IREE: Developing Globally Competent Engineering Researchers

普渡大学提议建立一个强大的试点计划，这将有助于确定计划成本和质量合作之间的关键平衡。我们的目标是试点和评估选定的途径，为一个可扩展的，研究密集型的继任者的NSF IREE计划，保留和增强的就职产品的目标。该项目将开始，重点是为约60名NSF资助者的目标群体提供招聘，安置和指导，他们将前往中国上海地区进行工程研究。受助人将被邀请参加三种类型的方向：美国-基于中国，基于网络。将进行培训前和培训后调查，作为培训的一部分，以评估每项培训的经济和专业影响。在定向之后，参与者将在上海地区进行研究，作为三种安置模式之一的一部分：（i）IREE资助者，其国际安置由PI提供便利;（ii）IREE资助者，其在团体地点进行研究;以及（iii）其他NSF（非IREE）资助者，其国际安置由PI提供便利。一旦受助人返回，普渡大学将举办一个重新进入会议的参与者，以获得有关他们的国际经验的反馈。通过这种方法，普渡大学的团队将寻求两个研究问题的答案：（i）面对面的方向比在线方向更好，如果是这样，这些面对面的方向在美国或东道国提供时最有效吗？以及（ii）NSF如何在增加其国际教育/研究计划的规模，同时保持每个受赠者的研究/教育经验的质量之间取得平衡？潜在的变革性研究：该项目将全球工程能力视为当务之急，并独特地将大量的国际研究经验与工程教育中的新兴研究相结合，以最大限度地提高效率。通过定义，提供和评估一个精心设计的路径组合，为全球研究经验做准备，我们将为有效的计划提供基于研究的建议，这些计划最终将促进我们未来的科学和工程劳动力。拟议的方向课程也将挑战参与者重新想象工程的边界，因为他们从事的社会，文化和全球层面的工作。智力优点：随着全球工程越来越被认为是不可或缺的专业发展，研究需要确定如何负担得起的扩展这些程序，而不牺牲研究质量。普渡大学的全球专业实践项目和工程教育学院将合并各自的专业知识，以解决这一“规模经济”问题。通过帮助优化具有全球能力的工程师的数量，该研究将实现针对国际重大挑战的富有成效的合作。更广泛的影响：该项目的驱动力是确保IREE等全球工程项目能够产生最广泛和最有效的影响。自2006年以来，三个PI已经为615名本科生和研究生提供了全球工程经验，并通过在全球工程计划（GEP）和专业实践办公室（Office of Professional Practice）中的领导努力建立了NSF资助的工程虚拟组织Globalhub.org。基于现场和基于网络的协作的独特组合将使我们的团队能够探索相关途径，为大量参与者提供最高质量的全球工程体验。

Purdue University is proposing to establish a robust pilot program that will help identify the critical balance between program cost and quality collaboration. The objective is to pilot and assess selected pathways for a scalable, research-intensive successor to the NSF IREE program that preserves and augments the goals of the inaugural offerings. This project will begin by focusing upon providing recruitment, placement and orientation for a target cohort of approximately 60 NSF grantees who will be traveling for an engineering research experience in the Shanghai region of China. Grantees will be invited to participate in three types of orientations: U.S.-based, China-based and cyber-based. Pre- and post-surveys will be conducted as part of the orientation to assess the economic and professional impact of each. After orientation, participants will conduct research in the Shanghai region as part of one of three placement models: (i) IREE grantees whose international placement was facilitated by the PI; (ii) IREE grantees who conduct research at a group location; and (iii) Other NSF (non-IREE) grantees whose international placement was facilitated by the PI. Once the grantees return, Purdue will host a re-entry conference for participants to gain feedback about their international experience. Through this approach, the Purdue team will pursue the answers to two research questions: (i) Are face-to-face orientations better than online orientations and, if so, are these face-to-face orientations most effective when offered in the U.S. or in the host country? And (ii) How can NSF strike a balance between affordably increasing the scale of its international education/research programs while retaining the quality of each grantee's research/education experience?Potentially Transformative Research: This project treats global engineering competency as an imperative, and uniquely integrates a substantial international research experience with emerging research in engineering education to maximize effectiveness. By defining, offering, and assessing a deliberate portfolio of pathways to prepare for global research experiences, we will provide research-based recommendations for effective programs that will ultimately advance our future science and engineering workforce. The proposed orientation curriculum will also challenge participants to reimagine the boundaries of engineering as they engage the social, cultural, and global dimensions of their work.Intellectual Merit: As global engineering becomes increasingly recognized as integral to professional development, research is needed to determine how to affordably expand these programs without sacrificing research quality. Purdue's Global Professional Practice Programs and the School of Engineering Education will merge their respective expertise to address this "economies of scale" problem. By helping to optimize the number of globally competent engineers, this research will enable productive collaboration on international grand challenges.Broader Impacts: The driving motivation for this project is to ensure global engineering programs such as IREE can have both the broadest and most effective impact possible. Since 2006, three of the PIs have facilitated global engineering experiences for 615 undergraduate and graduate students and established the NSF-funded engineering virtual organization Globalhub.org by leading efforts in the Global Engineering Program (GEP) the Office of Professional Practice (OPP). The unique combination of site-based and cyber-based collaboration will enable our team to explore relevant pathways for providing the highest quality global engineering experience to a large number of participants.