Research

Roneisha Worthy Research Summary (2018-2025)

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Overview:

My research interests have always centered on the evaluation of future climate impacts and how environmental engineers can prepare through adaptation or mitigation efforts for future challenges. The interest generated from Hedden, Worthy, Akins, Slinger-Friedman, and Paul (2017) provided a new opportunity for this focus: Mitigation through Environmental Engineering Education.

SEE NSF BioSketch

Year 2018: To approach this research focus, it was necessary to begin my discovery within my own environment. Understanding the perceptions of my current students, particularly as it relates to the environment, was important. Through this work, along with my colleagues, we discovered the importance of teacher influence and pedagogy. One of the most insightful findings from GuramatunhuCooper, Myers, Nguyen, Purcell, and Worthy (2018) was how influential millennial faculty will be on the perspectives of students (e.g., how they view future climate impacts).

Year 2019: With teacher influence identified as a key contributor in shaping young minds, it was important for me to put this type of strategy to the test. This year centered on testing the impact of teacher influence in environmental education mitigation strategies in K-12, focusing primarily on high school. Working with colleagues from the Bagwell College of Education, we provided professional development activities to a group of teachers over a one-year period. My activities centered on educating teachers about evaluating future climate impacts. Gardner, Glassmeyer, and Worthy (2019) summarize my work and findings, indicating that through the use of environmental education, teachers not only improved their efficacy in math but also created organic environmental challenges with their students in the community.

In addition to the above research activity, my work in high schools inspired me to partner with the Georgia Power Learning Power Educational Program to develop an Environmental Education Curriculum for high school students. This curriculum is currently being used by high school students across the state of Georgia.

Year 2020: With all of the discoveries surrounding the influence and impact of Environmental Engineering Education on not just K-12 but also higher education, I thought it appropriate to share more of my research discoveries in a book chapter. Gardner, Worthy, and Glassmeyer (2020) was released this month and it goes into more detail on how to integrate environmental engineering education into mathematics classrooms.

Year 2021: In 2021, I transitioned my research back towards the higher education sector to explore more strategic ways industry can mitigate climate impacts at the ideation phase. Collaborating with a former co-author in the Coles College of Business, I delved into innovative strategies that businesses can adopt to proactively address environmental challenges from the outset. This collaboration has provided valuable insights into how cross-disciplinary approaches can enhance sustainability efforts in industry.

Year 2022: In 2022, my research continued to expand with a focus on integrating the Engineering for One Planet (EOP) framework into core engineering courses. By collaborating with colleagues, we developed service-learning projects that not only teach technical skills but also emphasize sustainable practices. These projects allowed students to work on real-world problems in local communities, such as designing rain gardens and creating sustainable energy solutions. Additionally, with funding from the Lemelson Foundation, I began supporting my colleagues in revamping their curricula around sustainability, ensuring that our educational programs produce engineers who are both technically proficient and environmentally conscious.

Year 2023: Building on the momentum from previous years, 2023 saw the implementation of an integrated STEM professional development initiative. This initiative connected environmental education across middle and secondary mathematics, as detailed in my work with Gardner and Glassmeyer (2020). Furthermore, I published new findings on the impacts of differentiated instruction in engineering education at the ASEE Annual Conference. My efforts also included mentoring junior faculty in incorporating sustainability into their courses, supported by additional funding from the Lemelson Foundation.

Year 2024: In 2024, my focus shifted towards expanding hands-on experiences for undergraduate students both in and out of the classroom. This involved developing new laboratory exercises and fieldwork opportunities that align with sustainable engineering practices. Additionally, I began collaborating with ABET, ASEE, and the Lemelson Foundation to ensure the proper implementation of sustainability into engineering programs. This collaboration aims to standardize sustainability practices across engineering curricula, potentially leading to my role as an ABET program evaluator.

Year 2025: Looking ahead to 2025, my research and educational efforts will continue to prioritize hands-on, experiential learning for undergraduate students. This includes enhancing our lab facilities, increasing fieldwork opportunities, and integrating cutting-edge sustainability projects into the curriculum. Moreover, my ongoing work with ABET, ASEE, and the Lemelson Foundation will focus on refining and promoting best practices for sustainability in engineering education. My goal is to build a robust network of educators dedicated to fostering sustainable engineering practices, ensuring that our students are well-prepared to address the environmental challenges of the future.

Published Intellectual Contributions

Book, Chapter in Scholarly Book-New

Gardner, Kimberly, Worthy, Roneisha, \& Glassmeyer, David (2020). An Integrated STEM Professional Development Initiative for Connecting Environmental Education Across Middle and Secondary Mathematics. Building STEM Skills Through Environmental Education (pp. pp--137). IGI Global.

