A Marie Curie Research Fellowship is–first and foremost–about developing researchers by giving them a chance to research new things, in new places, with new people. For an MSCA Fellowship, you’ve got to travel. You can come from anywhere in the world, but you can’t have lived in the country where you do the MSCA Fellowship for any more than 12 months of the 36 months before the application date.

In previous blogs, I have described specific qualitative (WP1) and multiple methods (WP2) projects I conducted as a Marie Curie Fellows with the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Individual Fellowship (MSCA-IF) program from 2018-2020, as well as the project management skills I developed via developing special focus journal issues (WP3) and managing my own MSCA project (WP6). In this blog, I will describe things I did to share my knowledge with others and help them build new understandings and new skills as well (WP5). A final blog will follow on outreach activities I did to share knowledge and spread a love for STEM subjects with people outside academia (WP4).

I also provided an overview of the grant and even linked my final report of the 2018-2020 MSCA-IF for others to download for reference.

Work package 5

Researcher Training and Transfer-of-Knowledge  

The intention of WP5 was to increase my research skills and encourage me to share my own knowledge and skills with others (i.e., transfer knowledge to them). The MSCA application listed the following deliverables for this work package: 26 Training and Transfer-of-Knowledge sessions completed by the end of the grant period. I’m able to list 70 specific research training workshops and conferences that I attended–and there were actually more!

Yet, it is important to note that the most important training and knowledge transfer actually resulted from me providing leadership in EER. As a result of having a Marie Curie research fellowship at University College London (UCL), many doors were open to me and I was able to learn from the wealth of opportunities that emerged.

Via this MSCA grant, the I have provided: (1) leadership in publishing and (2) leadership in research events. These are summarized directly below.

Under that, a list of the completed researcher training session is provided.

Finally, in this blog, I identify outreach activities I conducted to support educators and researchers, including workshops I conducted and supervision and mentorship I provided to early career researchers (like the one pictured below, in South Africa, to help engineering teachers learn more inclusive teaching attitudes and behaviors).

As part of my training, I also earned a new teaching qualification in the UK while serving as an MSCA fellow:

• Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Teaching Academy (SFHEA)

Earning this credential helped me build proficiency on the vocabulary used in educational research in the UK, which differs somewhat from the USA. Earning it will also help me demonstrate the skills needed to teach at third level in the UK and Ireland. Since earning SFHEA, I have subsequently applied for the highest available credential in this program (Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Teaching Academy/PFHEA), although the application wasn’t successful. I’ll hone my record and try again.

Research Supervision/Mentoring Skills

I have been advising a full-time PhD student at London South Bank University (LSBU) since the start of my MSCA fellowship. The student’s viva is scheduled, and on track, for August 2020. I have also mentoring 5-6 early career researchers. My activities in this realm include:

• Mentoring a physics researcher through TU Dublin’s researcher mentoring program
• Serving as PI for a new MSCA IF application in engineering education submitted September 2019 (which was not funded in 2019 but will be enhanced and resubmitted)
• Mentor for peer reviewers with the Journal of Engineering Education (appointed in 2018)
• Expert/external reviewer for applications to Fulbright Ireland (2018, 2019)

Leadership in Publishing

In the realm of journal production, I was appointed and has served as:

• Associate Editor, IEEE Transactions on Education (2018-present)
• Editorial Board, European Journal of Engineering Education (2018-present)

I serve as a peer reviewer for an academic journal in my field:

• Australasian Journal of Engineering Education (2019-present)
• IEEE Transactions on Education (2017-present)
• European Journal of Engineering Education (2016-present)
• Journal of Engineering Education (2013-present)

Incidentally, I also provided expert advice to the publisher of two children’s books, although I generally consider this activity to be “Outreach”:

• Scribble Architecture, STEM activity book by Usborne Publishing Ltd.(in press)
• Scribble Engineering, STEM activity book by Usborne Publishing Ltd.(2018)

Leadership in Research Networks

Opportunities to provide leadership that emerged as a result of this MSCA include:

