Jon Sticklen

Contact

sticklen@mtu.edu
906-487-3057
Cell: 517-285-8431 voice or text
Dillman 205C

Associate Professor, Engineering Fundamentals
Affiliated Associate Professor, Cognitive and Learning Sciences

PhD, Computer Science, Ohio State University
MSc, Computer Science, Ohio State University
MS, Astronomy, Columbia University

Biography

Dr. Sticklen has an academic career spanning four decades and two major disciplines. His two major areas of expertise lie broadly in theory and, secondly, applications for artificial intelligence/knowledge-based systems and the pedagogies of active learning theory and application for early engineering education. In his academic careers, Dr. Sticklen has been lab director for AI/KBS Lab at Michigan State, the director of the Center for Engineering Education Research (MSU), the director of the BS in Applied Engineering Sciences program (MSU), and Chairperson of the Engineering Fundamentals department at Michigan Tech.

Links of Interest

Jon Sticklen CV

Innovation in Education

Infusion of systems viewpoints to applied engineering sciences
Growth in enrollment achievement
Led a strong faculty team to systemically reimagine and implement the Tech First-Year Engineering Program

Research Interests

Factors enhancing student engagement in their own learning
Systemic approaches to distance learning that enhance active learning, and
Applications of Design Thinking as an exemplar of client-centered design with application to Problem/Project-based learning

Research

In research, Dr. Sticklen has contributed substantially to the body of knowledge for AI/Knowledge-Based Systems and Early Engineering Education, as shown in his publication background. According to Google Scholar, Dr. Sticklen's publications have been cited over 1,500 times, with an all-time h-index value of 20 and an all-time i10 index of 39. (Both h and i10 indices are measures of research productivity as reflected in the numbers of citations.)
At root, Dr. Sticklen revels in the successes of others, students in particular. He enjoys participating in and leading the building of educational programs. His current hot-button research areas are:
- Factors enhancing student engagement in their own learning,
- Systemic approaches to distance learning that enhance active learning, and
- Applications of Design Thinking as an exemplar of client-centered design with application to Problem/Project-based learning

Current Funded Research

Supporting Learning and Enhancement of Programming Competencies Through Use of Immediate Critiques of Antipatterns in Novice Programmer Code National Science Foundation #2142309, Leo Ureel-PI, Co-PIs: Jon Sticklen, Laura Brown & Michelle Jarvie-Eggart, $599,732, 5/1/22-4/30/25

Innovation in Education

In the role of innovator in education, Dr. Sticklen, along with Dr. Ron Rosenberg, brought a fresh perspective focused on the infusion of systems viewpoints to the Applied Engineering Sciences major at MSU.
As a second example, over a five-year time, from 2009 to 2014, enrollment in this program grew from approximately 150 students to approximately 350 students.
Likewise, at Michigan Tech, as the new Chairperson of Engineering Fundamentals in 2014, Dr. Sticklen led a very talented and devoted faculty to a systemic renovation of the first-year engineering program at Tech.