Advancing inclusive excellence in engineering

Arizona State University is dedicated to providing an environment where all can succeed in higher education. This commitment to inclusive excellence, outlined in the ASU charter, guides the university community to create welcoming, collaborative spaces where everyone can contribute to innovation that matters.

The Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at ASU is a significant part of the university community. More than 31,000 students are enrolled as of fall 2024, including the largest population of international students at the university. Along with more than 500 faculty members, ASU engineers and technologists are tackling many complex problems the world faces in the 21st century.

In her role as associate dean of inclusive excellence in the Fulton Schools, Jennifer Bekki is ensuring the ASU engineering community addresses these challenges in a way that includes a broad array of perspectives and experiences.

“Engineers today need to learn not only about technological innovations but also about people and equity. Only with this mindset can engineers ensure, for example, that artificial intelligence bias doesn’t worsen systemic inequalities or that environmental issues such as pollution don’t continue to disproportionally affect marginalized populations,” says Bekki, who is also an associate professor of engineering in the Fulton Schools. “Coming up with solutions to such challenges requires us to include new and multiple perspectives from individuals reflective of all segments of society and who represent a full array of life experiences.”

Historically, many groups have been underrepresented, marginalized and excluded in engineering. Addressing this is another necessary step in solving multifaceted societal challenges.

“We share the responsibility and vision to champion inclusive excellence as a core tenet of engineering education and practice while driving its integration as a guiding principle in how the Fulton Schools operates on a daily basis,” says Kyle Squires, ASU senior vice provost of engineering, computing and technology and dean of the Fulton Schools. “All Fulton Schools students, staff and faculty should be supported in achieving their full potential, empowered by an environment that elevates their unique skills, talents and life perspectives.”

While a long-held priority, the Fulton Schools formally launched an inclusive excellence initiative in January 2019. This effort included outlining strategies and practices to help its faculty, staff, academic associates and students achieve their full potential in an environment in which they feel they belong.

Since then, the Fulton Schools community has demonstrated strengths in recruiting a diverse student body, particularly focused on bolstering pathways for women and first-generation Latinx, Black and Native American students to join the engineering field. Inclusive excellence efforts are also reflected in hiring increasingly diverse faculty and staff members, and offering mentorship programs. In addition, Fulton Schools leadership formalized its values, all of which are founded upon inclusive excellence.

“The Fulton Schools are committed to advancing initiatives and programming that supports an inclusive culture in which everyone feels their ideas and opinions are valued, their work makes a difference and that they belong at the Fulton Schools and will be a part of its story and future successes,” Squires says.

In 2019, the American Society for Engineering Education, or ASEE, Diversity Recognition Program awarded the Fulton Schools inclusive excellence initiative bronze status, the highest entry status that could be awarded to a university at the time. This program recognizes institutions that are aligned with the ASEE’s goals to collectively and continuously improve inclusivity in college engineering, technology and computing programs. Bronze status awardees demonstrate plans for measurable impacts, particularly related to recruitment, retention, climate and culture.

The Fulton Schools reaffirmed its bronze status in 2022 for continued demonstration of commitment to increasing inclusive excellence through a variety of activities, including resources for teaching and student support, research opportunities and community outreach and engagement.

The Fulton Schools Inclusive Excellence Faculty Advisory Council, or IFAC, is part of the school’s ongoing focus to revolutionize the practice and culture of engineering through deliberate action. The council helps the Fulton Schools integrate inclusive excellence efforts, initiatives and strategies, provides recommendations to leadership and keeps them informed about what is happening in the school community related to inclusive excellence. In doing so, they provide key support for advancing, cultivating, preserving, celebrating and encouraging the Fulton Schools values.

Bekki, who chairs the IFAC, leads the group with goals to increase inclusion and belonging among faculty and staff members and ensures action results from the council’s findings. She brings experience as an equity-focused researcher in The Polytechnic School, part of the Fulton Schools, and the commitment to support the ASU engineering community to learn about and advance the schools’ value of inclusivity.

“I hope to leverage what we know from a broad body of research about inclusive excellence to amplify what is working well and to stimulate related, necessary changes to our systems and communities,” Bekki says. “I look forward to working with other leaders in the Fulton Schools — including individual faculty members, administrators, staff, students, research groups and beyond — who are knowledgeable about the issues impacting inclusive excellence and the opportunities to advance change. These will be our greatest opportunities to advance the future of the Fulton Schools.”

As the Fulton Schools aims higher in the years to come, read about some of the many ways faculty members and students are involved in fostering inclusive excellence in the community. Full Circle will share more Fulton Schools education, student success, research and outreach efforts throughout the year.

Strengthening inclusive teaching practices

The Fulton Schools is developing strategies and resources to improve student retention and to foster inclusivity in engineering higher education.

Supporting student success

Beyond the classroom, students can participate in a variety of opportunities that increase their sense of belonging in engineering and contribute to their success.

Investigating equitable engineering research and education

Degree programs and research in the Fulton Schools focus on promoting inclusive excellence as part of the engineering process. Researchers are also exploring ways to improve the overall higher education experience for all who pursue this challenging field.

Engineering opportunities for all

Engaging K-12 students in Arizona and around the world who otherwise might not consider a career in STEM helps them see new possibilities for their future and can help diversify the pipeline of future engineering professionals.

Pictured in the lead image from left to right: Cabria Pirtle, a student from Lane College who participated in an ASU summer research experience; Josh Tint, a Fulton Schools computer science undergraduate student who developed an app for those questioning their gender identity; Rod Roscoe (center in third photo), an associate professor of human systems engineering, works with human systems engineering master’s degree students Sainjeev Srikantha (left in third photo) and Kyrsten Novak (right in third photo) in the Sustainable Learning and Adaptive Technology for Education Lab; and biomedical engineering students Ruhi Dharan, Daniella Pautz and Maxwell Johnson, who conducted research investigating how teaching methods affect engineering students’ well-being as well as faculty mental health.