Book, Chapter in Scholarly Book-Revised (new edition)

Anderson, K. J., Donovan, R. A., Figueroa, N. O., Glover, E. M., Guillory, N. A., GuramatunhuCooper, N. M., Randolph, A., Farr Schiller, A. M., Thomas, G. D., Worthy, R. (2024). Finding wholeness and community in the academy: Tales from a sister circle. In Judy A. Alston and Cynthia A. Tyson (Ed.), The Undivided Life: Faculty of Color Bringing Our Whole Selves to the Academy. IAP Publishers.

Conference Proceeding

Worthy, R. W., Gruss, A. (2023). Engagement in Practice: Lessons Learned in Finding Synergy between Student Organizations and the Recruitment of Underserved Populations. No. 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition. https://peer.asee.org/43299.pdf

Chin, C., Worthy, R., Colebeck, D. (2019). Evaluation of the Differentiated Instruction Approach for an Electrical Engineering Circuit Analysis Module (pp. 9). 2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition.

Journal Article, Academic Journal

Worthy, R., Abkowitz, M., Clarke, J. H., Benson, C. H. (Published). Analysis of Modeling Capabilities to Predict Disposal Facility Cover Design and Performance at DOE sites--11057.

Gardner, K. D., Glassmeyer, D. M., Worthy, R. (2019). Impacts of stem professional development on teachers' knowledge, self-efficacy, and practice. Frontiers in Education, 4, 26, .

Slinger-Friedman, V. (2018). Using active and applied pedagogies to develop sustainably minded citizens in geography. Environment and pedagogy in higher education, 115--32, .

Worthy, R., Kalamas Hedden, M., Akins, E. E., Slinger-Friedman, V., Paul, R. C. (2017). Teaching sustainability using an active learning constructivist approach: Discipline-specific case studies in higher education. Sustainability, 9(8), 1320, ., http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/9/8/1320/pdf

Worthy, R., Abkowitz, M. D., Clarke, J. H. (2015). A Systematic Approach to the Evaluation of RCRA Disposal Facilities Under Future Climate-Induced Events. Remediation Journal, 25(2), 71–81,

GuramatunhuCooper, N. M., Nguyen, S., Purcell, J. W., Worthy, R. (2018). Student Perceptions of Millennial Faculty. Currents in Teaching & Learning.

Presentations Given

Worthy, R., Gruss, A., 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, "Engagement in Practice: Lessons learned in finding synergy between Student Organizations and the Recruitment of Underserved Populations," American Society of Engineering Education. (2022).

Worthy, R., CETL Workshops, "KSU Case Studies: Engaging Student with HIPs," CETL, Kennesaw State University, Virtual. (2022).

Worthy, R., "Computational Thinking," Bagwell College of Education, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw Campus. (2022).

Worthy, R. (Presenter & Author), Gruss, A. (Author Only), WE22 Annual Conference of the Society of Women Engineers, "Hands-On Impact: Student-driven Recruitment to attract Underrepresented Minorities in Engineering," SWE, Virtual. (October 21, 2022).

Worthy, R. (Presenter Only), American Society of Engineering Educators (ASEE), "Growing the Domestic Pool of Diverse Graduate Students in Engineering," ASEE, Virtual. (July 27, 2021).

Worthy, R. (Presenter & Author), NSBE Fall Regional Conference, "Lost in Space: Navigating Engineering as a Black Woman without Losing Your Identity," National Society of Black Engineers, Tampa Florida. (November 2019).

Worthy, R., STEMapalooza, "STEM Pipeline: What local resources are available to teachers," Cobb County Schools District, Kennesaw, GA. (June 2018).

Gruss, A., Worthy, R., ACE18 Annual Conference & Exposition, "Forming Competent Engineers: Using the Engineering Competency Model to Develop Environmental Engineering Courses," American Water Works Association, Las Vegas, NV. (October 2017).

Kelly-Jackson, C. P., Worthy, R., Georgia STEM Forum, "Share-a-thon: Having Fun the SySTEMic Way," Georgia Department of Education, Athens, Georgia. (October 24, 2017).

Donovan, R. A. (Presenter & Author), Farr Schiller, A. (Presenter Only), Glover, E. (Presenter Only), GuramatunhuCooper, N. M. (Presenter Only), Worthy, R. (Presenter Only), Southeastern Women's Studies Association Conference, "Creating sista circles: Chronicles from a women faculty of color pre-tenure support group," Atlanta. (March 2017).