• Chair, Research on Engineering Education Network (January 2020-present)
• Vice-Chair, Research on Engineering Education Network (2019-2020)
• Governing Board, Research on Engineering Education Network (2018-present) and member of sub-committees including recruitment and selection of upcoming conference hosts
• Nathu Puri Institute at the London South Bank University (2018-present), serving on, for example, an interview panel for new director of the Institute (2018) and a member of the Institute’s think tank.
• Marie Curie Alumni Association, Ireland chapter organizing committee (2018-present)

Leadership in Funded Projects  

Providing grant-writing leadership, I advised Dr. Carlos Mora in securing €56,000 in funding from the Cabildo of Tenerife in Spain to conduct education projects under a project titled “INGENIA” or “Ingenuity” to support sustainability education (I am listed as the co-PI on this grant). I also secured a £11,200 donation to UCL CEE from the UK’s Royal Academy of Engineers via Engineers without Borders UK (the funds will support my ongoing work with UCL’s CEE).

This MSCA is intended to broaden career prospects, and it definitely has. Even though I chose to return to my home university at the completion of the fellowship, I brought with me a contract valued at €237,727 allowing me to provide curriculum development services to the University College London Contracts (UCLC) over the three-year period following my MSCA fellowship (2020-2023).  

In 2019, I also served as an expert evaluator for the European Commission (COFUND fellowship program).

Researcher Training sessions completed

I could provide images to go with each of these, but then I’d never get this posted… so I’ll just share the list. Each was interesting and informative and most of these activities opened a pandora’s box of ideas and possibilities.

