This project aims to address the gap in understanding of how leadership competence is defined, developed, and measured in construction and civil engineering undergraduates. Specifically, the goals are to 1) investigate the definition of leadership as defined by the construction industry and compare that to faculty and students’ definition; 2) develop a theoretical model of leadership development as defined by industry; 3) develop a survey instrument to measure leadership capacity and efficacy in engineering; and 4) collect and analyze data with an eye toward evaluating differences between or among major, gender, socio-economic status, generational status, and ethnicity. The impact of this project is the enabling of measurement of leadership competencies among engineers on a continuum from first-year undergraduate students through graduation and into their careers as practicing construction and civil engineers. The results of this project can be used to inform evidence-based activities, policies, and practices in engineering programs to improve the nation’s capacity to prepare students for STEM careers. This project is funded by the National Science Foundation.

PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH

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Jeremy Brenner Denise R Simmons. “Undergraduate Construction Students & Perceptions of Effective Leadership and Preparation Strategies,” National Undergraduate Research Clearinghouse, v.20, 2017.

James T. Martin Jeremy S. Brenner Denise R. Simmons. “Undergraduate Construction Students & Perceptions of Effective Leadership and Preparation Strategies,” National Undergraduate Research Clearinghouse, v.20, 2017.

Mayank Periwal Denise R. Simmons. “An Exploratory Study to Understand Employers? Perspectives on the Competencies of Entering Professionals in the Construction Industry,” National Undergraduate Research Clearinghouse, v.20, 2017.

Denise R. Simmons Nicholas A. Clegorne Tinesha Woods-Wells. “Leadership Paradigms to Develop Professionals in the Construction Industry: A Critical Review Informed Research Agenda,” Journal of Management in Engineering, v.33, 2017. doi:https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)ME.1943-5479.0000518

Nicholas A. Clegorne Denise R. Simmons. “Engineering the Best of Both Worlds: Towards a College Curriculum of Engaged Citizen Leadership for Emerging Engineers,” Association for the Study of Higher Education, 2017.

Nicholas A. Clegorne Denise R. Simmons. “Engineering Professionalism: Towards a Curricular Model for Professional Skill and Leadership Competencies for Emerging Engineers,” Annual American Educational Research Association Conference, 2018.

Groen, C. J., Simmons, D. R. Clegorne, N. A.. “Faculty Ways of Knowing, Valuing and Assessing Leadership in the Engineering Curriculum,” 125th American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition (Leadership Division), Salt Lake City, UT, 2018. doi:Paper ID #24085

Simmons, D. R., Iorio, J., Taylor, J. E. and Li, D. “Work Values Across Generations Among Construction Professionals in the United States.,” Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, v.144, 2018. doi:https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)CO.1943-7862.0001554