Worthy, R. (Author Only), Rodgers, C. L. (Author Only), Williams, B. L. (Author Only), Futrell, J. (Presenter & Author), 11th International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic and Social Sustainability and the On Sustainability knowledge community, "Successful Brownfield Redevelopments," Copenhagen, Denmark. (2015).

Contracts, Grants and Sponsored Research

Fellowship

Worthy, R. W. (Principal), Fellowship, "ODI Fellow", Sponsored by Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Kennesaw State University, $8,000.00, Funded. (August 2020 - May 2021).

Worthy, R. (Principal), Fellowship, "Sustainability", Sponsored by Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Kennesaw State University, $8,000.00. (August 15, 2016 - June 2017).

Grant

Edwards, O. V., Zheng, D. (Co-Principal), Chin, C. (Co-Principal), Worthy, R. (Co-Principal), Grant, "Enhancing Engineering Students’ Motivation, Academic Success, and Career Development: The Role of a Long-Term Multi-Construct Task Value Intervention (MTVI)", Sponsored by NSF, $1,498,348.00, Currently Under Review. (March 2023 - Present).

Yee, T. M., Dissanayake, S., Worthy, R., Hu, D., Grant, "Workforce Advancement in the Water and Environmental Resources (WATeR) Network", Sponsored by EPA, Federal, $705,989.00, Currently Under Review. (2023 - Present).

Bhavsar, P. (Principal), Worthy, R. (Co-Principal), Grant, ""National Center for Equitable, Transformative, Safe, and Zeroemissive Transportation System through Education and Research Opportunities" (NETZERO)", Sponsored by US Department of Transportation (Lead Rowan University), Federal, $1,600,000.00, Not Funded. (January 1, 2023 - December 31, 2027).

Amirgholy, M. (Principal), Worthy, R. (Co-Principal), Yang, J. (Co-Principal), Grant, "National electric vehicle infrastructure formula program: optimizing the location and capacity of charging stations in Georgia", Sponsored by Georgia Department of Transportation, Planning Division, $379,000.00, Currently Under Review. (2023 - 2026).

Lawler, B. (Principal), Shaw, A. (Co-Principal), Worthy, R. (Co-Principal), Grant, "The Accessible Calculus Project", Sponsored by NSF, Federal, $806,477.00, Funded. (October 1, 2023 - September 30, 2026).

Titu, P. (Co-Principal), Callahan, K. (Principal), Worthy, R. (Co-Principal), Head, M. (Co-Principal), Gardner, K. (Co-Principal), Grant, "Promoting Equity in Undergraduate STEM Using a Convergence Approach to Address Sustainable Development Goals", Sponsored by NSF, Federal, $299,904.00, Not Funded. (December 1, 2022 - July 31, 2026).

Titu, P. (Co-Principal), Worthy, R. (Principal), Callahan, K. M. (Co-Principal), Grant, "Institutionalization of the EOP Framework at Kennesaw State University", Sponsored by Lemelson Foundation, Private, $160,129.00, Funded. (January 2024 - October 2025).

Worthy, R. (Principal), Reaves, J. (Co-Principal), Amirgholy, M. (Co-Principal), Bhavsar, P. (Co-Principal), Grant, "RET: Engineering Solutions to Socioscientific Issues", Sponsored by NSF, Federal, $591,939.00, Not Funded. (December 31, 2021 - May 31, 2025).

Bozeman, J. F. (Principal), Hashas-Degertekin, M. H. (Co-Principal), Worthy, R. (Co-Principal), Zamani, P. (Co-Principal), Roberts, A. D. (Co-Principal), Grant, "SCC-IRG Track 2: Community Storytelling for Environmental Justice: A Cross-Disciplinary Approach to Forecast Modeling", Sponsored by NSF, Federal, $452,955.00, Currently Under Review. (February 2023 - August 2023).

Worthy, R., Grant, "Engineering One Planet Mini Grant Program", Sponsored by ASEE and Lemelson Foundation, Private, $8,000.00, Funded. (May 2022 - January 2023).

Worthy, R. W. (Principal), Grant, "Hydro-Soc (Hydrological and Socioeconomic) Evaluation of Climate-Induced Flood Risks on Rural Farming Communities", Sponsored by Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw State University, $4,000.00, Funded. (November 2021 - June 2022).

Roberts, A. D., Worthy, R., Chakravarty, S., Bretfeld, M., Grant, "Impacts Of Surrounding Urban Land Use On Non-Urban Land Use Surface Temperature In A Suburban Setting With Potential Implications To Current Temperature Response And Future Climate Change", Sponsored by Office of Research, Kennesaw State University, $15,000.00, Not Funded. (2021).

