Research Assistant Professor and Lecturer in the Cook Grand Challenge Engineering Honors Program
Office: 319A Perkins Hall
Phone: 865-974-8392
Email: cfaber2@utk.edu
Click here to schedule a meeting with me
Biography
Courtney Faber is currently a Research Assistant Professor and is a lecturer for the Cook Grand Challenge Engineering Honors Program here at the University of Tennessee. Graduating in 2010 from Clemson University with a BS in Bioengineering and in 2012 earning a MS in Biomedical Engineering from Cornell University, Faber found her passion for engineering education, and in 2015 she graduated with a PhD in Engineering & Science Education from Clemson University. Additionally, she has been involved with teaching engineering practices to K-12 through her work as Assistant Professor in the Technological Studies Department at The College of New Jersey and is now currently working with Knox County’s Inskip Elementary School through her interactive service learning course.
Through her research, Faber aims to improve undergraduate engineering education through implementing varied methods to accommodate epistemic cognition and the identity development of rising engineers. She is working on continuing her research through her program Enlite (Exploring Knowledge Learning and Identity to Transform Engineering Education) as well as teaching a varied course load.
Hometown
Columbia, SC
Education
PhD, Engineering & Science Education at Clemson University (2015)
MS, Biomedical Engineering from Cornell University (2012)
BS, Bioengineering from Clemson University (2010)
Courses
EF 157 and 158- Honors Physics for Engineers I & II
A four credit lower division honors which include the Calculus-based study of basic physics concepts and an introduction to teamwork through hands-on projects that iterate the engineering design process.
EF 327 – Engineering Design in K-12 Education
A two credit hour honors service learning course which applies the engineering design process within the context of K-12 education through engagement with local schools.
EF 503 – Engineering Instruction and Practice
A three credit graduate course which teaches how to apply research- and theory-based educational methods to develop course materials and assess learning consistent with engineering accreditation standards.
EF 504 – Engineering Education Research Methods
A three credit hour graduate course which introduces a variety of methods and tools available for conducting strong engineering education research studies.
Fun Fact
I love outdoor activities and tackling challenges. I started running because I signed up for the 2018 Pennsylvania Ragnar Relay (12 person 200 mile relay), then trained for a half marathon in January 2019, and now I am training for a sprint triathlon. I also enjoy reading, listening to podcasts, and Strategy board games (Dominion is one of my favorites).
- Faber, C., & Benson, L. C. (2017). Engineering Students’ Epistemic Cognition in the Context of Problem Solving. Journal of Engineering Education, 106(4), 677-709.
- Faber, C., Vargas, P., and Benson, L. (2016) “Engineering Students’ Epistemic Cognition in a Research Environment” International Journal of Engineering Education, 32(6), 2487-2500.
- Faber, C., Hardin, E., Klein-Gardner, S., and Benson, L. (2014) “Development of Teachers as Scientists in Research Experiences for Teachers Programs.” Journal of Science Teacher Education, 25(7), 785-806. doi: 10.1007/s10972-014-9400-5
- Faber, C. J., Benson, L. C., Kajfez, R. L., Kennedy, M. S., Lee, D. M., McAlister, A. M., Sobieraj, K. S., Porter, T., St. Germain, A., & Wu, G. (2019). Dynamics of Researcher Identity and Epistemology: The Development of a Grounded-theory Model. Paper with poster presented at 126th American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition, Tampa, FL
- Smith-Orr, C., Bodnar, C., Strong, A., Lee, W., Faber, C., and McCave, E. (2019) Collaborative Research: Supporting Agency among Early Career Engineering Education Faculty in Diverse Institutional Contexts: Developing a Framework for Faculty Agency. Paper presented at 126th American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition, Tampa, FL.
- Walsh, A., Diehl, E., and Faber, C.* (2019) WIP: Studying the Resource Networks of First-Year Engineering Students: Establishing a Data Collection Method. Paper presented at 126th American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition, Tampa, FL.
- Faber, C., Smith-Orr, C.*, Lee, W., Bodnar, C., Coso Strong, A., McCave, E. (2017) “Best Practices for Developing a Virtual Peer Mentoring Community” Proceedings of the American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference.
- Faber, C. (2018) “Documenting the Redesign and Scaling-up of an Ill-Structured Problem” First-Year Engineering Experience (FYEE) Conference, Glassboro, NJ.
- Thomas C. Evans Instructional Paper Award (2018)
Southeastern Section of the American Society for Engineering Education - Experience Learning Faculty Development Grant (2017)
Receive support through the 2017 Experience Learning Summer Institute and $3,500 to integrate experience learning into a course. - Education Research and Methods Apprentice Faculty Grant (2012)
Awarded to rising engineering education researchers. Provides support ($2,000) to attend the American Society for Engineering Education Conference and a research mentor for a year. - NSF GK-12 Fellowship Program (2012)
Provided tuition and stipend for 1 year. - NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (2011)
Provided tuition and stipend for three years of graduate study.
- American Society for Engineering Education
- Tau Beta Pi
