Strong works and teaches at the intersection of engineering education, faculty development, and complex systems design. Alexandra completed her doctorate in aerospace engineering at Georgia Tech in spring 2014. Prior to attending Georgia Tech, Alexandra received a bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering from MIT (2007) and a master's degree in systems engineering from the University of Virginia (2010). Alexandra comes to FIU after completing a postdoctoral fellowship at Georgia Tech's Center for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning (CETL) and three years as a faculty member at Olin College of Engineering in Massachusetts. Alexandra's research aims to improve the design of educational experiences for students by critically examining the work and learning environments of practitioners. Specifically, she focuses on (1) how to design and change educational and work systems through studies of practicing engineers and educators and (2) how to help students transition into, through and out of educational and work systems.

As the educator of nearly one-third of all Latinx engineering graduates in the United States, Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) are at the forefront of innovating engineering curriculum for Latinx students. In many cases, the driving force behind these innovations in engineering is the faculty. This study aims to identify the assets and challenges that engineering faculty at HSIs perceive impact their ability to engage in educational innovation and, ultimately, create inclusive and learnercentered educational experiences. Specifically, the thematic analysis of workshop artifacts enabled the researchers to examine the perspectives of 24 engineering educators from two-and four-year colleges across the Southwestern and Southeastern United States who attended one of two National Science Foundation-sponsored workshops. The artifact analysis illustrates how engineering educators at HSIs recognized particular assets to leverage when innovating within their courses and departments, both from within and outside of their institutions. At the same time, these educators also acknowledged barriers to innovation from various sources, including personal, interpersonal, and administrative. Recognizing that faculty experiences can vary based on their position's responsibilities, this study also begins to explore the differences in perception of educational innovation across instructional and tenure-line faculty. These differences across faculty types suggest an opportunity to bring different perspectives and skillsets to educational innovation collaborations that include faculty from diverse backgrounds and roles. Overall, this study provides a foundation for future research on factors impacting faculty engagement with inclusive and learner-centered pedagogy at institutions seeking to serve Latinx and other racially and ethnically diverse students.

is a Senior Instructional Designer for the LIFE (Learning, Innovation and Faculty Engagement) team in Academic Technologies at the University of Miami, Coral Gables. Gemma partners with faculty members, academic units, and other university stakeholders to create and assess innovative, effective, and meaningful learning experiences, through learner-centered pedagogies, differentiated teaching, and emerging educational technologies. She has facilitated faculty development initiatives, communities and events in online course design, formative assessment, narrative techniques and 3-D technologies in undergraduate education. Since Fall 2016, in partnership with the College of Engineering and the LIFE team, Gemma designed and supported faculty development workshops in active learning pedagogies, provided regular consultations and also joined the UM team at Olin College's 2017 Collaboratory Summer Institute. Gemma is a recent graduate from the MSc Digital Education program at the University of Edinburgh.

and the Cooper Union in New York City. She received her PhD from Columbia University in 2006, where her research focused on the mechanical and frictional properties of articular cartilage. Dr. Basalo 's teaching experience includes Thermodynamics, Computer Graphics, Materials Science and laboratory courses. Since 2015 she has been actively involved in the University of Miami College of Engineering's "Redefining Engineering Education" strategic plan on educational innovation. As part of this plan, Dr. Basalo worked with 2 other faculty members to organize inaugural Senior Design Expo in May 2017, an exposition where over 200 senior students showcased their Capstone projects to the University of Miami community, alumni and industry leaders. Starting in 2016 and through her work with the University of Miami's Engaged Faculty Fellowship program, Dr. Basalo incorporated an academic service component into the final project for a sophomore-level Measurements Lab course.