5^th Annual Conference of CoNECD
Collaborative Network for Engineering and Computing Diversity
Feb 26-Mar 1, 2023
New Orleans, LA
Call for Abstracts

We invite you to submit an abstract to the 5^th Annual Conference of CoNECD: Collaborative Network for Engineering and Computing Diversity which will be held from Feb 26 to Mar 1, 2023 in New Orleans, LA.  Authors should submit an extended abstract between 300 and 500 words on their paper/presentation topic by August 8, 2022.

The vision of the CoNECD (pronounced, “connected”) Conference is to provide a forum for exploring current research and practices to enhance diversity and inclusion of all underrepresented groups in the engineering and computing professions. We believe that a transformation of our engineering workforce will not be the result of a singular focus. CoNECD will encompass the many diverse groups that comprise our engineering and computing workforce including groups based on gender (including gender identity and gender expression), race and ethnicity, disability, veterans, LGBTQ+, 1st generation and socio-economic status.

CoNECD will accept both papers and presentations as final submissions. Submit presentations in PDF format as with NOTES pages of your slides.  For your full draft submission, the NOTES for each slide must have sufficient detail to explain the content on the PowerPoint slide. This will ensure that the reviewers have enough context to allow appropriate review of your presentation submission. See here for how to add notes to your slides.

CoNECD is seeking both evidenced based research and practice abstracts for presentations at the 5^th Annual Conference of CoNECD: Collaborative Network for Engineering and Computing Diversity which will be held from Feb 26 to Mar 1, 2023. Topics of interest include but are not limited to:

• Outreach, mentoring and recruitment of diverse K-12 students
• Mentoring, innovative recruitment and retention programs, and assessment of diverse groups of undergraduate and graduate students
• Mentoring, recruitment, retention, leadership and professional development activities for diverse faculty, administrators and professionals in the engineering/computing workforce (including work/life balance and dual-career issues, listening and negotiation, workplace climate, and innovative programs supporting diversity and inclusion)
• Company/university programs, policies or reviews that impact particular diverse groups (e.g. Title IX, transgender policies, veteran integration into academic institutions) including, for example, military experience to academic recognition
• Transformative research that informs the development of impactful and forward-thinking programs and policies on issues such as intersectionality of race and gender
• Integration of social justice into curricular and co-curricular activities
• Innovative curricular issues including inclusive pedagogies
• Managing identity across a global landscape in K-12 outreach, recruitment, retention, and academic success strategies
• The importance of cultural relevance and history in expanding the curriculum, pedagogy, classroom design, and worker spaces in academia and corporate settings
• Understanding inclusion, equity, access, and diversity in an effort to broaden participation, transform institutional leadership and promote student-centered success strategies in academia
• Unleashing the invisible factors of human potential to innovate, explore the unknown and develop community centered solutions to address diversity, inclusion, and access in industry and academia

CoNECD aims to include both researchers seeking peer-reviewed conference papers as well as practitioners who wish to submit a presentation (e.g. PowerPoint) associated with a successful practice. CoNECD will present a balance of basic research and development in the diversity and inclusion space as well as presentations that focus on promising practices successfully implemented in both academic and workplace environments. Authors may submit (individual or panel) papers or presentations based on accepted abstracts.

Authors should submit an extended abstract between 300 and 500 words on their paper/presentation topic. Authors of accepted abstracts must submit a full paper OR presentation for review, acceptance and publication in order to present at the conference.  Abstracts are due August 8, 2022.

To submit an abstract,

• Click this link
• You will be directed to a login page.
• If you are a member of ASEE, please login to access the abstract submission page.
• If you are not an ASEE member, please create a login to access the abstract submission page. You do not need to become an ASEE member to submit an abstract. 
• Posters are not accepted. Do not check “I would like this to be presented as a poster”

Each abstract is being submitted to one track or group.  For each abstract submitted, you must identify keywords describing the topic you are presenting.  This will enable CoNECD to group your presentation appropriately.  Please select from this list of keywords (no more than 4 keywords can be provided).  The Keywords should be included in the first line of your Abstract Text, separated from the Abstract Title.

• Pre-college
• Undergraduate
• Transfer
• Graduate
• Faculty
• Professional
  Race/Ethnicity
• Gender
• Disability
• 1st Generation
• LGBTQIA+
• Veterans
• Socio-economic status
• Computer Science
• Engineering
• Engineering Technology
• Information Technology
• 2 Year Institution

On behalf of the Women in Engineering Division (WIED) of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), it is with great pleasure that we announce the winner of the 2022 Mara H. Wasburn Early Engineering Educator Grant.  All applicants had impressive contributions to engineering education, a demonstrated commitment to increasing access, retention and/or advancement of women in engineering, and a strong overall record of achievement.  The ASEE WIED review committee commends each applicant for dedication to engineering education and to the advancement of women in engineering and technology.

