Fulton Schools of Engineering Education Seminars (SEEdS) – Impact of Mindfulness Interventions on Undergraduate Engineering Students
Guest Speaker: Tomás Estrada (Elizabethtown College)
Date: Friday, April 19, 2024 | 12:00pm – 1:00pm MST
Location: Zoom
Seminar Description: In this presentation, Dr. Estrada presents an overview of his work on the impact of mindfulness practice on engineering students. The talk begins with an overview of mindfulness concepts, basic definitions, exercises, and practices. Afterward, we will dive deeper into the research by Dr. Estrada and his colleague Dr. Elizabeth Dalton, specifically on the feasibility and implementation of mindfulness-based interventions. Dr. Estrada will detail the format of these interventions and discuss the benefits observed, as well as the limitations of these studies. Finally, he will present a variety of recommendations for faculty seeking to learn more about mindfulness or infuse their teaching practice with mindfulness-based principles.
Tomás Estrada is an Associate Professor in the Department of Engineering and Physics at Elizabethtown College. He received a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Universidad de Costa Rica in 2002, a M.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Notre Dame in 2005, and a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, also from the University of Notre Dame, in 2009. Dr. Estrada also serves as the Ambassador for Diversity, Equity, and Belonging for the School of Engineering and Computer Science at Elizabethtown College. Dr. Estrada is deeply committed to fostering multi-disciplinary and holistic thinking in his students. He teaches a variety of courses in the electrical concentration, such as Circuit Analysis Laboratory, Signals and Systems, Control Systems, and Telecommunication Systems, as well as in the capstone sequence (Engineering Design and Junior Project, Senior Project I and II). Dr. Estrada’s research interests center primarily around engineering education and control systems. In recent years, he has engaged in collaborative interdisciplinary work exploring the potential impact of mindfulness practice on engineering students. An avid mindfulness practitioner himself, Dr Estrada designs mindfulness-infused activities, which are featured in many of his courses. Additionally, Dr Estrada’s current work involves the incorporation of equity and design justice concepts throughout the entire engineering design process.
More about Fulton Schools of Engineering Education Seminars (SEEdS)
LTH will continue to host monthly guest speaker seminars for the community to regularly learn about and discuss topics related to Engineering Education. The seminars, formerly known as the Teaching Community of Practice (TCP), are open to anyone interested in the FSE community.
Third* Fridays | 12pm-1pm* MST | via Zoom
- Friday, February 16, 2024: Micro-Messaging with guest speaker Angela Trego
- Friday, March 22, 2024 @ 11am: Innovating Undergraduate Programs: A Vision for Student Success, with guest speaker Michael Goryll (ASU)
- Friday, April 19, 2024: Mindfulness Interventions for Engineering Students, with guest speaker Tomás Estrada (Elizabethtown College)
*Note: The March meeting will fall on the fourth Friday of the month at 11am-12pm.