Award Abstract # 1855799
IRES: Track III: Weaving Global Engagement and Diversity into Engineering Workforce with World-Class International Research Experiences (W3)

NSF Org: OISE
Office of International Science and Engineering
Recipient: ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
Initial Amendment Date: March 19, 2019
Latest Amendment Date: May 27, 2025
Award Number: 1855799
Award Instrument: Standard Grant
Program Manager: Naoru Koizumi
nkoizumi@nsf.gov
 (703)292-7079
OISE
 Office of International Science and Engineering
O/D
 Office Of The Director
Start Date: June 15, 2019
End Date: September 30, 2025 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount: $1,000,000.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date: $1,000,000.00
Funds Obligated to Date: FY 2019 = $1,000,000.00
History of Investigator:
  • David Grau (Principal Investigator)
    david.grau@asu.edu
  • Samuel Ariaratnam (Co-Principal Investigator)
Recipient Sponsored Research Office: Arizona State University
660 S MILL AVENUE STE 204
TEMPE
AZ  US  85281-3670
(480)965-5479
Sponsor Congressional District: 04
Primary Place of Performance: Arizona State University
Tempe
AZ  US  85287-6011
Primary Place of Performance
Congressional District:
04
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): NTLHJXM55KZ6
Parent UEI:
NSF Program(s): IRES IGE - Track III: New Conc
Primary Program Source: 01001920DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
Program Reference Code(s): 1066, 5905, 5912, 5919, 5926, 5976, 5977, 5978, 7561, 9200
Program Element Code(s): 080Y00
Award Agency Code: 4900
Fund Agency Code: 4900
Assistance Listing Number(s): 47.079

ABSTRACT

Globalization has been eroding the US edge in civil engineering knowledge and research, which is fundamental to the development of the US economy and the welfare of its society. In reality, the advancement of knowledge across civil engineering disciplines (e.g. environmental, materials, water resources, transportation, structures, geotechnical, construction, computing, or telematics) requires not only an interdisciplinary approach but also the generation of globally-engaged and high-quality civil engineering researchers. In response to these challenges, this collaborative award between ASU and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) promises to generate large-scale and long-lasting global engagement for a diverse cohort of US graduate civil engineering students through semester-long and world-class research experiences. The design of these research experiences aims at building permanent research collaborations by nurturing a strong personal connection of the students with the international research partner(s) along with knowledge of the cultural and physical contexts in which research occurs. In this project, the US students have access to unique sources of data, facilities, ideas, and networks of acquaintance, and thus will become better prepared to succeed in a competitive research context characterized by pressing global and sustainable issues. By contributing to the generation of a globally-engaged civil engineering workforce with world-class skills, this project contributes to the competitiveness of the US STEM workforce, colleges and universities, and public and private sector industries.

With a 3-year duration, this award enables semester-long and world-class research experiences for a diverse cohort of 75 U.S. civil engineering graduate students at premier research universities located in Australia, China, Colombia, Canada, South Africa, India, and Israel. A significant presence of women and underrepresented minority students creates a diverse student cohort. Specific calls for application are disseminated through channels that can directly reach and engage minorities and disadvantaged students. Each student will remain a fellow for two years from notification of admittance with the aim to secure long-term networks of collaboration and build professional development. A robust professional development focus reinforces the research component in this award. For example, students develop expertise in leadership and ethics through ASU and ASCE's education resources. Students also engage with domestic professional conferences and regional/local meetings while in the US and through equivalent professional societies and industry organizations during their international experience. Additionally, a strong assessment plan will generate empirical data and results that promise to advance the understanding of aspects such as engagement, research, and cultural competence in international research experiences. Finally, this award will promote and disseminate its highlights and outcomes through a combination of academic and non-academic outlets in order to close the gap between academia, industry, and society.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH

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Mehrabi, Daniel and Grau, David and Ariaratnam, Samuel T and Schneider, Verena "Framework to Assess the Impact of International Research Experiences in Civil Engineering on Graduate Students" Education Sciences , v.13 , 2023 https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13090950 Citation Details
Mehrabi_Moezabadi, Daniel and Grau, David and Ariaratnam, Samuel T "Impact of an International Research Experience on Graduate Student Advancement" , 2024 https://doi.org/10.1061/9780784485293.022 Citation Details
Schneider, Verena and Grau, David and Ariaratnam, Sam "International Construction Education Experiences: Designing a Comprehensive Research Approach" Construction Research Congress 2022: Health and Safety, Workforce, and Education , 2022 Citation Details
Schneider, Verena and Grau, David and Ariaratnam, Samuel T. "Designing an international research experience for graduate students" Frontiers in Education , v.8 , 2023 https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2023.1154786 Citation Details

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