Humanizing Signals and Systems: A Reflective Account

Unpacking professional shame: Patterns of White male engineering students living in and out of threats to their identities

“…We previously defined the operational construct of professional shame as a way to frame the phenomenon examined in this study. However, in the findings, we were careful to reflect both the tension and alignment that we interpreted between the individual, lived experience of professional shame and our theoretical framing of the phenomenon (Huff, Okai, et al, 2019; Smith et al, 2009). To elaborate on this process of interpretation, we reference Geertz's (1974) claim that “rather than attempt to place the experience of others within the framework of [theoretical conceptions of self], … we must … view their experiences within the framework of their own idea of what selfhood is” (p. 31).…”

“…In Figure 1, we conceptualize professional shame as the sociopsychological interaction between cultural expectations and individuals' internal evaluations of how they are meeting these expectations (Huff et al, 2016, 2018, 2020). Individuals are actors in the shame experience in at least two ways.…”

“…We conceptualize shame to be a sociopsychological interaction between cultural expectations and the painful emotional experience that occurs when individuals perceive they are failing to meet such expectations (Brown, 2006; Gilbert, 2003; Huff et al, 2016, 2018; Huff, Okai, et al, 2019; H. B. Lewis, 1971; M. Lewis, 1995; Scheff, 2003; Tangney & Dearing, 2002). The professional domains of engineering education and practice provide multiple standards or expectations that define the competencies associated with being an engineer (e.g., ABET, 2019; National Academy of Engineering, 2004).…”

Sociotechnical Habits of Mind: Initial Survey Results and their Formative Impact on Sociotechnical Teaching and Learning

“…Within the United States, most engineering degree programs are dominated by engineering science courses that consist primarily of decontextualized (or minimally contextualized), closedended problems that fail to illustrate how sociotechnical factors impact problem framing and solution processes ( [1]- [4]). Thus, engineering curricula reinforce the notion that technical problem-solving processes can be separated from the social context in which the problem emerged-and in which the solution will reside.…”

Reflections on the Integration of Social Justice Concepts into an Introductory Control Systems Course (Work in Progress)

“…A key inspiration for this paper is the reflective account provided by Huff 7 . Based on this work, it is clear that faculty need resources and examples as they embed social justice or other educational innovations into the engineering curriculum.…”