MEERCat Team

Dr. Jennifer DeBoer
-Director of Research-

Jennifer DeBoer is currently Assistant Professor of Engineering Education at Purdue University. Her research focuses on international education systems, individual and social development, technology use and STEM learning, and educational environments for diverse learners.

Dr. Jeffrey Rhoads
-Director of Practice-

Jeffrey F. (Jeff) Rhoads is a Professor in the School of Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University and is affiliated with both the Birck Nanotechnology Center and Ray W. Herrick Laboratories at the same institution.  He also serves as the Associate Director of PERC: The Purdue Energetics Research Center and the Director of Practice for MEERCat Purdue: The Mechanical Engineering Education Research Center at Purdue University. Read More Dr. Rhoads received his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees, each in mechanical engineering, from Michigan State University in 2002, 2004, and 2007, respectively. Dr. Rhoads’ current research interests include the predictive design, analysis, and implementation of resonant micro/nanoelectromechanical systems (MEMS/NEMS) for use in chemical and biological sensing, electromechanical signal processing, and computing; the thermomechanics of energetic materials (including explosives, pyrotechnics, and propellants); additive manufacturing; and mechanics education. Dr. Rhoads is a Member of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) and a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), where he serves on the Design Engineering Division’s Technical Committee on Vibration and Sound.  Dr. Rhoads is a recipient of numerous research and teaching awards, including the National Science Foundation’s Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award; the Purdue University School of Mechanical Engineering’s Harry L. Solberg Best Teacher Award (twice), Robert W. Fox Outstanding Instructor Award, B.F.S. Schaefer Outstanding Young Faculty Scholar Award, and Ruth and Joel Spira Award; the ASEE Mechanics Division’s Ferdinand P. Beer and E. Russell Johnston, Jr. Outstanding New Mechanics Educator Award; and the ASME C. D. Mote Jr., Early Career Award.  In 2014, Dr. Rhoads was included in ASEE Prism Magazine’s 20 Under 40.  To date he has authored more than 100 peer reviewed journal and conference publications and with his colleagues has conduct more than $19M in sponsored research with industry, the United States National Science Foundation, and the Departments of Defense, Energy, and Homeland Security.

Ruth Rothstein
-Project Coordinator-

Ruth Rothstein is the Research Operations Administrator for MEERCat, and drives and supports a variety of initiatives to positively impact the professional formation of engineers. Ruth earned a BA in Sociology from the University of California, Davis in 2015. She initiated her professional career organizing political campaigns in the non-profit sector and worked in industry at Tesla as an Energy Advisor managing residential solar installations.

Chuhao Wu
-Research Assistant-

Chuhao Wu is currently Research Assistant for MEERCat. He performs both quantitative and qualitative analysis on students and faculty data to drive insights into engineering education. Chuhao obtained a MS in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University in 2019. His previous research focuses on human factors and physiological sensing for cognitive aspects.

Yonghee Lee
-Researcher-

Yonghee Lee is a postdoctoral researcher for MEERCat. His research focuses on scientific argumentation and classroom discourse, technology use and student-centered instruction, and engineering education reform and institutional culture.

Ahmad Slim
-Researcher-

Ahmad Slim is a postdoctoral researcher for MEERCat. His research focuses on machine learning, educational data mining and curricular analytics.