Dr. Samantha Brunhaver

How did you develop your approach to teaching? How does entrepreneurial mindset (EM) align with it?

My teaching approach is really shaped by the belief that all great ideas come from somewhere. With this mindset, I’m always on the lookout for fresh content and teaching methods and, over the years, I’ve gotten more comfortable experimenting with different approaches in the classroom. Sometimes those experiences work out well, and other times, they don’t go as planned.

Either way, I think it’s important to share these experiences with others. Whether it’s a success or a lesson learned, I believe in giving back to the community that inspired me or paying it forward. It’s all about taking inspiration, modifying it, and helping others learn and grow from it.

This approach ties into the entrepreneurial mindset and the 3C’s in a lot of ways. Inspiration for teaching and research can come from anywhere, but it’s most powerful when you’re always scanning your environment for opportunities and looking for better ways to do things. That curiosity is key.

"It’s not enough just to be inspired—you need to connect what you’ve learned with what you’re already doing or want to do in the future if you want to design something that creates value and has impact."

Creating value also means learning from your successes and failures, which I’ve had plenty of experience doing in the classroom. When I try something new, whether it’s successful or not, I like to let my students in on the process. In doing so, I hope I’m modeling entrepreneurial mindset for them and showing them how the 3C’s can be applied in different contexts, including my teaching.

Talk about your teaching methods. What works? How have your methods changed over time? What have you discovered?

I teach both undergraduate engineering students and engineering education doctoral students, and while these groups are at different levels and in different disciplines, there’s a common thread in how I approach teaching them, which is scenario-based learning. Even if they’re just starting out in the first or second year of their respective programs, I have them take on the role of practitioner and tackle real-world problems. I present them with a situation, and they work individually or in teams to analyze it and come up with a recommendation. By working with real cases, real tools, and real data, they start to see how the knowledge and skills they’re learning in class can be applied to real decisions. 

This approach also helps them develop other critical skills, like modeling, analysis, systems thinking, and communication. Some students find this approach a bit intimidating at first—they think they need a lot of theoretical knowledge before they can start applying it. I make sure to reassure them that they’re more capable than they realize, and by the end of class, most of them come to appreciate the opportunity to gain real hands-on experience early in their education.

Even though scenario-based learning has always been a core part of my teaching, I’ve adapted my methods over time in ways that I think increasingly align better with an entrepreneurial mindset. For instance, I’ve started incorporating peer-led instruction into almost all my classes, which I think has been helpful for both building connections and fostering curiosity. It’s always amazing to see what happens when students take ownership of the learning process—whether it’s a group working together to present a new topic or students giving each other substantive feedback. They really dive into connecting their assigned topics with what they already know and have learned in class. It’s especially rewarding to watch where their curiosity takes them when they have the freedom to choose what’s taught or how it’s taught.

What’s one of your favorite projects you’ve had students do?

My favorite project comes from our second-year use-inspired design project course. In this class, students work in teams to identify a need, define a problem, design a solution, and build a prototype. They usually partner with a community organization, like a museum or a K-12 school, to tackle a real-world issue. I love this project because it gives students early experience working with a client. Even though they’re not yet fully equipped for an industry-sponsored senior capstone project, they’ve managed to create prototypes that genuinely connect their stakeholders’ needs with tangible products. It’s so rewarding to see that some of these projects have become permanent exhibits or tools that teachers are still using years later. Watching our students provide real value to the community has been incredible.

Another reason I enjoy this project is because it challenges students to design with constraints. While constraints might seem limiting at first, this project has shown that they can open up the solution space. We typically give teams a budget of about $50 per student and require them to incorporate both fabrication and microcontroller design. Initially, some teams might say, “A microcontroller doesn’t fit our project,” or “We can’t do much with this budget.” But once they accept the constraints, they come up with really creative solutions that often surprise us.

