Presentation: 2025 ND EPSCoR Annual conference 

October 21, 2025, NDSU Memorial Union, Fargo, North Dakota

Center for Engineering Education Research: Advancing STEM Education and Partnerships in North Dakota

The University of North Dakota’s Center for Engineering Education Research (CEER) is a collaboration between the College of Education and Human Development and the College of Engineering and Mines, funded in part by a three-year strategic investment by UND. CEER’s work is based on the understanding that engineering is not just technical, but is also connected to people’s communities, interests, and goals. CEER aims to transform PK-20 engineering education through cutting edge research; developing and offering high-quality professional development; offering evaluation services to other STEM researchers; and building partnerships with educators, engineers, and researchers both in North Dakota and nationwide. Through these initiatives, CEER aims to increase pathways for more students across the region into engineering educational trajectories and the workforce. In this presentation, we will introduce the exciting work that CEER is doing, including: research into community-relevant engineering design pedagogy and its impact for teachers and students; a partnership with UND professors to evaluate an ambitious program designed to expand undergraduate STEM participation; developing professional development for PK-12 teachers and university faculty that supports them in advancing STEM education, outreach, and research; and pursuing membership in the KEEN network, a national engineering education organization. We will also preview some of CEER’s upcoming work, including research in teacher preparation and an NSF-funded project examining how teachers translate professional development into practice. We will conclude by extending CEER’s invitation to explore collaborative educational, research, and evaluation opportunities that will continue to build ND’s STEM ecosystem.