Eric Holloway

Professor of Engineering Practice, School of Mechanical Engineering; Courtesy Faculty of Engineering Education
Mailing Addresses
PURDUE UNIVERSITY
ARMSTRONG HALL
701 WEST STADIUM AVENUE
WEST LAFAYETTE, IN 47907-2045
Office: ME HLAB 2014
Email: eholloway@purdue.edu

Hometown

Loogootee, IN

Education

Ph.D. Engineering Education, Purdue University
M.S. Industrial Engineering, Purdue University
M.S. Engineering Education, Purdue University
B.S. Electrical Engineering, Purdue University

Research Interests

Dr. Holloway's research focuses on industry interactions with students and faculty, specifically: 1) the professional formation of students and engineers for practice; 2) the impacts of faculty, undergraduate, and graduate students who interact with industry; 3) the social and cultural contexts of engineering disciplines and research experiences; 4) designing and implementing assessments of learning and professional development experiences.

Selected Publications

Holloway, E., Radcliffe, D., Douglas, K., & Oakes, W. (2020). Assessing engineering Ph.D. students’ research experiences: What is important to assess? Paper presented at the American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference, Virtual.

Holloway, E., Douglas, K.A., & Radcliffe, D. (2019). Engineering Ph.D. Students’ Research Experiences: A Think-Aloud Study. Paper presented at the Frontiers in Education Annual Conference, Cincinnati, OH. doi: 10.1109/fie43999.2019.9028567

Holloway, E., & Radcliffe, D. (2018). Review of global trends in knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) frameworks applicable to Ph.D. programs in engineering. Paper presented at the American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference, Salt Lake City, UT.

Holloway, E., & Oakes, W. C. (2017). Industry funded research impacts on engineering faculty’s research experiences: A review and synthesis of the literature. Paper presented at the American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference, Columbus, OH.

Awards & Honors

  • Best Paper Award (lead author), Graduate Studies Division, ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, with David Radcliffe, Kerrie Douglas, and William Oakes, Virtual, June 2020.
  • Presidential Safety Award – Purdue University – School of Engineering Education Safety Committee, 2014.
  • Team Award, First-Year Engineering Course Development Team, College of Engineering, Purdue University, 2013.
  • New Employee Award, College of Engineering, Purdue University, 2009

Experience

  • Research: Sr. Director – (2013-Current) Industry Research (Office of Engineering Research, Purdue University)
  • Education: Director of Instructional Laboratories (2007-2013) (School of Engineering Education, Purdue University)
  • Industry Experience (1992 – 2007): Toyota, Cummins, TRW

Advice for the First-Year Engineer

Advice for the First-Year Engineer: Your engineering education will do a fantastic job of preparing you for the knowledge and skills that you need to be successful. But to be able to apply those skills in the workplace, it is essential for you also to get experience understanding what it means to be a professional by working with others in authentic settings. Internships, co-ops, and other experiential opportunities will help you get connected to professionals who can foster your understanding of what engineers do in their day-to-day work, which is essential to complement your knowledge and skills.

Fun Facts

Although I grew up in southern Indiana, I graduated from high school on Kwajalein, a tropical island in the Marshall Island in the south Pacific. Kwaj (as the locals call it), is a ~1.2 sq. mile island with a robust, diverse community dedicated to supporting the missions of the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC). There were about 20 kids in my high school senior class (including another classmate who also went to Purdue!).