In the category of Faculty, the Mara H. Wasburn Early Engineering Educator Grant goes to Dr. Holly Golecki, Teaching Assistant Professor, Bioengineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC).  Dr. Golecki was nominated by Dr. Karin Jensen.  She believes that “…supporting students’ technical skills development as well as their mental health and wellness is a responsibility we hold as faculty.  I find that my students are eager to put engineering within a social justice context.”  Her research is focused around the question: How do projects with embedded agency beliefs provide opportunities for students to develop STEM identities?

From Dr. Golecki’s teaching statement, “I have built my career to date on my mission of inspiring the next generation of innovators, engineers, and roboticists, and I look forward to broadening my teaching impact as my career develops.  I also see my teaching as an opportunity to create inclusive spaces on campus to create a positive impact that spreads beyond my classroom walls.  I aim to train engineers to design solutions for our biggest challenges with empathy and inclusivity.”

Current graduate students and postdoctoral fellows are invited to submit an application at this link https://bit.ly/ASEE-WIED-PanelistApp to present at the ASEE 2022 annual national conference in Minneapolis on a panel sponsored by the ASEE Women in Engineering Division (WIED): “Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Fellow Perspectives on Advancing Women and Gender Equity in Engineering“.  Up to four panelists will be invited to share their thoughts, experiences, and ideas on advancing women and gender equity in engineering.  Those selected will receive a travel grant from WIED of up to $1500 as reimbursement for their conference expenses.  Applications are due by April 15, 2022, 11:59 PM.  Applicants will be notified of their selection status beginning May 1, 2022, so that panelists may register for the conference at the conference’s Early Bird rate before May 17.  Please direct any questions about this opportunity to the panel organizer, Lily Wang (lilywang@unl.edu).  Thank you for your consideration!

The CoNECD (Collaborative Network for Engineering and Computing Diversity) Conference Planning Committee invites nominations for 2 awards that recognize individuals, groups and organizations for their commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion in engineering and computer science. These awards will be given out at the 2022 CoNECD conference in February.

Information about both awards is given below. To nominate a program or individual, please visit https://forms.gle/uQgveRcXBYd6jgt7A.  (self-nominations are permitted)

Program of the Year Award:

This award honors the development and/or implementation of a service activity that has significantly enhanced the participation of students from diverse populations that are historically underserved in engineering and computing, while enriching the students’ learning experience in engineering and computer science.

The Program of the Year Award recipient will be chosen on the following criteria:

• Program impact
• Participant satisfaction
• Evidence of using evaluation data to improve the program

Rising Star in Diversity Award:

The Rising Star in Diversity award recognizes an individual in their profession for less than 10 years who has actively worked to enhance diversity and inclusion by mentoring, supporting and/or advocating for the success of historically underserved individuals in engineering or computer science, or for climate and culture change that supports such success.

The Rising Star in Diversity Award recipient will be chosen on the following criteria:

• Fostering community to promote networks that provide professional support for students from  diverse populations that are historically underserved in engineering and computer science
• Mentoring or leadership development
• Recruiting, retaining, or advancing underserved individuals in engineering and/or computer science
• Engaging in professional development opportunities focused on diversity and inclusion
• Promoting awareness of issues affecting underserved individuals

Deadline: January 3, 2022

The CoNECD (Collaborative Network for Engineering and Computing Diversity) Conference Planning Committee invites nominations for 2 awards that recognize individuals, groups and organizations for their commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion in engineering and computer science. These awards will be given out at the 2022 CoNECD conference in February.

Information about both awards is given below. To nominate a program or individual, please visit https://forms.gle/uQgveRcXBYd6jgt7A.  (self-nominations are permitted)

Program of the Year Award:

This award honors the development and/or implementation of a service activity that has significantly enhanced the participation of students from diverse populations that are historically underserved in engineering and computing, while enriching the students’ learning experience in engineering and computer science.

The Program of the Year Award recipient will be chosen on the following criteria:

• Program impact
• Participant satisfaction
• Evidence of using evaluation data to improve the program

Rising Star in Diversity Award:

The Rising Star in Diversity award recognizes an individual in their profession for less than 10 years who has actively worked to enhance diversity and inclusion by mentoring, supporting and/or advocating for the success of historically underserved individuals in engineering or computer science, or for climate and culture change that supports such success.

The Rising Star in Diversity Award recipient will be chosen on the following criteria:

• Fostering community to promote networks that provide professional support for students from  diverse populations that are historically underserved in engineering and computer science
• Mentoring or leadership development
• Recruiting, retaining, or advancing underserved individuals in engineering and/or computer science
• Engaging in professional development opportunities focused on diversity and inclusion
• Promoting awareness of issues affecting underserved individuals

Deadline: January 3, 2022

For more information, visit Pre-Conference Workshops on our page!

All pre-conference workshops are scheduled for Sunday February 20, with the first workshops beginning at 1:00pm.  The cost to attend each workshop is $15. For workshop registration, go to the CoNECD 2022 website, select Conference Registration and when registering, click on “Get Tickets and Build Schedule”.  The list of workshops is there as part of the Sunday schedule.   Below is a list of the workshops being offered:

Inclusive Leadership Development for Engineers
Speaker: Dr. Meagan Pollock
This workshop equips participants with a standards-aligned, strategy-driven leadership development model for equipping engineering students with skills to appreciate differences in the workplace and to collaborate and lead inclusively. We will use interactive and engaging learning activities where participants explore, discover, and apply their learning.