As an aside, during the COVID-19 pandemic, maintaining those community partnerships became a challenge, so we shifted to having student teams propose their own topics using the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as a framework. We grouped students by their interest in a specific goal, and they worked together to identify a problem related to it. We documented a version of this approach in Card 2265.

What brings you joy in your work - or what are you most passionate about?

I really enjoy helping my students learn how to learn and make meaningful connections. When a student comes to me because they’re stuck, I’m always happy to help, but I try to do it in a way that builds their problem-solving skills rather than just giving them the answer. I’ll walk them through my thought process, point them to relevant references, or search for the answer with them, explaining my approach as we go. I know some students think faculty have all the answers, so I find a bit of joy in showing them, “I don’t know the answer either, but we have tools to figure this out together.”

I also love encouraging my students to take risks. When a student or team has an idea but doubts whether it’s feasible, I like to ask, “Why not?” or “What if?” and then watch them gain more confidence. I’m a big fan of positive reframing. Sometimes, students worry that accepting my guidance means their idea isn’t truly their own anymore. In those cases, I remind them that all design is essentially redesign and everything is influenced by what’s come before. I try to show them that it’s through this cycle of building on existing ideas that we can continue to create value. 

In terms of what I’m passionate about, it's putting policies and procedures in place that genuinely support people, especially during the tough transitions. This passion drives my research—I’ve focused on understanding and making recommendations about how to support online undergraduate students in persisting through their engineering degrees, how to effectively on-board early-career engineers, and how to mentor new engineering faculty. 

This passion also shapes my teaching and service. In my courses, I prioritize student-centered practices to ensure they’re as inclusive and accessible as possible, and as a program chair, I’m always brainstorming new initiatives that can enrich students’ learning experiences.

Why do you think entrepreneurial mindset is important for engineers to have?

We all know that the world isn’t slowing down—it’s going to keep on changing and requiring new solutions to emerging problems. For engineers, being just technically proficient won’t be enough anymore. To really meet these needs, they’ll need to anticipate future needs, recognize opportunities where others might not, and think creatively about how to tackle those challenges. They’ll need to ensure their solutions work technically but also consider the broader impacts of their work and clearly communicate the value of their solutions to secure buy-in. They’ll also need to adapt quickly, learn from past experiences, and pivot when necessary. 

"Entrepreneurial mindset provides a framework that prepares engineers to meet the demands of the world."

Fostering curiosity in students helps them learn how to identify new problems. Teaching them how to connect different areas of knowledge allows them to see solutions that others might miss, leading to innovative approaches.

Engineers with an entrepreneurial mindset are going to be resourceful and forward thinking, capable of navigating changes in technology and market demands. They’ll be able to recognize when a strategy isn’t working and have the resilience to persist through setbacks. 

To summarize, developing an entrepreneurial mindset is important because it equips engineers to stay ahead of change and to make meaningful contributions that have real societal value.

How have you benefited from being part of a larger community focused on EM?

Being part of the KEEN community has been fantastic for both my teaching and professional growth. What I’ve enjoyed the most is working with fellow educators who are just as passionate about preparing future engineers as I am. This community has been an incredible source of learning and inspiration. It’s opened my eyes to new resources and fresh perspectives that have really broadened my approach to education. 

There’s also something powerful about collaborating with others and building on each other’s ideas to make a bigger impact. It’s so much easier to learn, adapt, and experiment with new methods when you’re surrounded by a group of people on the same journey. I’m especially grateful for how welcoming everyone is. I’m someone who learns best through asking questions and seeing real-world examples, and the KEEN community is full of people eager to share their knowledge and engage in conversations.

Since joining, my understanding of entrepreneurial mindset and how it can be applied to teaching, mentoring, and research has grown considerably—and it’s still growing. This is truly one of the most supportive and dynamic communities I’ve ever been a part of.

How have you worked with colleagues on your campus to impact students?

I’ve been involved in three different EM-related initiatives at ASU.

