James L. Huff, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator
Dr. James Huff is a qualitative researcher whose work is at the nexus of engineering education research and applied personality and social psychology. An NSF CAREER Awardee, he is committed to fostering care as a central mindset of engineering and other professions through his in-depth examinations of personal lived experiences of identity and emotion, facets often hidden within professional domains. Additionally, he builds a culture of care in the BPI lab itself. Learn more about our mentoring philosophy, our research projects, and our publications.
Mentoring Philosophy
Dr. James Huff mentors graduate (master’s and Ph.D.) students of the BPI lab to generate fresh and grounded insights into individual experiences related to their identities or identity-relevant phenomena in engineering education. Graduate students can expect robust training in qualitative research methodologies while generating fresh insight into identity-relevant phenomena in engineering education and practice. They can further expect to lead work early in their graduate student trajectory.
Dr. Huff welcomes undergraduate students as research collaborators from a wide variety of disciplines, including engineering, psychology, and education. In the BPI lab, Dr. Huff offers in-person support for mentoring and undergraduate students over multi-semester collaborations.​
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All students are trained to develop their own voices as authors and generate meaningful contributions to engineering education and psychological research and practice.
Members
Undergraduate Research Assistant (2023-Present)
Chelsei Arnold
Major: Psychology
Anticipated Graduation: Harding University, May 2025
Honors Thesis: Understanding the lived experiences of mentorship in first-generation Black women college students.
Awards:
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First place in Presentation at SAEOPP Conference - Education Category (June 2024)
Presenter:
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American Society for Engineering Education (2024)
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SAEOPP McNair Research Conference (2024)
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Harding Undergraduate Research Conference (2024)
Undergraduate Research Assistant (2023-Present)
Julianna Beehn
Major: Cognitive Neuroscience
Anticipated Graduation: Harding University, May 2025
Honors Thesis: Understanding the lived experiences of professional shame in Christian ministers
Awards:
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Student Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Award. Arkansas Division of Higher Education (2024)
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Trey Carlock Rising Scholar Award - Honors College (2023)
Presenter:
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American Society for Engineering Education (2024)
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Harding Undergraduate Research Conference (2023, 2024)
Undergraduate Research Assistant (2021-2024)
Ph.D. Student (2024-Present)
Kyle Shanachilubwa
Doctoral Program: Ph.D. in Engineering Education and Transformative Practice, University of Georgia (Anticipated Graduation: May 2029)
Undergraduate Degree: B.S. in Computer Science, Harding University, May 2024
Undergraduate Honors Thesis: Emotional Experiences of Black U.S. Computer Science and Engineering Students Amid Faculty-Student Interactions
Awards:
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SAEOPP Conference - Education Category (1st place, June 2022; 2nd place)
Presenter:
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American Society for Engineering Education (2024)
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American Education Research Association (2023)
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Society for Personality and Social Psychology (2023)
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SAEOPP McNair Research Conference (2022, 2023)
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Harding Undergraduate Research Conference (2023, 2024)
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University of New Mexico McNair Scholars Conference (2024)
Undergraduate Research Assistant (2023-Present)
Amelia Slater
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Anticipated Graduation: Harding University, May 2026
Honors Thesis: Understanding the lived experiences of design activity engagement in women engineering students
Presenter:
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Harding Undergraduate Research Conference (2024)
Alums
Postdoctoral Scholar
(2021-2023)
Amy Brooks, Ph.D.
Doctoral Program: ​Ph.D. in Engineering, Resilient Infrastructure Systems, University of Georgia (Graduated: August 2021)
Current Position: Postdoctoral Associate, Built Environment and Sustainable Engineering Lab, University of Pittsburgh
Affiliated Research Projects:
Presenter:
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American Society for Engineering Education (2022)
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[Best communicated poster - First Place] OHSU/OSU Postdoctoral Symposium (2022)
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ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education (2022)​
Undergraduate Research Assistant (2021-2023)
Grant Countess
Degrees: B.B.A. in Accounting (Honors College Graduate with Distinction), M.S. in Information Systems
Graduation: Harding University, May 2023
Current Position: Analyst II, Accounting and Finance Development Program, Walmart.