Scherrer, C. R. (Principal), Lowder, M. L. (Co-Principal), Khalid, A. S. (Co-Principal), Worthy, R. (Co-Principal), Kaplan, A. (Co-Principal), Grant, "STEM Service-Learning Faculty Learning Community", Sponsored by Center for Teaching and Learning (CETL), Kennesaw State University, $1,500.00, Funded. (August 8, 2019 - December 1, 2020).

Worthy, R., Colebeck, D., Callahan, K. M., Grant, "Creating Campus Culture One 'Pi'ece at a Time", Sponsored by Division of Global Affairs, Kennesaw State University, $1,641.51, Funded. (July 2019 - June 2020).

Malewski, E. L., Ganser, L. R., He, S., Worthy, R., Grant, "Adapting Lessons in Transformation for Enduring Results (ALTER)", Sponsored by NSF, Federal, $999,904.00, Not Funded. (August 1, 2019 - July 31, 2019).

Kelly-Jackson, C. P. (Principal), Worthy, R. (Co-Principal), Callahan, B. (Co-Principal), Grant, "SysTEMIC", Sponsored by Improving Teacher Quality, Federal, $48,815.00, Funded. (2017 - 2018).

McFall, K. S. (Co-Principal), Ham, C. H. (Principal), Glassmeyer, D. M. (Co-Principal), Worthy, R. (Co-Principal), Utschig, T. (Co-Principal), Grant, "The Mechatronics Innovative Pathway to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics", Sponsored by NSF, Federal, $1,189,123.00, Not Funded. (December 5, 2018).

Worthy, R. W. (Principal), Donovan, R. A. (Co-Principal), Kaplan, A. (Co-Principal), Grant, "Research Initiation: Women of Color in Engineering: Our Reflections and Perceptions of the Industry", Sponsored by National Science Foundation, Federal, $234,722.00, Not Funded. (August 2017 - August 2018).

Chin, C., Worthy, R. (Co-Principal), Colebeck, D. (Co-Principal), Grant, "CETL FY17 Faculty Learning Community (FLC) Grant", Sponsored by Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL), Kennesaw State University, $750.00, Funded. (August 2017 - May 2018).

Das, S. (Principal), Gurupatham, S. K. (Co-Principal), Farfan, E. B. (Co-Principal), Worthy, R. (Co-Principal), Keyser, R. S. (Co-Principal), Grant, "Improving Student Engagement and Learning in Engineering Disciplines by Employing Classroom Response Systems", Sponsored by Center for Teaching and Learning (CETL), Kennesaw State University, $1,500.00, Not Funded. (September 8, 2016 - November 1, 2016).

Gurupatham, S. K. (Co-Principal), Farfan, E. (Co-Principal), Sandip, D. (Principal), Robert, K. (Co-Principal), Roneisha, W. (Co-Principal), Grant, "Improving Student Engagement and Learning in Engineering Disciplines by Employing Classroom Response Systems", Sponsored by kennesaw state university(formerly southern polytechnic state univ, Kennesaw State University, $1,000.00, Not Funded. (October 1, 2015 - December 8, 2015).

Roberts, A. (Co-Principal), Worthy, R. (Principal), Hung, C.-C. (Co-Principal), Sooklal, V. (Co-Principal), Yee, T., Grant, "HYPERSPECTRAL WATER QUALITY MONITORING FOR FECAL CONTAMINATION IN WATER", Sponsored by United States Department Of Agriculture (USDA), Federal, $324,489.00, Not Funded. (June 1, 2015 - July 10, 2015).

 

Media

Cook, A. and Hartwell, T. (2024, Jan 2). Kennesaw State receives $2.5 million grant to foster student success in calculus. Kennesaw State University News. https://www.kennesaw.edu/news/stories/2023/kennesaw-state-receives-grant-to-foster-success-in-calculus.php 

FSE Learning and teaching Hub. [Engineering Insights]. (2024, March 3). Innovative Engineering Solutions for 2025. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alsdOp0Dn_k 

Louie, S. (2024, January 18). $25M initiative to improve diversity in STEM. Atlanta News First. https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2024/01/18/25m-initiative-improve-diversity-stem/ 

Highfield, T.. (2021, February 1). Champion for Future Engineers. Kennesaw State University News. https://www.kennesaw.edu/news/stories/2021/ksu-faculty-focus-engineering.php 

KSU Writing Center. (2018, October 23). Professors Talk Writing: Dr. Roneisha Worthy. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dm3YZlGLCU 

Kennesaw State University. (2018, April 20). Roneisha Worthy - Diversity Awards. Vimeo. https://vimeo.com/266555343