麻豆视频

Azadeh Bolhari is turning traditional engineering research on its head, opening her lab to the public for input on research.

鈥淎s engineers, historically we鈥檙e trained that we went to engineering school and we鈥檙e the experts, but I want to find solutions working with a community so they have a voice that鈥檚 equal to mine,鈥� Bolhari said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e giving the community access to labs, tools, knowledge and expertise. I also learn from them, too.鈥�

Bolhari, an associate teaching professor of civil, environmental and architectural engineering, created a novel rain barrel project that combined sustainability and recycling in an underserved Latinx community in central Texas.

In an area plagued by drought, she invited community members to build rain barrels by mixing leftover paint with cement. Acrylic concrete made of 80 percent paint and 20 percent Portland cement is increasingly being recognized as a uniquely strong and flexible material for home and industrial uses.

Participants made rain barrels and catchment systems and installed them at home. They were also given tools to collect samples weekly to track water quality and safety.

鈥淭his community values using what they have rather than going to Home Depot and buying a $100 rain barrel system. And they鈥檙e proud of what they designed and are sharing it with their neighbors. If they had just bought something, there wouldn鈥檛 be that additional interest,鈥� Bolhari said.

She sees the project as a way to tap into community strengths in an environmentally friendly way.

鈥淭his is a solution that works with a neighborhood so they can be more drought resilient,鈥� Bolhari said. 鈥淚鈥檓 passionate about tapping into strengths and resources that are already there.鈥�

It is a mindset she also brings into the classroom. Bolhari uses participatory action research to transform the way she teaches, particularly for students on the autism spectrum.

鈥淎 significant percentage of engineering students identify as being on the spectrum, but retention for them is so low even though research shows their contributions to engineering science are huge,鈥� Bolhari said. 鈥淏oeing has a specific job line for people on the spectrum because they acknowledge the value of that viewpoint. So I want to know how neurodivergent and neurotypical students can both feel included in lectures.鈥�

Through a National Science Foundation grant, Bolhari has recruited students on the spectrum to develop a study on ways to teach equitably and enhance students鈥� self-efficacy.

鈥淏oth projects are the difference between quantitative research, which we鈥檙e trained on as engineers, and qualitative research,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hen I started with participatory action research, I knew nothing about social science; I was purely engineering. Now I鈥檓 in between, in this interdisciplinary gray zone. It鈥檚 a whole new environment and has real potential for positive change.鈥