which cohorts of U.S. students travel to an international partner for a limited period to collaborate on a research project. These programs abroad are an opportunity for experiential learning as students are embedded in a global engineering research workplace. The IRES programs were created to strengthen universities' cross-cultural relationships, advance global research, and cultivate effective technical and professional skills in students. Prior work shows that the location, logistical aspects, and program leaders' decisions all influence students' learning outcomes. There is a need for further research on student learning across IRES programs to better understand the expanse of and variation in IRES programs' outcomes based on specific design decisions. This study will add to the literature by exploring data from one cohort of students to understand which learning opportunities are the most salient to them based on their perceptions vocalized during interviews conducted a few weeks after their IRES experience. The data for this exploratory study are from students from multiple engineering disciplines who spent a summer conducting engineering research at a university in the United Kingdom. The research question organizing the study is: What do students highlight following their IRES experience as key lessons learned and skills developed? Interview data were coded through the lens of global engineering competency's three dimensions: technical, professional, and global. The results indicate that the students strongly identify that they gained professional skills by experiencing research projects in a new workplace context. This study builds evidence of the value of IRES programs with respect to future workforce development beyond specific research products to justify the continued investment from the National Science Foundation and faculty mentors. The results included can be used to advertise the program's outcomes accurately to future cohorts and to identify the ways that future iterations could encourage students to become global engineers.