Projects

Principal Investigator: Ryan K. Boettger, Department of Technical Communication.

This project develops a transparent, faculty-led workflow for creating ethical GenAI-enhanced learning resources in TECM 2700: Technical Writing. Drawing on existing course materials and instructor/student input, our team will build a curated corpus and use it to generate draft textbook chapters and a course-specific chatbot focused on high-impact job-searching and professional branding tasks (resumes, LinkedIn profiles and employment outlook reports). Using design-based research, we will iteratively validate AI drafts with subject-matter experts, then test usability with instructors and students — including scenario-based studies in our eye-tracking lab — to refine accuracy, clarity and bias safeguards. Outcomes include a customized textbook, a supportive chatbot and a replicable model other programs can adapt to responsibly integrate AI into curriculum development.

Principal Investigator: Gayatri Mehta, Department of Electrical Engineering.

Students with disabilities are natural problem solvers who navigate a world built for non-disabled people and often use technology in their everyday lives without realizing the importance of semiconductor chips, the fundamental blocks of the technology. Students with disabilities are significantly less likely to pursue post-secondary education than those with no disability, and employment rates among people with disabilities are significantly lower than those of non-disabled people. In this pilot project, we propose to develop an interactive learning framework driven by the needs of students with disabilities to make semiconductor chip design broadly accessible. Incorporating this unique perspective enhances the STEM field and engineering solutions with broader accessibility. Our interdisciplinary team will introduce fundamental concepts from semiconductor chip design at a level that requires no prior engineering background. We will present real-world, complex problems in relevant and meaningful contexts to connect the importance of engineering solutions for problems related to social science, to spark interest in STEM pathways, and help students realize how their contributions can benefit society.