Education
MS, Colorado School of Mines
BS, Michigan State University
Biography
Sarah Lanci received her Bachelor of Science in Materials Science and Engineering from Michigan State University and went on to receive her Master of Science in Metallurgical Engineering from Colorado School of Mines. Lanci worked as a part and process engineer at an investment casting facility, PCC Structurals, in Portland, Oregon, for seven years before relocating to Grand Junction in 2014.
An assistant professor of mechanical engineering in the Colorado Mesa University and University of Colorado-Boulder Partnership Program, Lanci teaches First-Year Engineering Projects, Manufacturing Processes and Systems, Engineering Economics and Ethics, Materials Science lecture and laboratory, Writing for Senior Design Projects and more. Her classes involve hands-on projects to engage students in team work and encourage them to think critically. She incorporates activities focused on improving technical communication in all of her classes to better prepare students for jobs in engineering.
Lanci's research interests focus on engineering education, specifically how makerspaces are used and incorporated into undergraduate engineering curriculums and how they impact student learning and motivation.
Outside of work, Lanci enjoys taking advantage of the nearby mountain biking and hiking trails, rivers and ski areas.
Publications
Lanci, S., Nadelson, L. S., Bouwma-Gearhart, J., Villanueva, I., Youmans, K., & Lenz, A. (2018). Developing a measure of engineering students’ makerspace learning, perceptions and interactions. Proceedings of the American Society of Engineering Education Annual Conference and Exposition, Salt Lake City, UT
I. Villanueva, L. Nadelson, J. Bouwma-Gearhart, K. Youmans, S. Lanci, & A. Lenz. Exploring students’ and instructors’ perceptions of engineering: case studies of professionally-focused and career exploration courses. 2018 American Society of Engineering Education, LEES Division, Salt Lake City, UT.
Maclean, S.H., Pavlina, E.J., VanTyne, C.J., Bending Properties of Boron Sheet Steel Processed with Variable Cooling Rates, In Proc of 9th ICTP Conf, 2008