Jon A. Leydens

Dr. Jon A. Leydens is a Professor of Engineering Education Research in the Department of Humanities, Arts, & Social Sciences at the Colorado School of Mines (CSM). Dr. Leydens’ research interests are in three areas of engineering education: problem contextualization, sociotechnical thinking, and social justice.

Curriculum Vitae

Scholarship

During the past two decades, Dr. Leydens has

• Co-authored three books.
• Served as sole editor of one edited collection
• Authored or co-authored over 20 peer-reviewed journal articles, and over 30 peer-reviewed conference proceedings papers.
• Delivered 24 invited presentations and/or keynote addresses.
• Helped secure over $1.8 million in extramural research funding.
• At the 2024 American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference, he was inducted into the ASEE Hall of Fame.

He is co-author of Engineering and Sustainable Community Development (1st ed. 2010, 2nd ed. 2024), which among other foci accentuated the need for engineers working in community development projects to listen to local community members’ needs and perspectives. Engineering Justice: Transforming Engineering Education and Practice (2018, Wiley-IEEE Press, with co-author Juan Lucena), fills a gap in our understanding of how engineering and social justice can align in and outside the engineering curriculum. His edited collection, Sociotechnical Communication in Engineering (2014, Routledge), looks at how sociotechnical communication disrupts commonly held myths about engineering communication.

Dr. Leydens’ work has been published in journals such as Journal of Engineering Education, Engineering Studies, European Journal of Engineering Education, IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication, International Journal for Service Learning in Engineering, Journal of Geoscience Education, and Journal of Mechanical Design.

Teaching

• Intercultural Communication
• Risk Communication
• Mass Media Studies

Dr. Leydens has also taught a graduate course for engineers and scientists (Academic Publishing) as well as the undergraduate courses Writing Proposals, Nature and Human Values, and Design I (a first-year engineering design course that emphasizes communication and teamwork). Other past  classes included Rhetoric of Science/Scientific Controversies, Media and the Environment and Advanced Science Communication.

Honors and Awards

In 2023, along with Dr. Juan Lucena, was selected as one of the 2023 American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Hall of Fame Inductees. “This award recognizes engineering and engineering technology education standouts whose work has made a significant impact on engineering education.” The ceremony for 2023 inductees occurred at the ASEE Annual Conference and Expo in June 2024.

In 2023, along with lead author Dr. Katherine Robert, received the Best Paper Award from the Liberal Education/Engineering & Society Division (LEES) of the American Society for Engineering Education for their conference paper, “Dignity and well-being: Narratives of modifying the culture of engineering education to improve mental health among underrepresented STEM students.” Since this paper won Best Paper in the LEES Division, it was entered in the Professional Interest Council I—which consists of 10 Divisions—Award competition, where it also won Best Paper.

In 2022, Dr. Leydens received the Sterling Olmstead Award, which “honors those who have made distinguished contributions to the development and teaching of liberal arts in engineering education. It is the highest award given by the Liberal Education/Engineering & Society (LEES) Division of the ASEE [American Society for Engineering Education].”

Research Funding

To date, Dr. Leydens has been PI or Co-PI on intra- and extramural grants totaling nearly $1.8 million.