Dr. Jonathan Gaines is an Instructor II in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of South Florida and the current Director of First Year Experiential Education and Learning. His expertise is in the areas of data acquisition, mechatronics, and engineering education research with emphasis on engineering identity and service-learning. In addition, he has developed multiple outreach initiatives in the Tampa Bay area that leverage the engineering design process to promote STEM education. Most notably, he is the creator and director of Bulls-Engineering Youth Experience Mentoring (Bulls-EYE Mentoring) at the University of South Florida which hires undergraduate students to mentor local youth during summers. Bulls-EYE Mentoring is NSF funded and in 2018 hired over 40 undergraduate students and invited over 75 middle school kids to campus.

He has also led initiatives to transform experiential learning at the University of South Florida. With formal training in service-learning, he wrote the curriculum for and coordinates USF's creative thinking based first year engineering design course around problem based learning. He also has revitalized his department's lab based courses around experiential learning and National Instruments hardware and software. In addition, he has developed student centered curriculum with training in course gamification, cultural competency, and leadership development. He also promotes the incorporation of makerspaces in formal and informal educational settings as a founding committee member for the USF Design for X Lab. This lab provides undergraduate students with access to 3D printer and laser cutter technology to promote student projects.

• Gaines, J. E. "Re-imagining a first year design course to incorporate service-learning while minimizing traditional challenges", 10th ASEE First Year Engineering Experience Conference, Glassboro, NJ, July 2018.
• Gaines, J. E., Bergman, V. "Bulls-Engineering Youth Experience: promoting relationships, identity development, and empowerment for first year students through outreach", 9th ASEE First Year Engineering Experience Conference, Daytona Beach, FL, August 2017.
• Gaines, J. E., Wilson, J. A. "Bulls Engineering Youth Experience: Culturally competent STEM mentoring", 7th First Year Engineering Experience Conference, Roanoke, VA, August 2015.
• Gaines, J. E., Wilson, J. A. "LADDER: A hierarchical mentoring model bridging the gap between middle school and high school", 8th Annual Mentoring Conference, Albequerque, NM, October 2015.
• Gaines, J. E., Joseph, B., Aden-Bouie, G. "Introduction to Engineering Design: Piloting design projects for the first year engineering experience", FYEE Annual Conference, College Station, TX, August 2014.

Mechanical Engineering Department