Research Experiences​
2024 - Present
Graduate Research Assistant - NSF Grant Project
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Collaborating on the Engineering Character Initiative (ECI), a multi-institutional project focused on integrating character development into undergraduate engineering and computing courses.
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Developed an interactive case study using H5P.
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Developing Open Educational Resources (OER).
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Assisting in the redesign of technical coursework to integrate character-building elements and promote lifelong learning in professional contexts.
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Contributing to the dissemination of project findings through academic presentations and professional publications.
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2023 - 2024
Graduate Research Assistant - Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR)
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Contributed to projects such as Competency-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) and the development of Learning Contracts to enhance mentor-mentee relationships.
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Mentored undergraduate research interns, providing guidance on research methodologies and fostering their professional growth.
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Led qualitative data coding and analysis efforts in collaboration with undergraduate interns, identifying key themes to inform program improvements.
2022 - 2024
Graduate Research Assistant - NSF Grant Project
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Contributed to the NSF-funded project DEAP (DEAPening Employer-Academic Partnerships), a $3 million, multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional initiative aimed at advancing competency-based education in computing.
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Collaborated with Purdue’s Competency Research Team alongside faculty members and researchers from 8 universities.
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Developed Open Educational Resources (OER) to support educators, including:
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Designed a survey instrument to collect data, contributing to the project’s research on improving computing curricula.
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Conducted pilot tests for the survey instrument to ensure clarity, reliability, and validity before full deployment.
Academic Presentations​
Exter, M., Yakut, N., Sabin, M., Tagare, D., Ashby, I. (2024). Survey of Computing Professionals' Perceptions of Dispositions on the Job and Satisfaction With Their Coverage in Undergraduate Programs. [Paper Presentation]. Frontiers in Education (FIE) Conference, Washington, D.C., USA.
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Yakut, N. & Zywicki, C. (2024). Agreements, Contracts, or Compacts: Uncovering the Expected Learning in Mentor-Mentee Relationships [Live Oral Presentation]. ConnectUR 2024 Annual Conference, virtual.
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Yakut, N. & Zywicki, C. (2024). Bridging Theory and Practice: Enhancing Career Readiness through Undergraduate Research [Share and Solve]. ConnectUR 2024 Annual Conference, virtual.
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Yakut, N. (2023). The Effects of Intelligent Tutoring Systems on Students' Motivation in Mathematics Education: A Systematic Literature Review [Poster Presentation]. Annual Graduate Student Education Research Symposium (AGSERS), West Lafayette, IN, USA.
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Yakut, N. & Onen, E. (2022). The Comparison of Classification Accuracy Indices within the Scope of Item Response Theory. [Paper Presentation]. International Young Researchers Congress-II (GUGAK-2022), virtual.