Susan Lowes
Papers
8
Total Citations
66
H-Index
5
About
Susan Lowes is a leading researcher in K-12 STEM education, specializing in the integration of engineering, robotics, and computer science into traditional classrooms. Her most impactful work centers on the **Build IT project**, a university-school collaboration that uses underwater robotics—specifically LEGO Mindstorms kits—to boost student interest and achievement in science, mathematics, and engineering. Lowes’s major contributions include demonstrating how challenge-based robotics curricula can measurably improve students’ understanding of programming, engineering design, and 21st-century skills. Her 2020 paper on middle and high school students’ learning through a LEGO underwater robotics challenge has garnered **16 citations**, while her 2015 study on challenge-based robotics and her 2012 work on underwater robotics each have **11 citations**. She has also explored how to infuse non-traditional engineering projects into conventional classrooms and how to assess them effectively. Notably, Lowes’s research emphasizes broadening participation in computing, particularly for under-represented students, through practical, hands-on interventions. Her work provides a compelling model for making STEM accessible and engaging, showing that even complex engineering concepts can be taught effectively through creative, real-world challenges.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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- 3Robots Underwater! Learning Science, Engineering and 21st Century Skills11 citations · 2012
- 4
- 5Building bridges: the 2006 summer institute10 citations · 2008
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- 7Transforming a Middle and High School Robotics Curriculum3 citations · 2020
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