Professor Uri Feldman Awarded KEEN Grant to Integrate AI and Entrepreneurial Mindset into First-Year Engineering Experience

Uri Feldman

Wentworth Institute of Technology Professor Uri Feldman has received a grant from the Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network (KEEN) for his project, "Infusing Informational Interviewing with Entrepreneurial Mindset and AI." This initiative is designed to equip first-year engineering students with essential career skills and AI fluency from the start of their academic careers. 

The project reframes the traditional informational interview as a powerful tool for professional growth, guided by KEEN's "3 Cs" framework: Curiosity, making Connections, and Creating Value. 

Feldman's project introduces a structured module with three primary goals: 

  • Establish informational interviewing as a valuable lifelong professional skill.
  • Develop an entrepreneurial mindset by leveraging curiosity to build professional connections and create value.
  • Promote AI fluency by using chatbots as a tool for research and interview practice. 

"This project is about empowering students to be curious, to build meaningful professional connections, and to see how they can create value," said Feldman. "By integrating AI tools, we are also ensuring they are fluent in the technologies that are shaping the future of engineering." 

The flexible module guides students through the entire lifecycle of an informational interview, from initial outreach to post-interview reflection. Students use AI chatbots to practice for conversations with engineering professionals, helping them gain real-world perspectives as they choose or reaffirm their major. 

Throughout the semester, students will learn the fundamentals of AI literacy, use an AI bot to prepare for professional conversations, interview engineering professionals, and reflect on their experiences in a digital ePortfolio. 

This hands-on approach develops critical communication skills and strengthens students' confidence and understanding of the engineering industry. Feldman's work on this topic has been published in papers for the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE).