College of Engineering Awards Five Biggadike Innovation Grants for 2026

The U of A College of Engineering has awarded five 2026 Biggadike Innovation Grants to projects designed to tackle the engineering experience from every angle. 

Known as BIG Awards, the grants are funded through the Biggadike Endowment for Teaching and Learning and support innovative faculty and staff-led work that addresses needs in engineering education. This year's projects span foundational math support for incoming students, first-year service-learning, competency mapping across the curriculum, experiential learning in biological engineering and enhanced teaching tools for graduate assistants. 

Together, the projects reflect a broad investment in student success, supporting new approaches to learning, teaching and curriculum design that respond to the realities students encounter in and beyond the classroom. 

"These projects represent the kind of bold, imaginative thinking that moves engineering forward. Faculty and staff across the college looked seriously at what students need to succeed and developed creative responses grounded in the student experience," said Laura Moix, innovation and impact strategist for the College of Engineering. 

Embedded Math Support for First-Year Students 

A team led by Gretchen Scroggin, with co-investigators Chris Cagle, assistant director of mentoring and student engagement; Heath Schluterman, director of first-year engineering; and Rafael Gutierrez, student support manager, will use the grant to embed trained peer tutors directly into engineering courses to support students through foundational mathematics coursework. The project is designed to meet students where they are in one of the most critical early stages of the engineering curriculum, making support more visible, accessible and timely. 

"Traditional tutoring assumes students will seek help on their own, but many engineering students in College Algebra and Precalculus don't or often wait until it's too late," Scroggin said. "Embedded peer tutors shift that model by placing trained students directly in their first-year seminar course and immediately after class, where support is most effective. This approach connects academic help to real course demands to help students stay on track and build foundational math skills in a challenging, highly sequenced pathway." 

Community-Engaged Learning in the First Year 

Latisha Puckett, teaching assistant professor in the First-Year Engineering Program, will use the grant to integrate community-engaged service-learning into the first-year engineering experience, connecting students with meaningful projects early in their academic careers. The project is designed to help students see how engineering can respond to community needs while building a stronger sense of purpose, connection and real-world relevance from the start of their studies. 

"First-year engineering students already complete hands-on projects, but integrating community projects gives them the opportunity to engage with real stakeholders and solve real-world problems," Puckett said. "It helps them see that engineering isn't just about technical solutions. It's also about understanding people and the impact of their work. They begin to develop empathy, communication skills and a stronger sense of purpose early on, which helps shape more socially responsible engineers." 

Graduate Teaching Development 

Jenn Campbell, assistant professor in mechanical engineering, will use the grant to establish a structured teaching fellowship for engineering graduate students, pairing fellows with faculty mentors to develop pedagogical skills alongside research training. The project recognizes that preparing graduate students to teach effectively strengthens their professional development while also improving the undergraduate learning experience. 

Curriculum Mapping for Student Success 

David Jensen, associate professor in mechanical engineering, will use the grant to develop a competency and skill mapping framework for the engineering curriculum, creating a structured tool to help faculty and administrators identify gaps, align learning outcomes and inform curriculum decisions across departments. The project is intended to strengthen curricular coherence and give students a clearer path for building the knowledge and skills expected throughout their academic experience. 

Experiential Learning in Biological Engineering 

Matthew McVey, teaching assistant professor in biological and agricultural engineering, will use the grant to expand hands-on learning opportunities in the biological engineering curriculum, giving students clearer visibility into how their coursework connects to professional practice. The project is designed to deepen experiential learning and help students better understand the relationship between classroom concepts and engineering work in the field. 

About the Biggadike Endowment: The Biggadike Endowment for Teaching and Learning supports educational initiatives within the College of Engineering, with awards offered on alternating years. Funded projects typically run 12 months or less, with summary reports due by June 30 of the project year. 

The fund was established in 2014 and fully funded in 2020 following the passing of Robert H. Biggadike, an alumnus whose support reflects a sustained commitment to engineering education at the U of A. The 2026 grants continue that legacy by supporting faculty and staff projects that address practical needs and strengthen student success across the college. 

For more information about the Biggadike Innovation Grants, contact Laura Moix. 

About the College of Engineering: The University of Arkansas College of Engineering is the state's largest engineering school, offering graduate and undergraduate degrees, online studies and interdisciplinary programs. It enrolls more than 4,700 students and employs more than 150 faculty and researchers along with nearly 200 staff members. Its research enterprise generated $47 million in new research awards in Fiscal Year 2025. The college's strategic plan, Vision 2035, seeks to build the premier STEM workforce in accordance with three key objectives: Initiating lifelong student success, generating transformational and relevant knowledge, and becoming the destination of choice among educators, students, staff, industry, alumni and the community. As part of this, the college is increasing graduates and research productivity to expand its footprint as an entrepreneurial engineering platform serving Arkansas and the world. The college embraces its pivotal role in driving economic growth, fueling innovation and educating the next generation of engineers, computer scientists and data scientists to address current and future societal challenges.