Research & Teaching

Research

Dr. Roxanne Moore is deeply passionate about sharing her knowledge and inspiring the next generation of leaders in STEM and beyond. She uses her teaching experiences across higher education and the arts to develop impactful curricula and hands-on learning opportunities for both K-12 and collegiate students that ignite students' curiosity about the wonders of engineering. She has also mentored numerous graduate students and budding researchers.  Whether she is guiding undergraduates through complex design projects, mentoring young researchers, or delivering dynamic lectures, Dr. Roxanne Moore's energy and intellect shine through. Her ability to translate complex technical concepts into accessible, engaging material has garnered acclaim from peers and pupils alike. She was recognized with the 2023 Outstanding Research Award for Research Faculty in the Georgia Tech College of Engineering and the 2023 Outstanding Leader/ Manager award at the Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing (CEISMC). 

Dr. Moore remains committed to making STEM accessible to learners so they can design their own future. She believes that prioritizing inventiveness with an emphasis on asset-based learning approaches is the way to empower future leaders. With an impressive research portfolio, a love of teaching, and a dedication to making a difference, Dr. Roxanne Moore is committed to an inclusive and equitable future. 

Selected Publications

  • Defining, Cultivating, and Measuring Inventiveness

    What is inventiveness and how does it relate to more typical engineering design courses and entrepreneurship courses? Is design always inventive? Spoiler alert: not always. This group of experts, led by Dr. Moore, weighs in on what makes an inventive person and/or an inventive product.

    Moore, R., Flynn, L., Detchprohm, N., Eagle, W. E., Estabrooks, L., Garner, J. K., Maltese, A., Matheny, E., Talamantes, A., “Infusing Entrepreneurship into Engineering Design Curricula to Promote Inventiveness: A Student-Centered Approach to Inclusive Innovation,” Proceedings of the American Society for Engineering Education 2022 Annual Conference, Minneapolis, MN, June 26-29, 2022, 2nd Place Best Paper, Engineering Entrepreneurship Division. Read More.

    The K-12 InVenture Prize is Georgia's flagship K-12 invention competition, co-founded by Dr. Moore in 2014. The program has impacted over 60,000 student inventors and we have provided professional development to more than 700 teachers throughout the state. Impacts of this work on students and teachers can be found here:

    R. A. Moore, S. H. Newton, M. Alemdar, (2019) K-12 InVenture Prize: Teacher Reflections on Educating K-12 Inventors. Technology and Innovation, special issue on Invention Education, Vol 20, p. 221-233. Read More.

    R. Moore, S.H. Newton, A. Baskett. (2017) The InVenture Challenge: Inspiring STEM Learning through Invention and Entrepreneurship, International Journal of Engineering Education, Vol. 33(1(B)). p. 361-370. Read More.

    Camp Invention is a long-running summer program offered by the National Inventors' Hall of Fame-- can a week-long inventive experience reduce students' math and science anxiety and increase their interest in STEM and confidence in problem solving? These findings suggest that in rising 3rd-6th graders NOT in the highest quartile with respect to math and science interest may significantly benefit from such an experience:

    J. Patel, A. Rutledge, J. Cellitioci, and R. Moore, “The Impact of Invention Education Participation on Students’ Confidence and Anxiety in STEM.” Proceedings of the American Society for Engineering Education 2024 Annual Conference, Portland, OR, June 23-26, 2024. Read More.

    Measuring Design Process Knowledge

    We teach students to follow an engineering design process to tackle open-ended challenges, but how do we know if they've learned or internalized the process? The goal is not that they can recite the steps, but that they understand how to apply them appropriately in different scenarios. Check out our web-based engineering design process log here.

    S.A. Wind, M. Alemdar, J. Lingle, R. A. Moore, A. Askilkalkan, (2019) Exploring Student Understanding of the Engineering Design Process using Distractor Analysis. International Journal of STEM Education, Vol 6:4. Read More.

    M. Alemdar, J. Lingle, R. Moore. (2017) Developing an Engineering Design Process Assessment Using Think-Aloud Interviews, International Journal of Engineering Education, Vol. 33(1(B)). p. 441-452. Read More.

