Aligning Academia with Industry: An AI-Powered Curriculum Intelligence Platform for STEM
Sana Bhimani
Instructor – Data Science
Southern Arkansas University Tech
East Camden, Arkansas, USA
sbhimani@sautech.edu
and
Master of Science in Business Analytics
Southern Arkansas University
Magnolia, Arkansas, USA
snbhimani4496@muleriders.saumag.edu
Seema Powar and Dr. Hayder Zhgair
Southern Arkansas University
Magnolia, Arkansas, US
spowar7925@muleriders.saumag.edu, hrzghair@saumag.edu
Abstract
Although higher education aims to establish a lifelong foundation in STEM principles, the rapid transformation of the industrial landscape has resulted in a perceived readiness gap among new graduates. To contextualize this issue, this study conducts a foundational literature review of 20 articles—selected from an initial pool of 50—examining the STEM skills gap across various disciplines. Building on this review, the research investigates the misalignment between academic preparation and the immediate expectations of the contemporary workforce at the entry-level hiring stage. The methodology employs a comparative content analysis of two distinct datasets: public STEM course syllabi and a curated sample of 200–500 entry-level job postings. This analysis utilizes a Keyword Grouping framework to categorize required competencies into three domains: Technical (tool-specific proficiency), Analytical (theoretical foundations and logic), and Communication (interpersonal and professional skills). By calculating an alignment score, the study evaluates the hypothesis of a "Category Mismatch," wherein academic institutions prioritize analytical foundations while the labor market demands immediate technical fluency. Ultimately, this research establishes the foundational framework for developing an automated, reproducible tool designed to systematically quantify and evaluate the specific skill gap between higher education curricula and evolving job market demands, enabling institutions to dynamically incorporate market-driven technical tools without compromising academic rigor.
Keywords
Curriculum Improvement, STEM Syllabi, Workforce Readiness, Skill Gap Tool, Career-Ready.
Biographies
Sana Bhimani is a graduate of SAU and currently works at SAUTech as an instructor for Data Science. Her academic and professional focus centers on Data Science, STEM, and workforce readiness. Her academic and professional focus centers on Data Science, STEM education, and workforce readiness. Dedicated to bridging the gap between academic preparation and industry demands, she has successfully completed a previous research project in collaboration with Dr. Hayder Zhgair titled "Simulation as a Strategic Decision-Support Tool: A Review of Current Practices and Future Directions." Currently, she is partnering with Dr. Zhgair and Seema Powar on an ongoing study to systematically quantify and evaluate the misalignment between higher-education STEM syllabi and entry-level workforce expectations. Through her instruction and collaborative research at both SAUTech and SAU, she aims to provide higher education institutions with actionable, data-driven frameworks for effectively integrating market-driven tools into theoretical curricula.
Seema Powar is an undergraduate student at SAU pursuing a degree in education with an emphasis on computer science. Her academic focus bridges the gap between STEM education and workforce readiness. She is currently co-authoring research that uses comparative content analysis to examine the misalignment between academic STEM syllabi and entry-level job-market requirements. Her ongoing work contributes to the development of a Keyword Grouping framework designed to systematically quantify the skills gap across technical, analytical, and communication domains. Through her undergraduate research at SAU, she is dedicated to identifying actionable insights that can help align theoretical curricula with the practical, market-driven tools expected of new graduates entering the contemporary workforce.
Dr. Hayder Zghair is an Assistant Professor of Industrial Engineering and the Director of Industrial Engineering Development at Southern Arkansas University (SAU). He earned his Ph.D. and M.S. in Manufacturing Systems Engineering from Lawrence Technological University, alongside a B.S. and M.S. in Industrial and Production Engineering from the University of Technology. Before joining SAU, he served as an Assistant Teaching Professor at Pennsylvania State University and a lecturer at Kettering University. Dr. Zghair’s research encompasses Flexible-Automated Manufacturing, Robotics, Sustainability Engineering, Analytical Modeling, Simulation, Optimization, and Industry 4.0/5.0 technologies like AI and IIoT. Currently, he is collaborating with Sana Bhimani and Seema Powar to investigate the STEM skills gap and to develop analytical frameworks to align academic curricula with entry-level workforce demands. An active leader in the engineering community, he serves on the Board of Directors for the ASEE Environmental Engineering Division and is an Affiliate Researcher at the Penn State Institute of Energy and the Environment. He holds professional memberships in ASEE, INFORMS, SAE, and IEOM, and actively mentors students as the faculty advisor for the SAE, SAU Baja, and IEOM student chapters at SAU.