During summer 2024, Dr. Yunmei Liu mentored Jessica Elliott and Steven Martell, teachers at Henry County High School, through the University of Louisville's NSF Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) program. Their Fatigue Monitoring project brought physiological sensing and data analysis into a summer research experience for educators.

2024 NSF RET cohort outside the J. B. Speed School of Engineering; photo from Aqlan Lab
2024 NSF RET cohort. Photo source: Aqlan Lab.

RET Site in Manufacturing Simulation and Automation
Led by Dr. Faisal Aqlan · NSF Award 2204601

From Sensor Signals to Research Questions

Working with EmotiBit physiological data, the teachers progressed from visualizing signals to extracting features and comparing them with logged task events. Their research explored skin conductance and heart-rate variability in the context of fatigue monitoring. They prepared a research poster and shared their final presentation slides with Dr. Liu on July 29.

Connecting Research and Teaching

The RET Site pairs laboratory research with lesson planning and curriculum development. Mentoring teachers through this process supports connections between university research and classroom learning, giving educators direct experience with the questions, tools, and interpretation involved in engineering research.

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