Tufts Participates in Engineering Education Conference

The American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) held its annual conference this year from June 21-24 in Charlotte, North Carolina. As the largest gathering for ASEE members, the event provides an opportunity to share work and learn from others passionate about making engineering education impactful and accessible for all. Tufts faculty, staff and students involved with Tufts’ Center for Engineering Education and Outreach (CEEO) and the Institute for Learning and Instructions (IRLI) had a significant presence at the conference this year; they presented research and curricular innovations at more than 20 poster sessions, workshops, and technical sessions.  

With topics ranging from how chemistry students navigate confusion to practical applications of AI in the classroom, Tufts' presence helped lead important conversations about engineering education outreach and research. Other poster and session topics included how resource-limited schools can advance accessible computer and programming education with paper-based learning activities, integrating AI with social science, and exploring how students use AI-assisted programming tools.  

CEEO Director and Research Associate Professor Merredith Portsmore was awarded the 2026 Pre-College Engineering Education (PCEE) Meritorious Service Award at the conference in recognition of her exemplary service in alignment with the PCEE Division’s Vision, Mission and, Core Beliefs, as well as her support of pre-college engineering education efforts within ASEE.  

Tufts CEEO is an interdisciplinary center dedicated to creating the next generation of problem solvers, from kindergarten through college, through engineering education. Housed within Tufts University's School of Engineering, Tufts CEEO is home to students, staff, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty from engineering, education, child development, and computer science who collaborate on educational research and educational tool and technology development. 

Tufts Institute for Research on Learning and Instruction's mission is to introduce and sustain scholarly research on learning and instruction within departments, programs, and schools at Tufts. 

Founded in 1893, ASEE is a nonprofit organization of individuals and institutions committed to furthering education in engineering and engineering technology.