1. UCL online training module and certificate earned in Safety
2. UCL online training module and certificate earned in Green Awareness
3. UCL online training module and certificate earned as Green Champion
4. UCL day-long Researcher Development Workshop, Finding Your Voice as an Academic Writer
5. UCL day-long Researcher Development Workshop, An Introduction to Research Student Supervision at UCL
6. Researcher information session organized by the Irish Research Council, Opportunities to collaborate with UK-based researchers
7. UCL day-long Researcher Development Workshop, Creative Approach to Problem Solving and Decision Taking for Researchers
8. Informational workshop on MSCA programs held at DIT
9. UCL Arena Guidance Sessions: Initial Guidance
10. UCL day-long Researcher Development Workshop, Leading Collaborative Projects
11. UCL’s Centre for Engineering Education’s event, In Conversation With… Angela Saini and Louise Archer
12. UCL Astrea Voices workshop: Choosing your journey
13. UCL day-long Researcher Development Workshop, Writing Books and Book Chapters
14. UCL day-long Researcher Development Workshop, Managing Your Reputation
15. UCL Arena Senior Fellow Guidance Session: Developing your application
16. UCL day-long Education Conference 2018 at the UCL Institute of Education
17. Nathu Puri Institute Thought Leadership discussion and dinner in April
18. SRHE day-long workshop, Migration and academic acculturation
19. SRHE day-long workshop, Developing curriculum, learning and pedagogies in STEM subjects: the case of Engineering
20. SRHE day-long workshop, Phenomenography: An approach to qualitative research in higher education
21. UCL LLAKES Seminar by Louise Archer Why can’t we solve the science participation ‘crisis’? Understanding young people’s (non)participation in post-16 science
22. Attended a UCL “Town Hall” to better understand the administrative structure of this research-intensive university, Finding a new place in society for universities
23. UCL day-long Researcher Development Workshop Publish or Perish: Getting Collaborative Social Science Published
24. One-day Inaugural Spring Colloquium of the UK-Ireland Engineering Education Research Network, held in Newcastle
25. UCL day-long Researcher Development Workshop, The Superior Performer: How to Work to Your Strengths
26. SRHE day-long workshop, Publishing Academic Articles: A way through the maze
27. UCL Researcher Development Workshop, Induction for New UCL Research Staff
28. Attended a half-day of UCL conference on Impacts of Gender Discourse on Polish Politics, Society & Culture Comparative Perspectives reservation
29. UCL workshop, Provost’s Welcome to New Staff
30. UCL day-long Researcher Development Workshop, Writing and Publishing Research Papers
31. UCL day-long Researcher Development Workshop, Increasing Impact – Gaining Positive Media Coverage
32. Attended two-day Inspirefest celebrating women in technology, held in Dublin
33. Attended four-day conference of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) in Salt Lake City
34. Attended one-day symposium at the Royal Society sponsored by the RAEng and UCL CEE, Inclusive Engineering Education Symposium
35. Second Nathu Puri Institute Thought Leadership Event at 6-9 Carlton House Terrace, London SW1Y 5AG
36. Attended two-day 7th International Symposium of Engineering Education (ISEE 2018), hosted by UCL
37. UCL day-long Researcher Development Workshop, Storytelling Skills for Teachers and Presenters
38. UCL Arena training for fellowship applicants at principal level, PFHEA Lunch session
39. Attended five-day conference of the European Society for Engineering Education (SEFI 2018) in Copenhagen
40. Attended three-day International Conference on Interactive Collaborative Learning (ICL 2018) plus events of the International Conference on Engineering Pedagogy (IGIP 2018) in Kos Island, Greece
41. UCL online training module and certificate earned in GDPR
42. SRHE day-long workshop, IS THERE (STILL) ROOM FOR EDUCATION IN THE CONTEMPORARY UNIVERSITY? Exploring policy, research and practice through the lens of professional education. Seminar 3
43. Lecture organized by the Irish Fulbright Commission, Creative Minds: In Conversation with a NASA Astronaut
44. TU Dublin (formerly DIT) online training module and certificate earned in GDPR
45. TU Dublin 2.5-hour workshop by Dr. Bill Williams, Getting published in engineering education research journals
46. Attended half-day IEP Research Away (Half) Day
47. UCL full-day workshop, Building Research Leaders
48. UCL Career Centre workshop, Effective Academic Interviews
49. UCL workshop, Providing learning experiences that enable students to acquire the right mix of knowledge, skills and competences
50. UCL two-hour workshop, Using and understanding bibliometrics
51. UCL full-day workshop, Influencing and Negotiating
52. UCL two-hour workshop, Copyright for Research Staff
53. UCL Arena Principal Fellow Guidance Session: Developing your application
54. Expert evaluator training briefing for the European Commission
55. Attended two-day spring symposium, EERN 2018 (UK & Ireland Engineering Education Research Network) in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
56. Attended two-day Inspirefest (women in tech) in Dublin
57. Attended two-day engineering education conference, ISEE 2018 (7th International Symposium of Engineering Education) at UCL
58. Attended four-day engineering education conference, ASEE 2018 in Salt Lake City
59. Attended five-day engineering education conference, SEFI 2018 in Copenhagen
60. Attended three-day engineering education conference, ICL/IGIP 2018 in Kos
61. Attended three-day higher education conference, SRHE 2018 (Society for Research in Higher Education) in Newport, Wales
62. Attended three-day annual conference, MSCA General Assembly 2019 in Vienna
63. Attended two-day spring symposium, EERN 2019 (UK & Ireland Engineering Education Research Network) in Dublin
64. Attended four-day engineering education conference, ASEE 2019 in Tampa
65. Attended two-day MSCA IF monitoring event, education sector, in Brussels, June 2019
66. Attended three-day engineering education conference, REES 2019 in Cape Town
67. Attended four-day engineering education conference, SEFI 2019 in Budapest
68. Attended one-day conference of UK Engineering Professors Council and the Institution of Engineering and Technology, New approaches in practice, 2020
69. Attended two-day annual conference, EERN 2018 (UK & Ireland Engineering Education Research Network) in Coventry, UK
70. Attended 14 lectures at UCL Bartlett School of Architecture’s International Lecture Series (2018, 2019) and at least 7 other lectures in the Faculty of Engineering.

Outreach to Support Educators and Researchers (Workshops and Invited Presentations Delivered)

I provided workshops on research techniques for Early Stage Researchers as well as experienced researchers. I also provided workshops on teaching (learning theories and innovative teaching techniques) for educators. These are presented alphabetically by country:

Denmark

Edström, K., Bernhard, J., van den Bogaard, M., Benson, L., Finelli, C., CHANCE, S. M., & Lyng, R. (2018). Reviewers, reviewers, reviewers! Workshop at the European Society for Engineering Education (SEFI) 2018 annual conference in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Edström, K., Bernhard, J., De Laet, T., CHANCE, S. M., (2018). Doctoral Symposium. One-day pre-conference workshop at the European Society for Engineering Education (SEFI) 2018 annual conference in Copenhagen, Denmark.

