Teaching Professor - Fundamentals of Engineering Program
Robin A. M. Hensel, Ed.D. is an American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE) Fellow Member and Teaching Professor for the Fundamentals of Engineering Program (FEP) in the Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources (Statler College) at West Virginia University (WVU) in Morgantown, WV.
Hensel has over seven years of experience working in engineering teams and managing projects as a Mathematician and Computer Systems Analyst for the U.S. Department of Energy where her work was recognized with multiple performance awards (1985, 1986, 1987). Additionally, she has over 30 years of experience teaching mathematics, statistics, computer science, and basic engineering courses and has held various administrative roles, such as department chair and assistant dean, at higher education institutions. She led the development and implementation of an on-site childcare center at the U.S. Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory (1988 – 1990), the accredited M.S. Molecular Biology/Biotechnology degree program at Salem International University (1995), and both the Fundamentals of Engineering Program (2004 – 2022) and the B.S. Engineering Technology degree program (2023) in the WVU Statler College. For 18 years, Hensel built and led a team of faculty dedicated to providing first-year engineering students with a high-quality, challenging, and engaging educational experience with the necessary advising, mentoring, and academic support to facilitate their transition to university life and to prepare them for success in their engineering discipline majors and future careers. Additionally, Hensel served as a WVU Resident Faculty Leader (2011-2015), living on campus and planning co-curricular activities for students in a STEM-focused residence hall, served as President (2003 – 2006; 2008 – 2010) and Past President (2010 – 2012) of the West Virginia Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges (WVMATYC), coached middle school MATHCOUNTS teams (2002 – 2006), and created county and regional Math Field Day Competition Exams for K-12 students (1995 – 2001; 2007 – 2022).
Her excellence in teaching and advising has been recognized as she has been awarded the Salem International University Joseph K. Bailey Teaching Excellence Award (1998) and the WVU College of Engineering and Mineral Resources Outstanding Advisor Award (2008), and was a semi-finalist for the National Resource Center for the First Year Experience and Students in Transition 2017 Outstanding First-Year Student Advocate Award. She was also selected as a WVU Honors College Faculty Fellow (2024-2025).
Hensel is an active member of the American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE), and has reviewed and presented papers, moderated sessions, and served on the ASEE First-year Programs Division Executive Board. She has reviewed proposals as part of NSF review panels and has served as PI, Co-PI, or Senior Faculty for over $6.5M in STEM Education research projects, produced over 60 journal and conference papers, and given many invited presentations. Her research has earned regional and national recognition, including a 3rd Place Best Paper Award (2008) ASEE First-year Programs Division, 3rd Place Best Faculty Paper Award (2023) ASEE North Central Section Conference, and 2nd Place ASEE FYEE Best Paper Award (2023) at the First Year Engineering Experience (FYEE) Annual Conference. Her research focuses on issues related to STEM education, such as student transition to college, perceptions of belonging and self-efficacy, academic success, retention, and persistence.
Hensel was awarded the 2015 ASEE First-Year Programs Division Distinguished Service Award and was selected as an ASEE Fellow Member (2022) in recognition of her outstanding contributions to engineering education and ASEE.
Education
Ed.D. Curriculum and Instruction, Higher Education Teaching with Mathematics/Computer Science emphases, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 1988
M.A. Mathematics, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 1983
B.S. Mathematics, Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL, 1981