Global Learning Initiatives for
​the Development of Engineers
Kirsten A. Davis, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator

GLIDE Research Group Mission
The GLIDE research group studies ways to prepare students for success in identifying and solving real engineering problems in real work environments. Our research explores the intentional design and assessment of global engineering programs, student development through experiential learning, and approaches for teaching and assessing systems thinking skills.
GLIDE Community
​Our research group meets regularly to discuss research topics and provide feedback to each other on ongoing work. We spend our time together setting goals, celebrating accomplishments, and learning about new topics based on each member’s interests. 

Recent Publications

Exploring how personal and program characteristics inform the experiences of engineering students abroad​
Davis, K. A., & Knight, D. B. (2025). Exploring how personal and program characteristics inform the experiences of engineering students abroad. Journal of Engineering Education, 114(1), Online.   https://doi.org/10.1002/jee.20625
Fostering systems thinking through engineering study abroad programs
Özkan, D. S., Davis, K. A., Davis, J. C., Deters, J., & Murzi, H. (2024). Fostering systems thinking through engineering study abroad programs. European Journal of Engineering Education, 1–26.   https://doi.org/10.1080/03043797.2024.2434168

Project Highlight: Global Career Impact Study

This three year, NSF-funded project will explore the impact of global experiences during and after the undergraduate years on global career outcomes, such as career choices, global engineering competency development, and global job responsibilities. We are conducting a multiple-case study of three long-running global engineering programs and have so far carried out our Phase 1 data collection surveying alumni of global programs and a comparison group of alumni who did not participate in global programs as undergraduates. Read more at the website linked below!