The RIME Collaborative is led by Dr. Rachel Louis Kajfez, an Associate Professor in the Department of Engineering Education (EED) at The Ohio State University (OSU). We are currently composed of graduate and undergraduate researchers spread across a variety of departments and research projects. Below are short bios for our members along with their contact information. If you have questions about our work and would like to connect, please email us!
CURRENT MEMBERS
Dr. Rachel Louis Kajfez, Principle Investigator
Dr. Rachel Louis Kajfez is an Associate Professor in the Department of Engineering Education at The Ohio State University. She earned her B.S. and M.S. degrees in Civil Engineering from Ohio State and earned her Ph.D. in Engineering Education from Virginia Tech. Her research interests focus on the intersection between motivation and identity, first-year engineering programs, mixed methods research, and innovative approaches to teaching. Her ultimate career goal is to enable academic success for all (students to faculty) through strategic, innovative, and learner-centered action. If you are considering working with Dr. Kajfez, be sure to read this.
Meg West, PhD Candidate
Meg West (west.753@osu.edu) is a PhD candidate in the Department of Engineering Education. She earned her B.S. and M.S. in civil engineering from the Ohio State University. She is currently a full-time Engineering Education Consultant serving the Kern Family Foundation in their Engineering Unleashed Faculty Development initiative. Her research interests include K-12 engineering education implementation specifically the engineering teaching education K-12 teachers receive.
Amanda Singer Nault, PhD Candidate
Amanda Singer (singer.334@osu.edu) is a PhD Candidate in the Engineering Education PhD program currently serving as the lead graduate teaching associate for the first-year engineering program honors course sequence. Prior to attending OSU, she earned her B.S. and M.S. in Environmental Engineering from Michigan Technological University. Her research interests include support systems for first-year engineering students, the regional campus student experience, and mixed methods research.
Sherri Youssef, PhD Candidate
Sherri Youssef (youssef.28@osu.edu) is a PhD. Candidate in the Engineering Education PhD program and is the lead graduate teaching associate for the first-year engineering program standard course sequence. She completed her M.S. in Mechanical Engineering and B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering here at Ohio State. While completing her M.S., Sherri served as a graduate teaching associate and graduate research associate in the EED. Her research interests include the role of students’ need to belong and relatedness on their motivation to persist through their coursework, the regional campus engineering landscape, the motivation to persist in the second and and third year of undergraduate engineering education, and the impact of the engineering discipline on student motivation.
Carter Huber, Graduate Student
Carter Huber (huber.557@osu.edu) is a graduate student in the Engineering Education PhD program. In addition, he is pursuing an MS in Mechanical Engineering and a Graduate Interdisciplinary Specialization in Disability Studies. He completed his BS in Mechanical Engineering and his MEd in Counseling and Human Resource Development at South Dakota State University (SDSU). Prior to beginning at Ohio State, Carter served as a Professional Academic Advisor at SDSU. Currently, Carter works as a Graduate Teaching Associate for the first-year engineering program. His research interests include engineering students placed on academic probation, engineering educational development, and disability studies in engineering education.
Shuyu Wang, Graduate Student
Shuyu Wang (wang.17317@ous.edu) is a graduate student in the Engineering Education PhD program. She completed her BS and MS in Mechatronics Engineering Technology with a second concentration in Industrial Engineering Technology at Purdue University Northwest. Before beginning at Ohio State, she served as a Consultant and Instructor for an ESL Program at Study B.A.E. Scholars in China. Currently, she is a Graduate Research Associate for the Research on Identity and Motivation in Engineering (RIME) Collaborative. Her research interests include mixed methods research, engineering students’ motivation, and the integration of transdisciplinary concepts and engineering.