Honors Thesis: Professional Shame as Experienced by Pre-Professional Accountants
Awards:
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Outstanding Christian Business Student - Paul R. Carter College of Business (2023)
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Larry R. Long Commendation Award - Honors College (2023)
Presenter:
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Society for Personality and Social Psychology (2023)
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Alpha Chi National Convention (2022)
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Harding Undergraduate Research Conference (2022, 2023)
Undergraduate Research Assistant (2022-2023)
Halle Miller
Degree: B.S. in Psychology (Honors College Graduate with Distinction)
Graduation: Harding University, May 2023
Current Position: Research Coordinator, BabyLab, University of Virginia
Honors Thesis: Social Connectedness as Experienced by Black Christian Women at a Predominantly White University
Awards:
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Top Research Award - Department of Behavioral Sciences (2023)
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Trey Carlock Rising Scholar Award - Honors College (2022)
Presenter:
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Society for Personality and Social Psychology (2023)
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Harding Undergraduate Research Conference (2023)
Undergraduate Research Assistant (2019-2022)
Mary Grace Golden
Degrees: B.S. in Public Administration, B.A. in Communication Studies (Honors College Graduate with Distinction)
Graduation: Harding University, May 2022
Current Position: Graduate Research Assistant, Scalable Asymmetric Lifestyle Engagement (SCALE) Program, Purdue University
Graduate Program: M.A. in Organizational Communication, Purdue University (Graduated: May 2024)
Honors Thesis: Unpacking Political Identity in First-Time Voting Christian Women: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis
Awards:
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Trey Carlock Rising Scholar Award - Honors College (2021)
Presenter:
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Society for Personality and Social Psychology (2021, 2022)
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Alpha Chi National Convention (2022)
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Harding Undergraduate Research Conference (2021, 2022)
Post-Baccalaureate Research Associate (2020-2021)
Undergraduate Research Assistant (2017-2019)​
Mackenzie Beckmon Sharbine
Degree: B.S. in Psychology (Honors College Graduate)
Graduation: Harding University, December 2019
Research Project: The lived experience of professional shame in engineering amid minoritization
Current Position: Research Assistant, Family Project, TWU
Graduate Program: Specialist in School Psychology, Texas Woman's University (Graduated: May 2024)
Awards:
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Best Paper – Joint Conference for the REES and AAEE Meeting (2021)
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Best Paper Nominee – Education Research and Methods (ERM) Division, ASEE Conference (2019)
Presenter:
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[ERM Division Best Paper Nominee] American Society for Engineering Education (2019)
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[Best Paper] Research in Engineering Education Symposium (2021)
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American Education Research Association (2021)
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Society for Personality and Social Psychology (2018, 2019, 2021)
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ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education (2020)
Undergraduate Research Assistant (2020-2021)
Lim Jun-Xian John
Degree: B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies (Honors College Graduate with Distinction)
Graduation: Harding University, May 2021
Current Position: Minister, Pasir Panjang Church of Christ
Honors Thesis: Hybridized Spirituality in Singaporean Christians
Awards:
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Larry R. Long Commendation Award - Honors College (2021)
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Clark Youngblood Prize for Best Paper Presentation in Philosophy and Religion, 2020 Alpha Chi Convention. Hybridized spirituality in Singaporean Christians.
Presenter:
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[Best Paper Presentation in Philosophy and Religion] Alpha Chi National Convention (2021)
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Harding Undergraduate Research Conference (2021)
Undergraduate Research Assistant (2019-2021)
Laura Faye Weber
Degree: B.A. in Medical Humanities
Graduation: Harding University, May 2021
Current Positions: ​
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Court Appointed Special Advocate in Shelby County
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Morning Barista at Belltower
Graduate Program: M.S. in Applied Behavioral Analysis at Endicott College (Anticipated Graduation: December 2026).
Research Project: Social connection as experienced by women students amid COVID-19
Presenter:
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Harding Undergraduate Research Conference (2021)
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Society for Personality and Social Psychology (2021)
Undergraduate Research Assistant (2018-2020)
Degnan Lawrence
Degree: B.S. in Computer Engineering (Honors College Graduate)
Graduation: Harding University, May 2020
Current Position: IT Support Technician, Bering Straits Native Corporation.
