CV
education
Ph.D. Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, University of Michigan, 2008
M.S.E. Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, University of Michigan, 2003
B.S.E. Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, University of Michigan, 2002, Magna Cum Laude
academic appointments
University of Michigan
Lecturer IV, September 2019 – present
Lecturer III, September 2016 – August 2019
Research Investigator, January 2013 – present (dry appt: September 2016 – present)
Intermittent Lecturer, January 2008 – August 2016
Research Associate II, January 2012 – December 2012
Research Fellow, May 2008 – August 2011
teaching
ENGR 100, Intro to Engineering: Underwater Vehicle Design.
Intensive first-year course involving two design-build-test projects (bathysphere and remote
operated vehicle). Requires management and guidance of 60 first-year undergraduate students, 3
undergraduate instructional assistants, 12 peer mentors, and 1 grader. Co-taught with technical
communication faculty. Coordinate 3-4 industry guest lecturers per semester and 2 major
competitions.
ENGR 101, Intro to Computer Programming.
Another intensive first-year course covering engineering problem solving through computing.
Problem solving and program design using both Matlab and C++. 6 major projects throughout the
semester. Collaborate with 2 other instructional faculty to teach in sync across 3 separate lectures.
Requires management and guidance of 700 first-year undergraduate students (total across the 3
lectures), 9 graduate student instructors, 6 undergraduate instructional assistants, and 5 graders.
Hydrostatics Short Course (YouTube).
Video lectures on ship geometry, hydrostatics, intact stability, and damage stability (slides here).
Xplore Engineering workshops, 2013-2017.
current research areas
Effects of project-based learning and teams on first-year undergraduate engineering students
Recognizing and removing implicit bias in the classroom
recent grants and contracts
University of Michigan -- Office of Academic Innovation, “Tandem – a team support tool,” Academic Innovation Grant, $9,480, July 1, 2018. Faculty sponsors: Dr. Laura K. Alford, Dr. Robin Fowler, Dr. Stephanie Sheffield.
University of Michigan -- Faculty Communities for Inclusive Teaching, “Addressing the Impact of Implicit Bias on Teams in Introductory Engineering Courses,” $1000, January 8, 2016, PI: Dr. Laura K. Alford.
selected publications
Fischer, J. L., Filip, G. P., Alford, L. K., Roseman, E. F., & Vaccaro, L., 2020. Supporting aquatic habitat remediation in the Detroit River through numerical simulation. Geomorphology, Volume 353, 107001, ISSN 0169-555X. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2019.107001.
Alford, L. K., & DeOrio, A., 2019. Student Perceptions of Their Abilities and Learning Environment in Large Introductory Computer Programming Courses - Underrepresented Minorities. Proceedings of the 2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Tampa, Florida. https://peer.asee.org/33297 [Best Diversity Paper, ECE Division]
Fowler, R., Alford, L. K., Coller, J. A., Sheffield, S., & Su, M. P., 2019. Student Perceptions of Teamwork Support. Proceedings of the 2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Tampa, Florida. https://peer.asee.org/33296
Alford, L. K., & Bertacco, V., 2018. "Student Perceptions of Their Abilities and Learning Environment in Large Introductory Computer Programming Courses – One Year Later", Proceedings of the 2018 Annual Conference of the American Society for Engineering Education, Salt Lake City, Utah. https://peer.asee.org/31012
Alford, L. K., Dorf, M.L., Bertacco, V., 2017. "Student Perceptions of Their Abilities and Learning Environment in Large Introductory Computer Programming Courses," Proceedings of the 2017 Annual Conference of the American Society for Engineering Education, Columbus, OH. https://peer.asee.org/28867
Sheffield, S., Fowler, R., Alford, L. K., Snyder, K., 2017. "Implementing a Single Holistic Rubric to Address Both Communication and Technical Criteria in a First Year Design-Build-Test-Communicate Class," Proceedings of the 2017 Annual Conference of the American Society for Engineering Education, Columbus, OH. https://peer.asee.org/28479
Coller, J. A., Su, M., Alford, L. K., Sheffield, S., Fowler, R., 2017. "Assessment of Peer Mentoring of Teams in a First-Year Design-Build-Test-Communicate Class," Proceedings of the 2017 Annual Conference of the American Society for Engineering Education, Columbus, OH. https://peer.asee.org/27636
Alford, L. K., Lyzenga, D., Nwogu, O., Beck, R. F., Johnson, J. T., Zundel, A., Andrews, M., Coller, J., Katz, E., McKelvey, C., O'Brien, A., Smith, G., Wijesundara, S., 2016. “Performance Evaluation of a Multi-Ship System for Environmental and Ship Motion Forecasting,” 31st Symposium on Naval Hydrodynamics, Monterey, California.
Alford, L. K., and Maki, K. J., 2015. “Generating Large Deterministic Water Waves for Numerical Simulation,” In MODSIM World 2015.
Alford, L. K., Beck, R. F., Johnson, J. T., Lyzenga, D., Nwogu, O., and Zundel, A., 2015. “A Real-Time System For Forecasting Extreme Waves And Vessel Motions,” In ASME 34th International Conference on Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering (OMAE 2015).
Alford, L. K., and Maki, K. J., 2015. “Effects Of Third-Order Nonlinearities On The Fourier Representation Of Deterministic Wave Trains,” In ASME 34th International Conference on Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering (OMAE 2015).
Alford, L. K., Beck, R. F., Johnson, J. T., Lyzenga, D., Nwogu, O., and Zundel, A., 2014. “Design, implementation, and evaluation of a system for environmental and ship motion forecasting,” 30th Symposium on Naval Hydrodynamics, Hobart, Australia.
Alford, L. K., Fowler, R., Sheffield, S., 2014. "Evolution of Student Attitudes Toward Teamwork in a Project-based, Team- based First Year Introductory Engineering Course," Proceedings of the 2014 Annual Conference of the American Society for Engineering Education, Indianapolis.
conference presentations
(the ones I've gotten around to posting, at any rate)
Evolution of Student Attitudes Toward Teamwork in a Project-based, Team- based First Year Introductory Engineering Course, ASEE Annual Conference, 2014
The Next Step: Microplastic Pollution Prevention, IAGLR, 2014
posters
Combating Implicit Gender Bias in Introductory Computer Programming Courses, CRLT-Engin Research and Scholarship in Engineering Education Poster Fair, April 19, 2016.
invited talks
“Microplastics in Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair,” Lake Erie/Lake St. Clair Citizen’s Fishery Advisory Committee, October 31, 2013.
other media
Hydrostatics Short Course [youtube.com]
Microplastics Pollution in the Great Lakes Ecosystem: Summary of Presentations at IAGLR 2014, Alford, L. K., Corcoran, P. L., Driedger, A., Duhaime, M., Dürr, H., Helm, P., Mason, S. A., Norris, T., Lake Scientist, July 16, 2014.
honors and awards
North Campus Deans' MLK Spirit Award, 2021
Provost's Teaching Innovation Prize, 2020 (with Dr. Robin Fowler and Dr. Stephanie Sheffield)
ECE Division Best Diversity Paper, ASEE Annual Conference: 2019
NCWIT NEXT Award, 2nd Place: 2017
NA&ME Departmental Award: 2016
National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship: 2003
Rackham Engineering Award II: 2002
memberships
American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE)