The Problem:
Most U.S. graduate engineering programs follow a “one-size-fits-all” approach that:
- focus on research skills
- are slow to incorporate industry trends
- default to training students for careers as university professors
- assume that all students start at the same level of knowledge
Our approach:
(1) Break the traditional one-size-fits-all approach to graduate STEM education by creating and validating an integrated personalized learning model (PLM) that is inclusive to all students, and
(2) propagate this education research into widespread practice by generating the knowledge to extend this innovation to other STEM graduate programs at the University of Pittsburgh and beyond.
We are evaluating the innovation in collaboration with Quality Evaluation Designs.
Video, podcast and webinar:
- How did we come up with the PLM and what are goals? Watch this video.
- Check out this podcast by Grad Post for the latest developments.
- Listen to our webinar, hosted by the Council of Graduate Schools titled "Enabling Graduate Program Innovation by Creating the Conditions for Change"
Publications:
1. Dukes, A. A., & Kerr, V. E., & Fullerton Shirey, S. K., & Veser, G., & Besterfield-Sacre, M. E. (2024, June), A New Personalized Learning Approach Towards Graduate STEM Education: A Pilot in Chemical Engineering Paper presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon. 10.18260/1-2--46464
Award: Best Paper - Graduate Studies Division
2. Besterfield-Sacre, M. E., & Dukes, A., & Fullerton Shirey, S. K., & Veser, G. (2025, June), Creating a Modularized Graduate Curriculum in Chemical Engineering Paper presented at 2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition , Montreal, Quebec, Canada . 10.18260/1-2--56162
3. Dukes, A., & Besterfield-Sacre, M. E., & Fullerton Shirey, S. K., & Veser, G. (2026, June) "Implementing an IDP Process in Graduate Chemical Engineering: Reflections from the First Three Years" Paper presented at 2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Charlotte, North Carolina. 10.18260/1-2--59918
4. Besterfield-Sacre, M. E., & Dukes, A., & Fullerton Shirey, S. K., & Lichtenstein, G., & Veser, G., & Stephan, A. T. (2026, June), From Body of Knowledge to Modular Implementation: A Faculty Learning Community Model for Graduate Chemical Engineering Reform Paper presented at 2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Charlotte, North Carolina. 10.18260/1-2--59561
Conference Presentation
Dukes, A., & Besterfield-Sacre, M. E., & Fullerton Shirey, S. K. (2025, February), Piloting A Personalized Learning Model for Chemical Engineering Graduate Education – Lessons Learned from Creating a Chemical Engineering Body of Knowledge Paper presented at 2025 Collaborative Network for Engineering & Computing Diversity (CoNECD), San Antonio, Texas. 10.18260/1-2--54106