De Laet, T., Williams, B., CHANCE, S. M., & others (2018). Engineering Education Research. Workshop by EER Working Group at the European Society for Engineering Education (SEFI) 2018 annual conference in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Hungry

Edström, K.,Benson, L.,Mitchell, J., Bernhard, J., van den Bogaard, M., Carberry, A., & CHANCE, S. (2019). Writing Helpful Reviews for Engineering Education Journals. Workshop at the European Society for Engineering Education (SEFI) 2019 annual conference in Budapest, Hungary.

Hannon, P. K., Berry, D., CHANCE, S., Core, M., & Duignan, F. (2019). Physical computing: A low-cost project-based approach to engineering education. Workshop at the European Society for Engineering Education (SEFI) 2019 annual conference in Budapest, Hungary.

Miminiris, M., CHANCE, S. M., & Direto, I. (2019). Recognising and understanding qualitatively different experiences of learning in engineering: Variation as a learning tool. Workshop at the European Society for Engineering Education (SEFI) 2019 annual conference in Budapest, Hungary.

Ireland

CHANCE, S. M. (2018). Gender Equality in STEM Education. Presentation delivered at Irish Marie Curie Alumni Association’s Gender Equality Workshop Programme on 3^rd December 2018 in Dublin, Ireland.

CHANCE, S. M. (2018). MSCA fellowship experiences. Presentation delivered for Dublin Institute of Technology’s EPA & IUA MSCA Research Information Workshop Programme.

South Africa

Govender, S., CHANCE, S., & Direito, I. (2019). Fostering Inclusivity in Engineering Education in the South African Context. Two-day Master class conducted for the University of Cape Town’s Engineering Education Existing Staff Capacity Enhancement Programme.

Akinmolayan, F. & CHANCE, S. M. (2018). Facilitating group & Problem-Based Learning in the context of engineering education. Two-day Master class conducted for the University of Cape Town’s Engineering Education Existing Staff Capacity Enhancement Programme.

United Kingdom

CHANCE, S. M. (2020). Becoming Civil: Outcomes of a Marie Curie Fellowship with CEGE and CEE. Lunch seminar for UCL’s Centre for Engineering Education in London.

Bathmaker, A., CHANCE, S. M., & Wheelahan, L. (2019). Understanding and conceptualizing knowledge in professional and vocationally-oriented higher education: Beyond time management and interpersonal skills. Workshop provided Thursday 16 May 2019 for the Society for Research on Higher Education in London, UK.

CHANCE, S. M. (2019). Learning theories in engineering: A US perspective on student development. A class session for UCL’s new MSc in Engineering and Education.

CHANCE, S. M. (2018). Summary of National STEM Educational Policies in Relation to Girls’ Experiences in Physics in Europe and into the Engineering Pipeline.Society for Research in Higher Education conference 2018 in Newcastle, UK.

Direto, I., Malik, M., & CHANCE, S. M. (2018). Conducting Systematic Literature Reviews in Engineering Education Research. Workshop to the UK & Ireland Engineering Education Research Network (EERN) annual conference 2018 in Portsmouth.

Leão, C. P., Soares, F., Williams, B., & CHANCE, S.(2018). Challenges, experiences and advantages in being a female engineering student: voices in the first person. Presentation at the UK & Ireland Engineering Education Research Network (EERN) annual conference 2018 in Portsmouth.

CHANCE, S. M. (2018). Implications for Irish policy of women’s experiences in STEM education in Ireland, Poland, and Portugal. UK & Ireland EERN Spring Colloquium 2018 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

CHANCE, S. M. (2018). Supporting diverse students: Findings from a longitudinal study of female engineering students in three countries. Lunch seminar for UCL’s Centre for Engineering Education in London.