ENE Research Seminar: Engineering Wellness: Changing a Cultural Narrative from Surviving to Thriving

Event Date: January 22, 2026
Speaker: Karin Jensen, PhD
Speaker Affiliation: University of Michigan
Type: Research Seminar
Time: 3:30-4:20 p.m.
Location: WANG 3501
Open To: Graduate and undergraduate students, staff, and faculty with an interest in educating engineers
Priority: No
School or Program: Engineering Education
College Calendar: Show
Karin Jensen, PhD
UMich Assistant Professor and Engineering Education Research Chair Karin Jensen, PhD, examines how the culture of normalized stress in engineering undermines student well-being and thriving, and how these norms shape help-seeking and peer interactions. She presents new tools and interventions that use longitudinal data and integrated curricula to promote a culture of wellness alongside technical learning.

 

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Title:
Engineering Wellness: Changing a Cultural Narrative from Surviving to Thriving

Abstract:
Thriving is a holistic state that encompasses more than traditional measures of academic success. Fostering positive well-being is a critical factor for thriving; however, educational spaces and assessments often overlook or fail to evaluate it.

In this seminar, I will investigate the narrative of required stress and hardship during engineering programs that perpetuates a culture of stress and explore how perceptions of norms impact student help-seeking and peer interactions. I will share our work on developing new survey measures to characterize student stressors and expectations of normalized stress. We utilize these measures in longitudinal data collection to develop predictive models that enhance our understanding of the dynamic and multivariate factors influencing student mental health. Finally, I will share how we translate this research into curricular interventions to change the cultural narrative in engineering to create a culture of wellness. I will share our efforts at the University of Michigan to offer a first-year engineering course that integrates wellness topics with technical education. The new course, Engineering Wellness, features modules that integrate physiology, sensor technology, applications, and reflection to help students develop and implement wellness strategies.

Bio:
Karin Jensen, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in Biomedical Engineering and Graduate Chair in Engineering Education Research at the University of Michigan. Her research interests include mental health and wellness, engineering career pathways, and faculty engagement in engineering education research. Her work was recognized with a PECASE award in 2025 and a National Science Foundation CAREER award in 2019. Jensen is an associate editor for the Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering and Biomedical Engineering Education. She earned a bachelor's degree in biological engineering from Cornell University and a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from the University of Virginia.

Citation:
Mirabelli, J.F., Johnson, E.M., Vohra, S.R., Sanders, J.L., & Jensen, K.J. Stressors and normalized stress in undergraduate engineering education culture: development of the Engineering Stress Culture Scale and Undergraduate Engineering Stressors Questionnaire. IJ STEM Ed 12, 19 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-025-00540-8