IEMS Hosts Brazilian Delegation Focused on Modernizing Engineering Education

The Department of Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences (IEMS) hosted a delegation of researchers and educators from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) in Brazil as part of an international initiative focused on modernizing undergraduate engineering education.

Funded through a Fulbright-supported program titled Modernization of Undergraduate Education, the early June visit brought together faculty members, researchers, and graduate students seeking to learn innovative approaches to teaching, curriculum design, and student engagement from leading US institutions. Northwestern and IEMS served as one of several benchmark universities for the initiative, which previously offered visits to MIT, Stanford University, New York University, Rutgers University, and the University of Pittsburgh.

During the trip to Northwestern, members of the delegation met with IEMS faculty and staff to discuss a range of topics related to undergraduate engineering education. Conversations focused on curriculum modernization, faculty development, active learning strategies, assessment practices, and the growing role of generative artificial intelligence in teaching and learning environments.

Northwestern faculty included:

• Bruce Ankenman: IEMS professor, codirector of the Personal Development StudioLab
• Moses Chan: IEMS assistant professor of instruction, codirector of the minor in Machine Learning and Data Science program
• Jennifer Cole: associate professor of instruction, director of the Northwestern Center for Engineering Education Research
• Denise Drane: senior associate director of research and innovation, Searle Center for Advancing Learning
• Liz McCabe: associate professor of instruction of Chicago Field Studies, director of academic initiatives, Office of the Provost
• Sara Owsley Sood: Chookaszian Family Teaching Professor, computer science professor of instruction, Education Pillar Lead at the Northwestern Network for Collaborative Intelligence
• Greg Siering: director of pedagogy and curricular development, Searle Center for Advancing Learning
• Michael Watson: IEMS associate professor of instruction
• Jill Wilson: IEMS professor of instruction and associate chair

The visiting delegation included Paula Cheuiche, a PhD student in industrial engineering at UFRGS; Professor Joana Siqueira de Souza; postdoctoral fellow Rafael Korman; and PhD candidates Luiza Dittrich and Danielli Cossul. The broader initiative at UFRGS is coordinated by Professor Maria Cannarozzo.

“It was a real pleasure to host our industrial engineering colleagues from Brazil,” Wilson said. “They asked such insightful questions that led to really thought-provoking discussions.  It was nice to step back from the end-of-quarter rush to think about teaching in new ways.”

The visitors also explored how Northwestern supports the long-term sustainability of pedagogical innovation through interdisciplinary collaboration, institutional support, and research-informed educational practices. Discussions highlighted the importance of adapting engineering curricula to rapidly evolving technological and workforce demands while maintaining strong student engagement and academic rigor.

In addition to formal meetings and presentations, the visitors toured campus facilities and learned more about Northwestern’s broader educational ecosystem and approach to experiential learning. In addition, the guests attended final presentations in IEMS 394: Client Project Challenge and DATA_ENG 300: Data Engineering Studio.

“The visit was truly inspiring. We had meaningful discussions about the changes that AI is bringing to teaching and learning, how academic leaders keep faculty engaged in active learning practices, and the importance of mentoring students as they make decisions about their studies and future careers,” Siqueira de Souza said. “The experience reinforced that our industrial engineering program in Brazil shares many of the same aspirations and strengths, while also giving us valuable ideas to take home.

“My biggest takeaway is that meaningful transformation starts with small changes, and that every step forward is worth celebrating.”