The first initiative was implementing the second-year use-inspired design project I mentioned earlier with my colleague Dr. Adam Carberry. We received an internal mini grant through the EM@ASU initiative to support this work.

The second initiative was leading a team of engineering education faculty, including Drs. Jennifer Bekki, Adam Carberry, Jeremi London, and Ann McKenna, to develop the Engineering Student Entrepreneurial Mindset Assessment (ESEMA). This survey was designed for undergraduate engineering students and published in a 2018 special issue of Advances in Engineering Education focused on entrepreneurial mindset. It continues to be used to evaluate the impact of EML initiatives on students, both at ASU and beyond, which has been exciting.

The third initiative has been advancing EM-based faculty mentorship through a KEEN-funded project. Started by Dr. Ann McKenna, this project awarded subgrants to more than a dozen universities nationwide to help them establish EM-based faculty mentorship programs. Although the focus wasn’t directly on students, this impact has been significant, as it supports the faculty who teach, mentor, and advise them. We’re now in the final of the project, where we’re synthesizing the tools and findings from these subawards into papers, workbooks, and Engineering Unleashed cards. Our hope is these resources will help other KEEN schools implement the EM-based faculty mentorship model that best suits their campus.

What would you tell a faculty member who is getting started implementing EM?

Embrace it, because the gap between entrepreneurial mindset and what they’re already teaching is probably smaller than they think.

Many engineering faculty feel overwhelmed at the idea of adding yet another concept to their courses, but instead of seeing EM as extra content, it might be easier to view them as enhancements to what they’re already doing in the classroom. The KEEN framework encompasses a variety of mindsets and skills—they don’t have to cover all of them, but they’ll likely touch on many.

Also, make their coverage of entrepreneurial mindset explicit. Students best learn mindsets and skills when they understand what they are, why they’re important, and what they look like in practice. Faculty should talk about entrepreneurial mindset in their classrooms and encourage their colleagues to do the same. If only one or two faculty members mention it, students might not pay much attention—I’ve seen this firsthand. But if multiple faculty members, or even the entire faculty, start to emphasize it, they might be more likely to take notice.

What advice would you give students about EM and their careers?

I’ve found that students often face similar resistance to EM as faculty do. When they hear “entrepreneurial mindset,” many immediately think, “I’m not planning on starting a company,” and as a result, they don’t see how EM applies to their own careers. But anyone can benefit from EM and the 3C’s. 

So, to those students, my advice would be the same as it would be for faculty: Embrace EM, because it’s about so much more than just entrepreneurship. EM is about being curious and constantly asking questions to uncover opportunities for improvement and growth. It’s about creating original solutions by blending ideas from different areas. It’s about considering the broader impact of your work and how it can create value not just for yourself, but for others. And it’s about being willing to take risks, not being afraid to fail, and viewing those failures to learn.

I’d tell students that by adopting these principles, they can set themselves apart, make meaningful contributions, and find purpose in their work and that this will be true no matter what career path they choose.

What are you hoping to do with your Rising Star funding?

Since finding out about this award, I’ve been thinking about how to take the work we’ve been doing with EM-based faculty mentorship and bring it to graduate students. I’m still figuring out exactly how it will look, but I have a few ideas. 

One possibility is a virtual workshop series that would bring engineering graduate students from all over together for future faculty development from an EM perspective. Another option I’m considering is a fellowship program that connects ASU graduate students with EM mentors from KEEN who would guide them as they work on implementing an EM-related project.

I’m still working through the details, but I really believe in KEEN’s new focus on reaching graduate students. Today’s students are tomorrow’s faculty, and if we can equip them with an entrepreneurial mindset early on, they’ll be ready to integrate it into their teaching, research, and service right from the start. When you consider how many students they’ll go on to influence, the potential impact is enormous. It’s exciting to imagine the long-term ripple effect this could have, and I’m looking forward to figuring out the best way to make it happen.