DeLean Tolbert Smith, PhD
Teaching Areas:
Human Centered Engineering DesignResearch Areas:
Engineering EducationBiography and Education
Expertise Overview
DeLean Tolbert Smith, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. Her research sits at the intersection of engineering education, design studies, human-centered design, and informal learning environments.
Dr. Tolbert Smith’s scholarship focuses on broadening participation and fostering equity in STEM pathways by examining how Black and African American families and communities cultivate early interest in engineering, inventive activities, and design thinking. Utilizing qualitative and mixed-methods approaches, including granular video and audio interaction analysis, narrative inquiry, and chronological role-mapping, her research highlights the assets, familial capital, and dynamic role-negotiations that occur during collaborative, real-world problem-solving. Through her work, she aims to disrupt deficit narratives in STEM education and design inclusive learning experiences that empower historically minoritized youth and their families.
Education
Ph.D., Engineering Education, Purdue University, 2017
M.S., Industrial and Operations Engineering, University of Michigan, 2011
B.S., Electrical Engineering, University of Michigan-Dearborn, 2010
Teaching and Research
Courses Taught
- ENGR 100: Introduction to Engineering and Engineering Design
- HCED 220: Engineering Design Communication
- ENGR 360: Design Thinking: Process, Method & Practice
- IMSE 4951: Design Project I
- IMSE 4952: Design Project II
Research
- Black/African American Familial Capital in STEM: Investigating how Black parents, family members, and community networks support, guide, and sustain middle-school-aged youth's interest in engineering and design problem-solving.
- Role Negotiation in Informal Engineering Environments: Using video-based interaction and transcript analysis to study real-time decision-making, dominant roles (e.g., leadership, tinkering, problem-solving), and collaborative dynamics within families engaging in hands-on design challenges.
- Human-Centered & Equitable Design: Examining student design processes, practices in early engineering labs, and the integration of emerging tools (such as Generative AI and MATLAB) in first-year engineering design courses.
Selected Publications
- Tolbert Smith, D. (2022). “ They are here to support me”: Community cultural wealth assets and precollege experiences of undergraduate Black men in engineering. Journal of Engineering Education, 111(4), 750–769. https://doi.org/10.1002/jee.20480
- Smith, D. T., Ejichukwu, E. O., & Kolawole, B. (2026, June). " Alright, Let's Do This!": An Exploration of Role-Taking Amongst Families in Informal Learning Environments (Fundamental). In 2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition.
- Ejichukwu, E. O., & Smith, D. T. (2026, June). Generative AI Use in a First-Year Engineering Design Course: Students’ Practices in Design Labs and MATLAB. In 2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition.