OHI/O Showcases Emerging Research on Entrepreneurial Mindset Learning at ASEE 2025
The OHI/O Program was proud to be featured at the 2025 American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference in Montréal, where our team presented Cultivating the Entrepreneurial Mindset in Hackathons, an emerging study on how OHI/O events foster curiosity, connection-making, and value creation among student participants.
As the premier gathering for engineering and engineering-technology educators, ASEE provides an unparalleled platform for sharing innovative educational practices. With thousands of faculty, administrators, researchers, and industry leaders in attendance, the conference offered the perfect venue to highlight how OHI/O’s student-led hackathons function as powerful informal learning environments.
Showcasing OHI/O’s Impact Through Research
The presentation, delivered by Dr. Bhavana Kotla (Department of Engineering Education), Cal King (OHI/O Program Director), and Professor Russell Marzette (Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering), introduced early findings from our multi-year effort to embed the KEEN Entrepreneurial Mindset (EM) framework into OHI/O’s flagship hackathons.
Their talk highlighted:
- Why hackathons matter as low-stakes, high-impact spaces for creativity, collaboration, and hands-on problem solving.
- New EM-aligned tools created for the events, including a revised judging rubric, judge training guide, participant guide, and a “student champions” leadership initiative.
- A mixed-methods research approach, combining rubric development, self-assessment measures, and a thematic analysis of student project presentations using NVivo.
- Preliminary findings show that participants consistently demonstrate EM behaviors such as identifying opportunities, navigating challenges, designing with purpose, and articulating the potential societal impact of their work.
Across both legacy (pre-intervention) and new (post-intervention) event data, thematic analysis signaled motivation, design thinking, and growth-oriented reflection. These are all indicators that EM integration is supporting learning outcomes at OHI/O events.
A Milestone for the OHI/O Program
Presenting at ASEE marks an important step forward for OHI/O as a nationally recognized model for tech-focused experiential learning. The program’s student-led structure, interdisciplinary reach, and industry partnerships make it a compelling example of how informal experiential learning can enhance traditional engineering education.
Showcasing our work at ASEE helps elevate the program’s visibility, supports stronger academic partnerships, and reinforces OHI/O’s commitment to research-aligned practice.
Continuing the Work Into 2026
This year’s presentation represents only the first phase of the research. OHI/O will continue data collection and analysis through 2026, with a second peer-reviewed paper and ASEE presentation scheduled for next year’s conference. This continued work will deepen our understanding of EM development, refine intervention strategies, and strengthen the theoretical grounding for hackathons as experiential learning spaces.
Gratitude for a Collaborative Effort
The OHI/O team extends sincere thanks to all contributors including faculty partners, student organizers, volunteer judges and mentors, and industry collaborators. This support makes both the events and the research possible; ensuring that OHI/O remains a vibrant, impactful platform for learning and innovation at The Ohio State University.
