The Office of ExEd is excited to announce the results of the ExEd Program Development Grant call for proposals! Faculty and staff were invited to submit a proposal for an award of up to $5000. Many high-quality applications were submitted and the following 6 proposals have been awarded.
The first mini grant awarded is Pinball Machine Capstone Design Project and is coordinated by Robert Weissbach, Professor in the School of Engineering Technology. As part of this project, Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology (ECET) students will work on a capstone design project jointly with Mechanical Engineering (ME) students at Westphalian University of Applied Sciences in Bocholt, Germany to design and build a complex electromechanical system, specifically a pinball machine. This represents a unique opportunity for the ECET students to work on an interdisciplinary and intercultural design project.
The second mini grant awarded is The (IN)SCRIBE Clinical Immersion and Design Program: Growing Partnerships and Participation and is coordinated by Steve Higbee, Director of BME Programs in Indianapolis and Associate Professor of Engineering Practice in the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering. The (IN)SCRIBE Program, a summer clinical immersion and design experience for Purdue undergraduates, trains participants in biomedical design, technology commercialization, and health sociology before engaging them in 4-5 weeks of observation across varied clinical environments. Student teams identify unmet clinical needs and then complete design sprints that address health disparities in Indiana. This project aims to establish new partnerships with Purdue experts and Indianapolis area clinicians to grow experiential learning opportunities for Purdue students.
The third mini grant awarded is Micro-Modules for Digital & Precision Agriculture: A Dual-Track ExEd Program for Preservice and In-Service Ag Teachers and is coordinated by Yaguang Zhang, Clinical Assistant Professor in Agricultural & Biomedical Engineering (ABE) and Agricultural Sciences Education & Communication (ASEC). This project equips Purdue preservice teachers and Indiana in-service agricultural educators with five micro-modules in digital/precision agriculture (GIS, machine controllers, robotics, sensors & data, and classroom AI). Through two 1-day hands-on workshops (WL & Indy), three virtual labs, and ready-to-teach lesson packages, educators will gain practical skills and classroom-ready materials to implement immediately. The program features measurable outcomes, travel-supported statewide access, and partner-supported dissemination for sustainability post-grant.
The fourth mini grant awarded is Indy-FTR: Providing First-Time Research Opportunities for Purdue Indy Undergraduate Students coordinated by John Howarter, Director of EURO and an Associate Professor of Materials Engineering and Environmental & Ecological Engineering. Indy-FTR proposal expands the Engineering Undergraduate Research Office’s (EURO) First-Time Researcher (FTR) Fellowship to Purdue Indianapolis. FTR is a proven ExEd program providing mentored, hands-on research and preparation for sustained academic growth. In 2025, five Purdue Indianapolis faculty participated, with program cost-sharing as the main barrier to broader student engagement. This funding will remove this barrier, enabling 4× faculty engagement and making research accessible to 2.5× more Indianapolis students, thus increasing ExEd opportunities.
The fifth mini grant awarded is Asphalt Without Borders: Virtual ExEd for U.S. and Chilean Students coordinated by Rustin Webster, an Associate Professor in the School of Engineering Technology. This ExEd program, Asphalt Without Borders, connects Purdue University (PU) and Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez (UAI) students and faculty through a virtual mini project investigating asphalt’s use, misuse, and failure across U.S. and Chilean communities. Mixed U.S.–Chile student teams conduct local fieldwork, exchange observations across borders and present jointly in a final in-person/virtual assembly. The program builds materials literacy, intercultural collaboration, and professional communication, and includes a reciprocal lecture exchange, structured reflection, and a baseline Intercultural Development Inventory® (IDI) assessment to inform student learning and future iterations.
The final mini grant awarded is Advancing Experiential Education in Health and Wellness Coaching and is coordinated by Cassandra Ledman, Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Health and Kinesiology. This project advances experiential education in Purdue’s newly accredited Health and Wellness Coaching program by connecting student coaches with community members through the A.H. Ismail Center. Students will conduct health assessments and deliver 4 to 6 weeks of coaching focused on exercise and lifestyle medicine. Faculty certification supported by this grant ensures sustainability, quality mentorship, and continued growth of this community-engaged model that benefits both student learning and community wellbeing.