Embedded Files
As the final project for CEE 450: Behavioral Science for Engineering Designers, students created podcast episodes that apply course concepts to real-world topics. These episodes challenge students to communicate complex ideas through inclusive, accessible storytelling—and to reflect critically on the role of engineering in society.
Each podcast is a unique exploration of how infrastructure design intersects with human behavior, ethics, and equity. Students chose their own topics and developed their own narrative voices, drawing from interviews, personal experiences, and course materials.
I'm proud to share their work here.
Winter 2024
Status Quo Bias in Transportation Engineering
From the ill-fated saga of the Katy Freeway to the contentious expansion plans of the I-35 Capital Expressway, join me in unraveling the tangled web of biased decision-making that plague the transportation engineering and design industry.
In this episode, we cover:
· Status Quo Bias in engineers
· The Katy Freeway Expansion project and induced demand
· Recycled transportation project designs
· Current research on status quo bias
· Implementable countermeasures for bias
This episode was produced and edited by Katherine Peacock as a part of the Behavioral Science for Engineering Designers course at the University of Washington.
The Mere Exposure Effect, and how it relates to the Transportation Infrastructure around you.
Have you ever wondered why advertising companies decide to inundate you with repeated exposure to ads? This methodology that many corporations use actually has some scientific merit through a cognitive bias we hold, named the Mere Exposure Effect.
In this podcast episode we cover:
· What the Mere Exposure Effect is
· What are the positive and negative aspects of its current applications and research
· How it can be applied to something such as Transportation Infrastructure, exploring it within the realm of Civil Engineering.
· What you can do to counter this effect
This podcast episode was published and edited by Jake Paulsene as part of the Behavioral Science for Engineering Designers course at the University of Washington.
Motivating Uncertainty Effect
Victoria Zdanovski, a civil engineering undergraduate at the University of Washington, explores uncertainty in engineering design. She discusses how codes and standards mitigate risks but also addresses challenges such as material variability, especially in concrete. While uncertainty can motivate thoroughness in design, it can also be demotivating, particularly in addressing issues like climate change. Despite these challenges, civil engineers play a crucial role in public safety, albeit with room for improvement in infrastructure. Zdanovski's discussion highlights the importance of managing uncertainty in engineering practice.
Fun Fact: Victoria learned and recorded her own intro music for this project!
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