Image

The University of Massachusetts has joined the Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network (KEEN)—a nationwide partnership of universities that have the shared mission to graduate engineers with an entrepreneurial mindset. This collaboration empowers educators to to effectively engage their students and cultivate what KEEN calls the 3Cs of the entrepreneurial mindset: curiosity, connections, and creating value.

“By partnering with KEEN, we are thinking beyond traditional classroom boundaries,” said Fouad Abd-El-Khalick, provost and senior vice chancellor for Academic Affairs. “Faculty are responsible for translating material learned in a classroom into insights relevant to students’ lives and futures. The framework KEEN uses to bolster curriculum supports this work, helping us develop and enact an entrepreneurial mindset to better prepare our students for the complexities of the modern workforce.”

Sanjay Raman, dean of the College of Engineering, echoed Dr. Abd-El-Khalick’s sentiments.

"Our engineering students are driven to build a better world with their skills and innovative ideas, and they seek creative programs that empower them as catalysts for change,” Raman said. “The community, educational resources, and innovative approaches accessible through KEEN will be invaluable as we continually evolve and enhance our academic engineering programs.”

As part of the network, UMass Amherst commits to instilling the 3C’s in 100% of undergraduate engineering students by further developing initiatives and curricula. It will also help advance the entrepreneurial mindset to the broader STEM education community. 

Chancellor Javier Reyes remarks, “Partnership with KEEN is more than just an alliance; it is a shared vision for a future where engineers are equipped, not only with technical expertise, but also with the mindset and spirit needed to innovate for the common good. We are excited by the opportunities afforded by this multi-institutional collaboration.” 

Joining KEEN enriches and accelerates the deployment of a dynamic array of educational and entrepreneurial resources at UMass Amherst. This includes project-based learning courses and design teams; community service-learning; the College of Engineering Entrepreneurs in Residence Program; and such pan-campus initiatives as the Public Interest Technology (PIT) program, the Integrated Concentration in STEM (iCons), I-Corps @ UMass Amherst, and the Tech Challenge and Innovation Challenge competitions. It also expands on faculty training and development programs, such as those offered through the Center for Teaching and Learning, the Instructional Design, Engagement, and Support (IDEAS) group, and the Office of Faculty Development (OFD).

The core leadership team for the UMass Amherst KEEN effort includes Dean Sanjay Raman; Caitlyn Butler, associate dean for research and graduate affairs; Scott Civjan, associate dean for undergraduate affairs; Paula Rees, associate dean for diversity, equity and inclusion; and Sundar Krishnamurty, department head of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering and the Ronnie and Eugene M. Isenberg Distinguished Professor in Engineering. 

Next steps involve actively engaging faculty with the array of KEEN resources, as well as continuing development of a campuswide innovation and entrepreneurship certificate program that connects theory to practice, questions the status quo, and encourages dialogue—empowering students with an unrelenting drive to think differently. 

Through its platform, Engineering Unleashed, the network allows members to share and access faculty development programs and curriculum resources, including lesson planning, course development and educational activities. 

“As our newest partner, we eagerly anticipate the fresh insights that UMass Amherst will bring to their campus, the KEEN network, and the broader undergraduate engineering community.” said A. L. Ranen McLanahan, program director of entrepreneurial engineering at the Kern Family Foundation. “One of the things UMass does best is to create the conditions to ensure student success.”

More information about UMass Amherst’s role with KEEN can be found on the Engineering Unleashed website.