    Broadening Participation in Computer Science using Music Remixing

    EarSketch is a free, web-based platform that allows students of all ages to learn to code in Python or Javascript by remixing music.  The EarSketch library now includes music from famous artists, including Alicia Keys, Khalid, and Pharrell Williams. The platform has even been translated into 7 languages, including two indigenous languages. Since its inception, EarSketch has served more than 1.2 million users worldwide. 

    Moore, R., Grossman, S., Wilson, J., De La Coudray, C., Barbot, H., Newton, S., Jackson, J., Alemdar, M., Garrett, S., Freeman, J, “Your Voice is Power: Integrating Computing, Music, Entrepreneurship, and Social Justice Learning,” Proceedings of the American Society for Engineering Education 2022 Annual Conference, Minneapolis, MN, June 26-29, 2022. Read More.

    J. Freeman, B. Magerko, D. Edwards, T. McKlin, T. Lee, and R. Moore. (2019) EarSketch: Engaging Broad Populations in Computing Through Music. Communications of the ACM, September 2019, Vol. 62(9), pp. 78-85. Read More.

    Middle School Engineering Curriculum Development and Research

    Can engineering design experiences enhance math and science interest and performance at the middle school level? These results suggest that well-crafted, inventive engineering design experiences that link foundational math and science practices with compelling engineering design scenarios can reduce students' anxiety in math and science, increase their interest in STEM, and even increase their performance on state-mandated 8th grade milestones tests in math and science-- especially for students in the lower quartiles of performance in these disciplines. 

    M. Alemdar, R. Moore, J. Lingle, J. Rosen, J. Gale, M. Usselman (2018) The Impact of a Middle School Engineering Course on Students’ Academic and Non-Cognitive Skills, International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science, and Technology, Vol 6(4), 363-380. Read More.

    Modeling K-12 Education Settings as Complex Systems

    Schools are interconnected networks exhibiting adaptive and emergent behaviors. Can we apply methods from systems engineering to better understand what interventions will be effective in different environments?

    P. Mital, R. A. Moore, D. Llewellyn. (2017) Education System Intervention Modeling Framework, Journal of Policy and Complex Systems, Vol 3(2), p. 72. Read More.

    P. Mital, R.A. Moore, D. Llewellyn. (2014) Analyzing K-12 Education as a Complex System. Procedia Computer Science, Vol. 28, pp. 370-379. Read More.

    Dissertation work- Optimization Methodology

    In large design spaces, the options are infinite. How can we possibly select even a "good" choice in a multidimensional space? Models of systems can help us evaluate a design's potential. This work uses models of differing accuracies in optimization-- using inexpensive, more simplistic approximations of systems to zero in on potentially promising designs while using more detailed models to refine the best solutions from the good ones, saving significant time and computational resources by doing so. 

    R.A. Moore, D. Romero, C.J. Paredis. (2014) Value-Based Global Optimization. Journal of Mechanical Design, Vol. 136(4), p. 041003. Read More.

    More

    For more publications, please see Dr. Moore's Google Scholar profile here.

Teaching

Dr. Roxanne Moore is a dynamic and interactive teacher, challenging students to think critically, ask questions, and engage actively with the material. Dr. Moore prioritizes connecting with her students on a personal level, offering thoughtful mentorship and support that extends far beyond the syllabus. She is known for offering her students respect and psychological safety while also helping them exceed their own expectations. She earned the 2018 Teaching Effectiveness Award based on her students' feedback in Mechanical Engineering 2110: Creative Decisions and Design.

  • Georgia Institute of Technology                                                                         

    •ME 2110- Creative Decisions in Design | Fall 2012- Fall 2022

    This is a hands-on course teaching the design process, culminating in a final competition where students build mechatronic devices.

    Winner of the Class of 1940 Course Survey Teaching Effectiveness Award  (Spring, 2018).

    •ME 7757- Teaching Practicum | Fall 2018- Fall 2020

    Re-designed the PhD Seminar required course focusing on engineering education, as well as career pathways, leadership, and management for engineers.

    •CREATE-X Associate Director for Learn | Fall 2021- Present

    Led course revision and instructor recruitment to expand offering of this introductory course for Georgia Tech students curious about entrepreneurship.