Matthew James

Matthew James is an Associate Professor of Practice in the Department of Engineering Education at Virginia Tech's College of Engineering. He holds a B.S. and M.S. in Civil Engineering from Virginia Tech (2007, 2010), and has transitioned from civil engineering practice to academia, focusing on engineering education and international engagement. His work includes teaching first-year engineering courses (ENGE 1215/1216), developing curricula, and advising international service projects through Engineers in Action. He has led study abroad programs and contributed to the Academy for Global Engineering at VT. His research interests span engineering education pedagogy, ethics, and equity in teamwork, with recent work emphasizing online learning adaptation and arts-informed methodologies.

Education:

• M.S. Civil Engineering, Virginia Tech, 2010
• B.S. Civil Engineering, Virginia Tech, 2007

Research Interests:

• First-year engineering program development
• International engineering education and service projects
• Engineering ethics education and assessment
• Equitable team-based learning environments
• Arts-informed approaches to student perception studies

Publications Highlight: Recent work emphasizes innovations in online education, ethics pedagogy, and global engineering engagement. Notable trends include exploring interdisciplinary methods (e.g., NLP for ethics assessment) and adapting curricula for diverse learning environments.

Awards:

• 2020 College of Engineering Certificate of Teaching Excellence

Advising & Teams: Serves as faculty advisor for Engineers in Action, contributing to international service projects. Active in curriculum development initiatives and collaborative programs like the Rising Sophomore Abroad Program. Collaborates with faculty across disciplines to advance pedagogical practices.

Labs/Teams: Engaged with the Academy for Global Engineering and contributes to the Department's efforts in service-learning and ethics integration in curricula.