The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies is transforming many fields, and engineering education is no exception. As engineering disciplines increasingly integrate complex problem-solving and analytical skills, the need for fostering critical thinking among students has become one of the most desirable outcomes in higher education. Critical thinking implies having the ability to analyze a problem, evaluate evidence and construct arguments. The aim of this work was to explore the potential of AI as a tool to enhance critical thinking and learning outcomes in a biochemistry course for engineering students. During the course, students develop a research-based project in which they attempt to propose a strategy for cancer treatment based on biomolecules and other course topics. The instructions of the project integrated ChatGPT as an information gathering tool where the intention was to assess the students' ability to critically analyze the quality of the information obtained and compare the information with traditional databases. Learning was determined by means of a standardized test and the results were compared to a control group. A survey was conducted as a data collection instrument where criteria associated with students' perception regarding the integration of AI in the course were assessed. Exam grades were significantly higher in the AI group ($85.3 \pm 10.03$) compared to the control group ($78.4 \pm 14.55$), with the difference being statistically significant ($p=0.031$). Regarding the survey, only a few students considered the information provided by AI tools to be completely reliable (12.7 %). Most students held neutral views on the ethics of using AI, reported moderate use of these tools and believed AI partially helped improve their academic performance. Additionally, students felt that AI provided motivation and helped improve the quality of their projects. Most students found it necessary to verify the information obtained from AI tools. They also believed AI made it easier to generate ideas for their projects and simplified project development. Furthermore, they expressed a desire to work on more projects incorporating this type of tools from the start, and almost all students wanted their professors to train them in using AI as part of their academic development. This suggests that students generally perceive AI as a useful tool for enhancing creativity and simplifying the project process. By integrating AI into research projects, engineering students can gain valuable assistance across various stages of the research process, from planning and data analysis to communication and critical reflection, ultimately enhancing their problem-solving skills and learning outcomes.

Entrepreneurial universities emphasize teaching, research, and community outreach, with entrepreneurial education playing a vital role in fostering an entrepreneurial culture and achieving social and economic impact. While entrepreneurial education is well-established in business programs, its integration into non-business disciplines, such as engineering, presents unique challenges, including aligning entrepreneurial content with technical curricula and measuring outcomes effectively. This study examines the impact of delivering Small Doses of Entrepreneurial Content (SDEC) on senior biotechnology students' key entrepreneurial competencies-decision-making, resilience, and opportunity recognition. The SDEC was integrated into a course through a “Learning Kit” comprising lectures, workshops, entrepreneurial talks, and project evaluations. Using a pre-and post-intervention design with validated scales and statistical analyses, the study revealed significant gains in specific decision-making and opportunity recognition skills, particularly among students with prior entrepreneurial exposure. This research contributes to the literature by addressing the challenges of designing entrepreneurial education in non-business disciplines and offering a scalable, transversal approach that complements technical curricula. The findings underscore the potential for embedding entrepreneurial education across diverse disciplines and provide a practical reference for educators seeking to implement such interventions effectively.

This paper explores the introduction of problem-based learning (PBL) in Biomedical Engineering at Tecnologico de Monterrey, comparing experiences from 2014 to 2019 between medical and biomedical engineering students. Medical students consistently outperform biomedical engineering counterparts, attributed to higher admission standards. Despite minor improvements in biomedical engineering grades, the differences remain statistically insignificant. Initial challenges for students involve adapting to a self-directed learning model. Biomedical engineers excel in cell biology compared to biochemistry courses. Students recognize PBL's benefits in acquiring theoretical knowledge and facing intellectual challenges, emphasizing its value in biomedical engineering education. We conclude that PBL implementation should be considered in other engineering courses.

Service-Based Learning (SBL) is an educational approach that integrates theory and practice by linking academic learning with the practical application of engineering skills in community service projects. In engineering education, this approach seeks to provide students with meaningful experiences that contribute to the well-being of society while developing their technical and professional skills. The aim of this project was to compare the effects of conducting a research project based on real community needs focused on solving a social problem related to the consumption of addictive substances and brain damage. This project was carried out with senior students of chemical and biotechnology engineering in collaboration with a non-governmental, non-profit organization (NGO) focused on the treatment and prevention of addictions in marginalized communities. During the winter semester of 2023, undergraduate bioengineering students with a specialization in pharmaceutics had different moments of interaction with the NGO. The students developed a research project and a supplement proposal and presented the results of their research to community members, who evaluated the functionality, the degree of innovation of the proposal, and the students' ability to disseminate scientific information in their community. Learning was determined by means of a standardized test compared to a control group. To determine motivation, the MUSIC inventory of academic motivation was applied, and a survey of community members was used to evaluate the research project. Data analysis was conducted using the Shapiro-Wilk normality test and the Mann-Whitney test. Experimental and control group exam results were compared. The results suggest that the experimental group exam result was higher (p-value = 0.002). Students reported that they felt highly motivated by the research project, especially in the categories of usefulness, success, and interest. In addition, students reported interest in continuing the research project in the future and continuing to investigate social issues. The community considered the project innovative, perceived that the students were involved in the project, and considered the research proposal useful for its users. Our results suggest that the application of SBL projects promotes the interest of students in research, enhancing theoretical knowledge, but also fosters the growth of social awareness and interpersonal abilities. Furthermore, by emphasizing the moral use of technology to enhance people's lives and solve social and environmental issues, SBL encourages social responsibility in engineers.

One of the Biotechnology Engineering (BE) education pillars is to train students to be committed to protecting the quality, safety, and efficacy of bioproducts, promoting respect and professional responsibility. This leads us to the following questions: How to make students aware of the fundamental ethical aspects of clinical research? This project's main objective was to immerse students in a real-life scenario where they designed and submitted a clinical research protocol to an Institutional Review Board (IRB). We assessed the development of ethical sensitivity and technical knowledge through this experiential learning strategy compared to a conventional learning method. The didactic intervention was conducted in the fall semester of 2018 (PBD18) with senior BE students, and we compared the results with a conventional learning method on different groups. For PBD18, the activity included the following: a team project consisting of the design, IRB submission, execution of a basic clinical protocol, technical report, final presentation, and an individual essay. All groups were evaluated with an exam. The project presentation was graded and evaluated by faculty members. PBD18 students designed two randomized non-invasive clinical protocols that were IRB approved and recruited 60 healthy subjects. The IRB presentation was a formal, dynamic, and fulfilling experience. This activity prepared them to perform the presentation for faculty evaluators better than other groups (p<; 0.001). In terms of knowledge, groups' grades were significative different (p =0.039). By including research projects associated with experiential scenarios, students were sensitized on bioethical principles in clinical research. Students' interaction with the IRB allowed lifelong learning, making the assignment more challenging and meaningful.