Contact Info

Biography

Research with Rowan

Website: www.engineeringaspiration.org

Education:
Ph.D., Engineering Education, Purdue University (2022)
Certificate of Inclusive Excellence, Purdue University (2021)
M.S., Aeronautics & Astronautics, Purdue University (2021)
B.S., Secondary Education (Mathematics), University of Nevada, Reno (2017)
B.S., Mechanical Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno (2017)

Impactful Research Areas:
Education
    Advancing Pedagogical Innovation
    Disrupting Inequalities in Engineering
    Equipping Students for Success

Research Expertise:
Socioeconomically disadvantaged (low-income) STEM students; belonging; adverse childhood experiences             

Engineering student success is significantly impacted by engineering students’ perceptions of themselves as someone who belongs in engineering and can do engineering tasks. These perceptions are carefully guided and molded through engagement in thoughtful activities that build these competencies, leading to students who both feel good and do good academically. However, students experience issues in the home, neighborhood, school, and broader society that make participation and success difficult. Identifying these issues, understanding their depth within school and society, and then creating solutions that target them will help students be more successful. My research studies these issues, especially those related to trauma (e.g., sexual assault, child abuse) and socioeconomic disadvantage (e.g., food insecurity, homelessness), and works to create solutions that empower and support students.

Honors and Awards:
Fellow; Engineering Unleashed
Scholar; National Science Foundation (NSF) Institute in Critical Quantitative, Computational, and Mixed Methodologies (ICQCM)
Outstanding Graduate Student Service Scholarship & Award; Purdue University, College of Engineering (2022)
Bilsland Dissertation Fellowship; Purdue University (2022)
American Society for Engineering Education Educational Research and Methods Division Best Diversity Paper (2020)
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (2017)
Henry Albert Senior Public Service Award; University of Nevada, Reno (2017)     

Professional Memberships:
American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE)
American Educational Research Association (AERA)

Recent Publications:
Perkins, H., Ge, J., Scheidt, M., Major, J. C., Chen, J, Berger, E., Godwin, A. (2021). Well-being supports and barriers for engineering student belonging. International Journal of Community Well-Being, 1-32. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs42413-021-00149-z

Godwin, A., Benedict, B., Rohde, J., Thielmeyer, A., Perkins, H., Major, J. C., Clements, H. R., Chen, Z. (2021). New epistemological perspectives on quantitative methods: An example using topological data analysis. Studies in Engineering Education, 2(1), 16-34. http://doi.org/10.21061/see.18

Ge, J., Major, J. C., Berger, E., Loui, M., Froiland, J., Jenson, K., Godwin, A. (2021). A theory of engineering thriving to redefine student success. Studies in Engineering Education, 2(2), 19-41. http://doi.org/10.21061/see.9

Major, J. C. (2020). To cross the picket line, or join it: Facing engineering education’s role in the socioeconomic exploitation of marginalized peoples to further a discipline [Guest Editorial]. Journal of Engineering Education 109(2), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1002/jee.20313

Major, J. C. (2019, October). Class-passing and citizen-passing in engineering education: How Nando succeeded by hiding in plain sight. Frontiers in Education Conference. Covington, KY. https://doi.org/10.1109/FIE43999.2019.9028591