Developing a Grounded Theory of Undergraduate Civil Engineering Professional Identity Formation Cassandra Groen and Lisa D. McNair Department of Engineering Education Virginia Tech Blacksburg, Virginia, USA cgroen@vt.edu; lmcnair@vt.edu Abstract—Prior work in engineering education has shown that individuals who do not identify with engineering groups, maintain a sense of belonging to, or perceive themselves as engineers are more likely to leave the profession. While significant research has been conducted on various internal, intimate (e.g., gender, race, sexuality, and religion) and external, social perspectives of identity (e.g., discourse, nature of engineering work, and content knowledge), little is known regarding the ways in which these identities intersect and evolve to form students’ professional identities, particularly within a single engineering discipline. In this work in progress paper, we present the preliminary findings of the first phase of a quasi- longitudinal grounded theory study consisting of 20 interviews with sophomore-, junior-, and senior-level undergraduate civil engineering students. By sharing our preliminary findings, we aim to describe and further establish the grounded theory methodology within engineering education research; engage engineering educators in a scholarly discussion regarding the value of this topic; and gain further insights for advancing this work. Keywords— professional identity formation; identity; grounded theory; civil engineering I. INTRODUCTION Prior work in engineering education has established that individuals who do not identify with engineering groups, maintain a sense of belonging to, or perceive themselves as engineers are more likely to leave the profession. Drawing from frameworks in sociology, social psychology, and educational psychology, a number of researchers have identified multiple factors that impact identity development related to both internal and external perspectives of identity. Internal factors such as gender, sexual orientation, and race and religion consist of personal characteristics and are often protected from others [1-6]. External factors such as institutional structure, the nature of engineering work, and discourse and communication practices are shaped by an individual’s interactions with social contexts and societal structures [7-11]. While significant research has been conducted on these various factors, little is known about the ways in which students construct or develop professional identities in tandem with disciplinary values, behaviors, and practices that are learned during the undergraduate education experience, particularly within the context of a single engineering discipline. To further deepen the understanding of engineering education, far more studies investigating identity construction within these contexts are necessary [12]. To enhance the professional formation of civil engineering students, we must first begin to identify the activities, experiences, and relationships that influence the development of students’ identities. As we begin to learn how these promote or inhibit identity formation, we can then make necessary pedagogical, course, and curricular changes to increase students’ identification with engineering, influence the ways in which they perceive themselves as engineers, and promote their successes both as students and as emerging professionals. Within the current study, we seek to understand the process by which undergraduate civil engineering students create and form professional identities by utilizing the Constructivist Grounded Theory methodology [13]. By gaining an understanding of the ways in which these students construct professional identities, we may understand the impacts of engineering education on our students both inside and outside the classroom as they prepare for their future careers. Employing Constructivist Grounded Theory (GT) as a methodological framework for this study allows us to capture the dynamic and complex nature of the identity formation process in an unbounded investigation that allows for unanticipated findings to emerge, as well as promotes GT as a relevant methodological framework within engineering education research. In addressing the purpose of this study, we ask the following research questions to guide our emergent inquiry: • How do students form initial conceptions of the civil engineering profession? • How do students’ perceptions of the civil engineering profession change as they navigate their undergraduate experiences? • How do students’ perceptions intersect with their personal identities or sense of self? • What strategies do students employ that influence professional identity formation? 978-1-5090-1790-4/16/$31.00 ©2016 IEEE