research overview
- Dr. Zarske's primary research covers the impacts of engineering design and coursework on student identity - especially women and nontraditional demographic groups - as well as pathways and retention to and through K-12 and undergraduate engineering, teacher education, and curriculum development. Specifically, she is interested in the impacts of project-based service-learning and client-based engineering design on student learning, intrateam dynamics, and perseverance in P-12 through undergraduate engineering education. She is a collaborator with the CU Teach STEM teacher preparation program and CU Teach Engineering program to develop pathways for students to attain a secondary school STEM teacher license concurrently with a BS degree in engineering, math or science, as well as the nationally-recognized TeachEngineering Digital Library repository of vetted K-12 engineering curricula. She has extensive experience in developing pedagogy to facilitate equitable STEM learning in K-16 students, pre-service and in-service K-12 teachers. She is passionate about the value of hands-on engineering design for every student, at every stage of education.
