Robin Ott

Robin Ott is a Professor of Practice and Interdisciplinary Programs Administrator in the Department of Engineering Education at Virginia Tech's College of Engineering. She joined Virginia Tech in 2015, initially coordinating the Mechanical Engineering Senior Design Capstone program until 2023, and now mentors teams in Interdisciplinary Capstone and Projects courses.

Her educational background includes:

• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Virginia Tech (1995)
• Graduate Certificate in Engineering Education from Virginia Tech (2020)
• M.S. in Engineering Education from Purdue University (2024)

Ott's research centers on engineering students' transition from academic capstone experiences to professional workplaces. She investigates perceptions of work readiness, transfer of communication and technical skills, and gender-specific challenges during the critical first months of employment. Her work bridges educational theory with industry practice to address competency gaps through improved curriculum design.

Analysis of her publications reveals consistent focus on workplace integration, with longitudinal studies tracking new engineers' experiences. Key themes include contextual adaptation beyond technical competencies, gender disparities in transition experiences, and leveraging capstone design to foster self-directed learning. Her interdisciplinary approach combines engineering education, organizational psychology, and communication studies.

Recognition for her contributions includes:

• Rudolph J. Joenk Award for Best Paper in IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
• 2021 Project Based Learning Award from the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning

With over twenty years of industry experience spanning naval systems design, CAD software application, and biotech project management, Ott brings practical insights to student mentoring. She actively partners with industry sponsors to enhance capstone project authenticity and has significantly increased corporate engagement in student design programs. Her administrative role now focuses on scaling interdisciplinary educational frameworks across engineering disciplines.

Ott leads teams developing capstone-to-work transition models, collaborating with faculty across departments to implement evidence-based strategies that prepare students for real-world engineering challenges through structured reflection and industry-aligned project experiences.