The Gallogly College of Engineering at the University of Oklahoma has launched an innovative new program to help address Oklahoma’s growing need for engineers. Starting this fall, the Engineering Pathways Program combines high-quality teaching with student-centered learning in historic Felgar Hall.
Plans for the facility are twofold. Now operational, the McCasland Foundation Engineering Pathways Hub on the first floor focuses on teaching students and provides modern facilities for collaboration. The hub accommodates faculty who are experts in engineering education or dedicated to improving learning experiences for engineering students.
Susan Walden, P.D., serves as the program’s executive director.
“The new Engineering Pathways faculty will add energy and new ideas, teaching excellence and student mentorship to the program and will provide essential support to grow our engineering student body,” Walden said.
This summer, eight faculty were selected to help launch the program. They are Tierney Harvey, Ph.D., Casey Haskins, M.A., Javeed Kittur, Ph.D., Brian McSkimming, Ph.D., Jude Okolie, Ph.D., Dominique Pittenger, Ph.D., Allison Quiroga, Ph.D., and Kim Graves Wolfinbarger, Ph.D.
Housed on the second floor of Felgar Hall, the Engineering Pathways Studio will serve as an active-learning, team-based instructional facility. The classroom will have a capacity for nearly 60 students and will include an adjoining project meeting space for class break-out groups or informal student meetings throughout the day.
The program employs staff experts in the areas of outreach, recruitment and retention. It is actively supported by 17 engineering students working as Sooner Engineering Education Center Scholars and college recruiters.
College reports anticipate a significant shortage of engineers over the next five years with as many as 1,000 engineers per year needed in Oklahoma. As part of this investment, the Oklahoma Regents for Higher Education committed $12.6 million to improve engineering studies at state universities in June 2021.
“Our state’s projected engineer shortage requires a multi-faceted approach that will increase engineering enrollment and degree completion at the University of Oklahoma. The Engineering Pathways Program is a remarkable step forward that will profoundly impact the future of our students and our state,” said John Klier, Ph.D., dean of the Gallogly College of Engineering.
