Encountering Axiology: Engineering Graduate Students' Experiences with Values in an Engineering Research Center

This research paper examines research axiology and value transfer by examining engineering graduate students' research experiences in an Engineering Research Center (ERC). Students constantly encounter cultural behaviors, norms, and espoused values, and are taught "this is how we do things around here," and "this is why we do those things." For individuals established within a field, many of these cultural realities become invisible, as they have already been incorporated into the field and play a major role in perpetuating the culture encountered by new members. By focusing on students' experiences, there is an opportunity for rich depth in the description of engineering research values through the natural salience afforded by introduction into a new community and profession. To begin to answer these questions, we interviewed five engineering graduate students engaged in research in a Gen-4 ERC. We found that on the surface, students communicated a good understanding of the overall values and goal of the ERC, aligned with them, and felt as though they were making a difference in the world. However, for some, there were experiences of tension and friction with their own personal and long-term goals and values. Additionally, discussion of certain values seemed performative for some students (namely topics of diversity, equity, and inclusion), and potential internalization of certain values over others.