EAGER: A Pilot Study to Identify Factors that Inform the Career Goals and Perceptions of Engineering Graduate Students

Duke University, Durham NC

Investigators

Abstract

"This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5)." This Early-concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER) proposal, entitled "EAGER: A Pilot Study to Identify Factors that Inform the Career Perceptions and Goals of Engineering Graduate Students", at Duke University, under the direction of Dr. April Brown, will support a pilot education research study to examine the career perspectives and goals of Duke engineering graduate students at various points of their doctoral or master's degree programs. The study, which will be carried out during the 2009-2010 academic year, will also identify the variables or experiences that inform Duke engineering student perspectives on their anticipated career selection. The findings from this pilot study will be used to develop specific follow-on activities which will partner with a small set of engineering schools across the nation to test the methodology and findings in broader, diverse settings.