Aspire’s Inclusive Professional Framework: Supporting Faculty Enhancing Diversity & Inclusion
Speakers: Dr. April Dukes and Dr. Jacqueline El-Sayed
This session is designed to engage participants in considering their own instructional roles, and how identity, power, and positionality inform their practice, and impact student learning. Key to the session will be the opportunity to put into practice their reflection and learning.

Advising Graduate Students: Lessons Learned from the Dissertation Institute
Speakers: Dr. Holly M. Matusovich, Dr. Mayra S. Artiles, Dr. Stephanie Adams, and Dr. Juan Cruz
The Dissertation Institute is a one-week intervention for minority students in the final phases of the doctorate. During this intervention, students are given a series of talks and tools for succeeding in the doctoral pursuit as well as time to practice these skills, particularly those relevant to writing. This workshop is designed for all faculty who currently advise graduate students. Early career faculty are particularly encouraged to attend.

Appropriate Evaluations of Applicants’ Diversity Statements for Improved Inclusivity and Convergent Thinking
Speakers: Dr. P.K. Imbrie and Dr. Teri Reed
This workshop proposes to lead participants in understanding the relationship between diversity statements and convergent thinking; the general and unique characteristics of the organizational culture the applicant desires to enter; the expectations for different levels of leadership in the organizational culture; and finally, the development of rubrics for judging the strength of candidates’ diversity statements depending on the convergence culture and leadership position needed.

Peer Reviewing: Cultivating an Equitable and Inclusive Scholarly Community
Speakers: Dr. Lisa Benson, Dr. Rebecca Bates, Dr. Karin Jensen, Mia Ko, and Dr. Gary Lichtenstein
The workshop will lead participants through a discussion of the review process, how peer review can help build an equitable and inclusive scholarly community, and how they can contribute to the process. Through interactive discussions, small group activities, and individual reflection, participants will explore the role of peer review and how they fit into the process, quality criteria for scholarship in engineering education, equitable and inclusive practices when applying those criteria in the peer review process, and aspects of a high quality peer review.

For more information, visit Pre-Conference Workshops on our page!

The CoNECD (Collaborative Network for Engineering and Computing Diversity) Conference Planning Committee invites nominations for 2 awards that recognize individuals, groups and organizations for their commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion in engineering and computer science. These awards will be given out at the 2022 CoNECD conference in February.

Information about both awards is given below. To nominate a program or individual, please visit https://forms.gle/uQgveRcXBYd6jgt7A.  (self-nominations are permitted)

Program of the Year Award

This award honors the development and/or implementation of a service activity that has significantly enhanced the participation of students from diverse populations that are historically underserved in engineering and computing, while enriching the students’ learning experience in engineering and computer science.

The Program of the Year Award recipient will be chosen on the following criteria:

• Program impact
• Participant satisfaction
• Evidence of using evaluation data to improve the program

Rising Star in Diversity Award

The Rising Star in Diversity award recognizes an individual in their profession for less than 10 years who has actively worked to enhance diversity and inclusion by mentoring, supporting and/or advocating for the success of historically underserved individuals in engineering or computer science, or for climate and culture change that supports such success.

The Rising Star in Diversity Award recipient will be chosen on the following criteria:

• Fostering community to promote networks that provide professional support for students from  diverse populations that are historically underserved in engineering and computer science
• Mentoring or leadership development
• Recruiting, retaining, or advancing underserved individuals in engineering and/or computer science
• Engaging in professional development opportunities focused on diversity and inclusion
• Promoting awareness of issues affecting underserved individuals

Deadline: January 3, 2022

The Collaborative Network for Engineering and Computing Diversity
February 20-23, 2022
New Orleans, LA

The only conference dedicated to all the diverse groups that comprise our engineering and computing workforce.

We look forward to hosting you in New Orleans for the 2022 The Collaborative Network for Engineering and Computing Diversity (CoNECD) February 20-23, 2022. Please visit https://sites.google.com/vt.edu/conecd2022/home?authuser=0 for more information.

The vision of the CoNECD (pronounced, “connected”) Conference is to provide a forum for exploring current research and practices to enhance diversity and inclusion of all underrepresented populations in the engineering and computing professions including gender identity and expression, race and ethnicity, disability, veterans, LGBTQ+, 1st generation and socio-economic status.  Please visit: https://monolith.asee.org/public/conferences/267/registration/new to register.

The ASEE Housing Service is open and you may reserve your conference hotel room online for the 2022 The Collaborative Network for Engineering and Computing Diversity (CoNECD) conference at: https://book.passkey.com/event/50189680/owner/22799/home

We look forward to hosting you in New Orleans!

UPCOMING DEADLINES

All deadlines occur 23:59 EDT on the days listed.

December 1, 2021 (Wednesday) Acceptance/Rejection of Final Draft

January 10, 2022 (Monday) Author Registration Deadline