Class of 2025: Six students graduate with Ph.D. from Department of Engineering Education
Graduate students at Virginia Tech play a vital role in advancing the university’s research efforts, including working on externally funded projects that drive innovation. The Department of Engineering Education is pleased to announce that six outstanding graduate students have earned their doctoral degrees and are preparing to make a meaningful impact on teaching, research, and industry around the country.
Margaret Webb
Dissertation: Systems to Transform Interdisciplinary Graduate Education: An Ecological Systems Analysis of STEM Graduate Students' Longitudinal Interdisciplinary Identity-Based Motivation
Committee: Chair, Marie Paretti; Lisa McNair, Holly Matusovich, and Robert Weiss
Top honors: Pratt Fellowship for Research Excellence; ASEE Graduate Studies Division Best Student Paper Award; Torgersen Research Excellence Award
Plans after graduation: Joining Cornell University as an InterDisciplinary Education Research postdoctoral fellow
It was while she was teaching STEM subjects in public schools that Maggie Webb became fascinated by how educational environments shape students' understanding of disciplines and their future career paths. That sparked her interest in engineering education research.
“Virginia Tech's collaborative environment and the foundation set by the Department of Engineering Education helped me foster connections with mentors across departments and interdisciplinary research centers, teaching me how to bridge disciplinary boundaries and develop innovative research approaches,” said Webb.
Yi Cao
Dissertation: Exploring How Chinese-born Engineering Faculty in the United States Perceive, Develop, and Enact Their Beliefs about Teamwork: A Qualitative Case Study
Committee: Co-chairs, Jenni Case and Qin Zhu; Holly Matusovich, and Xiaofeng Tang
Top honors: Graduate and Professional Student Senate Travel Award; Academy for Graduate Teaching Assistant Excellence
Plans after graduation: Joining the University of North Carolina at Charlotte as a teaching assistant professor for the William States Lee College of Engineering
Yi Cao holds a B.S. in standardization engineering from China Jiliang University and an M.S. in higher education from Wuhan University. Her goal has been to merge these two fields through engineering education research, a path that allows her to integrate both of her educational experiences.
“My advisor has profoundly impacted and inspired me,” Cao said. “She has set an inspiring academic example, demonstrating intellectual rigor and professional excellence.”
Hamidreza Taimoory
Dissertation: Understanding STEM Students' Perceptions of Support
Committee: Chair, David Knight; Walter Lee, Andrew Katz, and David Kniola
Top honors: Best Paper Award at the ASEE Annual Conference; Best Paper Finalist Award at the ASEE Annual Conference
Plans after graduation: Pursuing a career in data science and research, where he can apply his skills to solve real-world problems, uncover meaningful insights, and enhance understanding through data analysis
Hamidreza Taimoory said his curiosity about how people learn and his passion for applying quantitative methods in academic research led him to pursue graduate studies in engineering education.
“Virginia Tech has equipped me with strong research skills, interdisciplinary collaboration experience, and a deep understanding of academic and social experiences. These experiences have prepared me to contribute meaningfully in both academic and industry settings,” Taimoory said.
Isil Anakok
Dissertation: Exploring Generative Artificial Intelligence in Engineering Education and Research
Committee: Chair, Andrew Katz; David Knight, Holly Matusovich, and Kai Jun Chew
Top honors: Virginia Tech Graduate School Graduate Ambassador; Diversity Scholar; Bouchet Honor Society
Plans after graduation: Joining University of Jamestown as an assistant professor in the Department of Engineering
Anakok said her decision to pursue a graduate degree was shaped by a desire to improve engineering education systems and make them more inclusive. As an undergraduate and master’s student in engineering, she often observed how traditional teaching and research practices created barriers for many students. These experiences sparked her interest in understanding the human side of engineering.
“My graduate education at Virginia Tech has provided me with a strong foundation in both disciplinary knowledge and interdisciplinary thinking,” Anakok said.
Abdulrahman Alsharif
Dissertation: Engineering Employment Trends: A Decade-long Deep Dive into Skills and Competences Included in Job Advertisements
Committee: Co-chairs, David Knight and Andrew Katz; David Gray, Suqin Ge, and Susan Sajadi
Plans after graduation: Continuing his work in data management, data science, and AI and leveraging methodologies developed through his participation in National Science Foundation–funded projects to support Saudi Arabia's 2030 Vision
“My advisors were instrumental to my success, supporting my goals and guiding me effectively through coursework and challenging projects,” Alsharif said.
Andrea Schuman
Dissertation: Engineering Students’ Development of Global Engineering Competencies during International Programs
Committee: Chair, David Knight; Lisa McNair, Mohammed Seyam, and Michelle Soledad
Top honors: National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program Grant; 2024 Frontiers in Education New Faculty Fellow; ASEE International Division Best Student Paper
Plans after graduation: Joining Cal Poly San Luis Obispo as an assistant professor of computer engineering
Andrea Schuman said her graduate education gave her the chance to assess, lead, and research international programs and showed her how global experiences can expand students’ views personally and technically.
“I learned so much from working with faculty here in Virginia Tech’s Department of Engineering Education. It has transformed me into a researcher who is equipped to investigate education research questions and use proven teaching methods in the classroom,” Schuman said.
