The Center for Engineering Education Research (CEER)
CEER aims to transform PK-20 engineering education and broaden pathways to engineering through research partnerships and outreach.
CEER is a collaboration between UND’s College of Education and Human Development and College of Engineering and Mines.
CEER is an intercollegiate effort funded by a three-year strategic investment from UND.
By focusing on expanding collaborative research opportunities, teacher professional learning, and community partnerships, CEER aims to increase access and representation within engineering across all educational contexts.
Mission
- Create more inclusive and culturally and regionally relevant engineering education across pK-20 in both classroom-based and online learning environments;
- Broaden representation by expanding pathways into engineering; and
- Increase opportunities for interdisciplinary and innovative research methods in engineering education to inform best practice.
Goals
- Establish degree pathways in engineering education, including a certificate program and a PhD;
- Design and offer undergraduate and graduate coursework in engineering education;
- Create partnerships with local schools and industry;
- Increase productivity and secure external funding for diverse engineering education research projects;
- Develop collaborative research and learning experiences between CEHD and CEM faculty and graduate students;
- Offer resources and professional development for engineering educators at all levels;
- Develop a repository of resources and funding sources for engineering educators and researchers.
CEER Team
The CEER team consists of faculty across the College of Education and Human Development and the College of Engineering and Mines who have a desire to increase diverse representation and reframe how engineering is perceived, taught, and engaged with across educational settings.
CEER approaches engineering education as an inherently equity-centered endeavor in that it aims to engage learners in improving circumstances and designing solutions within their communities. The team brings a wealth of expertise in a variety of areas, including engineering and engineering education, teacher education, science education, culturally relevant pedagogy, as well as various research methodologies.
Please reach out to any team member below to learn how to become affiliated with CEER research or professional learning.
Leadership Team
The Leadership Team consists of faculty from both CEHD and CEM who contribute expertise and effort in supporting CEER's direction, activities, and productivity aligned to its mission.
Graduate Students
Affiliates
Faculty affiliates of CEER are engaged with engineering education research and whose funded projects help support CEER.
Research currently being conducted through CEER represents collaborative and cross-disciplinary projects involving faculty in the College of Education and Human Development and the College of Engineering and Mines. The overarching focus of these projects, predominantly funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), is exploring factors that increase access to and persistence within engineering education and careers for students pK - 20.
Project ExCEED
Investigators: Frank Bowman, Julie Robinson, Bethany Klemetsrud, Erin Lacina | Award 2010169
Project ExCEED (Exploring Culturally relevant Engineering Education Design) provides professional development for upper elementary and middle school teachers in culturally relevant engineering education connected to local communities and cultural contexts.
Project CuRRENT
Investigators: Julie Robinson, Kathy Smart, Bonni Gourneau, Joshua Hunter, Frank Bowman, Jared Schlenker | Award 2201196
Project CuRRENT (Culturally Relevant River Education for Nature-based Teaching), in collaboration with Turtle Mountain Community College, provides professional learning to elementary teachers in place-based, interdisciplinary curriculum focused on local watersheds to Indigenize STEM instruction.
Project LATINE
Investigators: Lisa Flores, Rachel Navarro, Patton Garriott, Heather Hunt, Bo Hyun Lee, Hah Na Suh, Ze Wang | Award 1036713
Project LATINE explores the satisfaction and persistence in engineering for White women and Latino/a college students and recent graduates and the role of social cognitive, environmental and cultural factors in the retention of White women and Latino/as in the engineering pipeline over time.
Project LATINE
STEM Strong
Investigators: Ryan Summer, Julie Robinson, Cathy Ringstaff, Ashley Iveland, Meghan Macias, Rebekah Hammack, Martha Inouye, Tugba Boz, Min Jung Lee | Award 2201249
STEM STRONG (Supporting Teachers in Rural cOmmunities for the Next Generation) was designed to provide professional learning and additional instructional supports to teachers in the wake of recently adopted K-12 science and engineering education content standards.
Newsletter
The Center for Engineering Education Research (CEER) has launched its own newsletter for 2025. The first issue will appear in this space soon.
News & Media
2024.08.20: Eager beavers, eager learners
2023.11.01: NGSS Now - Rural Education Community Walks
2023.10.01: NGSS Now - Rural Education Spotlight
2023.09.26: Teachers send hope, dreams afloat with canoes
2023.08.18: Nurturing STEM conference gives educators building blocks for the future
2023.08.15: Teachers teaching teachers about STEM teaching
2021.03.09: Valley News Live - Engineering classes in schools
Upcoming Events
North Dakota State Science and Engineering Fair
Apr. 4-5, 2025
Pages & Pathways: Teaching Conference
Jun. 16-17, 2025
CEER aims to serve as a hub for engineering education resources for teachers, faculty, and researchers by maintaining a repository of current professional development and instructional resources, as well as grant opportunities.
Funding
There are a variety of funding opportunities for engineering education research available through the National Science Foundation (NSF). The list below includes a breadth of programs to consider.
- Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) in Engineering and Computer Science
- Broadening Participation in Engineering
- Computer and Information Science and Engineering : Core Programs
- IUSE/Professional Formation of Engineers: Revolutionizing Engineering Departments
- Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Directorate for STEM Education
- Research Experiences for Undergraduates
- Ideas Lab: Personalized Engineering Learning
- EDU Core Research
- Research on Innovative Technologies in Advanced Learning
- Research Initiation in Engineering Formation
- Research in the formation of Engineers
- Discovery Research PreK-12
- Advancing Informal STEM Learning
For additional education funding opportunities, please visit the College of Education and Human Development’s Grant Resources site.
For other engineering funding opportunities, please visit the College of Engineering and Mines’ CEM Grants 101 site.