Research Project: Personal experience of Identity in human-centered design settings
Undergraduate Research Assistant (2016-2020)
Jenise Williams Hiles
Degrees: B.A. in Art, B.S. in Mechanical Engineering
Graduation: Harding University, May 2020
Current Position: Architectural Associate, Fitzpatrick Architects
Graduate Program: Master of Architecture, University of Texas at Arlington (Graduated: August 2023)
Research Project: Investigating how masculinity is experienced and enacted in engineering contexts
Presenter:
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Society for Personality and Social Psychology (2018)
Postdoctoral Research Associate (2018-2019)
Benjamin Okai, Ph.D.
Doctoral Program: ​Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision, Regent University (Graduated: May 2017)
Current Positions:
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Assistant Professor of Counseling at John Brown University
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Therapist at The Forge Counseling Group
Affiliated Research Projects:
Presenter:
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Society for Personality and Social Psychology (2018)
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Undergraduate Research Assistant (2018-2019)
C. Taylor Brown
Degree: Bachelor of Social Work (Honors College Graduate)
Graduation: Harding University, May 2019
Current Positions:
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CEO, Brown Strategic Consulting
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Consultant, Berkeley D-Lab
Graduate Programs:
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M.S.W. at Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis (Graduated: December 2020)
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Ph.D. in Social Welfare at UC Berkeley (Anticipated Graduation: May 2027)
Research Project: Experience of identity amid chronic homelessness
Awards:
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Rhodes Scholar Finalist (2021)
Presenter:
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International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry (2021)
Undergraduate Research Assistant (2016-2019)
Kanembe Shanachilubwa, Ph.D.
Degree: B.S. in Mechanical Engineering
Graduation: Harding University, May 2019
Current Position: Associate Director, McNair Scholars Program, Harding University
Graduate Program: Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering at Penn State (Graduated: August 2023)
Research Project: Experience of professional shame in white male engineering students
Awards:
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National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow (2021)
Presenter:
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American Society for Engineering Education (2018)
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Society for Personality and Social Psychology (2018)
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SAEOPP McNair Research Conference (2018)
Undergraduate Research Assistant (2014-2019)
H. Ronald Clements
Degree: B.S. in Psychology (Honors College Graduate)
Graduation: Harding University, May 2019
Graduate Programs: M.S. in Industrial Engineering at Purdue University (Anticipated Graduation: May 2025);
Ph.D. in Engineering Education at Purdue University (Anticipated Graduation: May 2025)
Research Project: Investigating students’ experiences of frustration in post-secondary STEM courses
Awards:
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National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow (2021)
Presenter:
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American Society for Engineering Education (2018)
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Society for Personality and Social Psychology Convention (2018)
Undergraduate Research Assistant (2017-2018)
C. Connor Botes
Degree: B.S. in Mechanical Engineering
Graduation: Harding University, May 2018
Current Position: Director of Vision and Engagement, Cedar Rock Ministries
Research Project: Identity in a mug: How individuals connect their coffee drink selection to identity
Presenter:
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Society for Personality and Social Psychology Convention (2018)
Undergraduate Research Assistant (2014-2018)
Miranda Kelly
Degrees: Bachelor of Social Work; B.A. in Spanish
Graduation: Harding University, May 2018
Current Position: Global Program Manager, Thistle Farms
Graduate Program: M.S.W. at the University of Denver (Graduated: June 2019)
Research Project: Exploring how ministry students psychologically experience career identity in relation to their faith
Presenter:
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Society for Personality and Social Psychology Convention (2018)
Undergraduate Research Assistant (2015-2016)
John Dawidow
Degree: B.S. in Biomedical Engineering
Graduation: Harding University, May 2016
Current Position: Senior CI Quality Engineer at Intuitive Surgical
Graduate Program: M.A. in Economics at the University of Memphis (Graduated: August 2021)
Research Project: Investigating how design concepts evolve in engineering students
Presenter:
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American Society for Engineering Education Conference (2018)