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CRP: Collaborative Research Project (A Mathematical Research Experience for Undergraduates)
Parsley, Jason; Rusinko, Joseph
The "Collaborative Research Project" ("CRP")--a mathematics research experience for undergraduates--offers a large-scale collaborative experience in research for undergraduate students. CRP seeks to widen the audience of students who participate in undergraduate research in mathematics. In 2015, the inaugural CRP had 100…
Leading Undergraduate Research Projects in Mathematical Modeling
Seshaiyer, Padmanabhan
In this article, we provide some useful perspectives and experiences in mentoring students in undergraduate research (UR) in mathematical modeling using differential equations. To engage students in this topic, we present a systematic approach to the creation of rich problems from real-world phenomena; present mathematical models that are derived…
Student Perceptions on Live-Case Projects: Undergraduate Marketing Research
Gundala, Raghava Rao; Singh, Mandeep; Baldwin, Andrew
This paper is an investigation into undergraduate students' perceptions on use of live projects as a teaching pedagogy in marketing research courses. Students in undergraduate marketing research courses from fall 2009 to spring 2013 completed an online questionnaire consisting of 17 items. The results suggested that student understanding of…
SAGE as a Source for Undergraduate Research Projects
Hutz, Benjamin
This article examines the use of the computer algebra system SAGE for undergraduate student research projects. After reading this article, the reader should understand the benefits of using SAGE as a source of research projects and how to commence working with SAGE. The author proposes a tiered working group model to allow maximum benefit to the…
Linguistic analysis of project ownership for undergraduate research experiences.
Hanauer, D I; Frederick, J; Fotinakes, B; Strobel, S A
We used computational linguistic and content analyses to explore the concept of project ownership for undergraduate research. We used linguistic analysis of student interview data to develop a quantitative methodology for assessing project ownership and applied this method to measure degrees of project ownership expressed by students in relation to different types of educational research experiences. The results of the study suggest that the design of a research experience significantly influences the degree of project ownership expressed by students when they describe those experiences. The analysis identified both positive and negative aspects of project ownership and provided a working definition for how a student experiences his or her research opportunity. These elements suggest several features that could be incorporated into an undergraduate research experience to foster a student's sense of project ownership.
ChE Undergraduate Research Projects in Biomedical Engineering.
Stroeve, Pieter
Describes an undergraduate research program in biomedical engineering at the State University of New York at Buffalo. Includes goals and faculty comments on the program. Indicates that 58 percent of projects conducted between 1976 and 1980 have been presented at meetings or published. (SK)
Project Report: Undergraduate Student Research Program (USRP)
Gavin, Patricia
To better understand geochemical processes occurring on Europa's seafloor, we investigated the effects of varying Fe?content in the seafloor rock and varying temperature. Iron is important in such geochemical processes as the production of methane through serpentinization (e.g. Allen and Seyfried, 2003) and can be a nutrient for microbes (Russell and Hall, 2006; Park and Kim, 2001). It can also offer clues as to the state of differentiation of Europa's core/mantle. If Europa is fully differentiated and contains an iron core, we would expect there to be little iron in the mantle and ocean floor whereas a homogeneous Europa would have iron evenly dispersed throughout the ocean floor. Furthermore, the composition of the ocean is a result of water?rock interactions at the seafloor. This project investigated the effects of temperature on geochemical processes, comparing high temperature (> 250oC) hydrothermal vents (Kelley et al., 2001) to lower temperature (20oC) cold seeps (e.g. Orphan et al., 2002).
The Polaris Project: Undergraduate Research Catalyzing Advances in Arctic Science
Schade, J. D.; Holmes, R. M.; Natali, S.; Mann, P. J.; Bunn, A. G.; Frey, K. E.
With guidance and sufficient resources, undergraduates can drive the exploration of new research directions, lead high impact scientific products, and effectively communicate the value of science to the public. As mentors, we must recognize the strong contribution undergraduates make to the advancement of scientific understanding and their unique ability and desire to be transdisciplinary and to translate ideas into action. Our job is to be sure students have the resources and tools to successfully explore questions that they care about, not to provide or lead them towards answers we already have. The central goal of the Polaris Project is to advance understanding of climate change in the Arctic through an integrated research, training, and outreach program that has at its heart a research expedition for undergraduates to a remote field station in the Arctic. Our integrative approach to training provides undergraduates with strong intellectual development and they bring fresh perspectives, creativity, and a unique willingness to take risks on new ideas that have an energizing effect on research and outreach. Since the projects inception in summer 2008, we have had >90 undergraduates participate in high-impact field expeditions and outreach activities. Over the years, we have also been fortunate enough to attract an ethnically, racially, and culturally diverse group of students, including students from Puerto Rico, Hispanic-, African- and Native-Americans, members of the LGBT community, and first-generation college students. Most of these students have since pursued graduate degrees in ecology, and many have received NSF fellowships and Fulbright scholarships. One of our major goals is to increase the diversity of the scientific community, and we have been successful in our short-term goal of recruiting and retaining a diverse group of students. The goal of this presentation is to provide a description of the mentoring model at the heart of the Polaris Project
Using Group Research Projects to Stimulate Undergraduate Astronomy Major Learning
McGraw, Allison M.; Hardegree-Ullman, K. K.; Turner, J. D.; Shirley, Y. L.; Walker-LaFollette, A. M.; Robertson, A. N.; Carleton, T. M.; Smart, B. M.; Towner, A. P. M.; Wallace, S. C.; Smith, C. W.; Small, L. C.; Daugherty, M. J.; Guvenen, B. C.; Crawford, B. E.; Austin, C. L.; Schlingman, W. M.
The University of Arizona Astronomy Club has been working on two large group research projects since 2009. One research project is a transiting extrasolar planet project that is fully student led and run. We observed the transiting exoplanets, TrES-3b and TrES-4b, with the 1.55 meter Kupier Telescope in near-UV and optical filters in order to detect any asymmetries between filters. The second project is a radio astronomy survey utilizing the Arizona Radio Observatory 12m telescope on Kitt Peak to study molecular gas in cold cores identified by the Planck all sky survey. This project provides a unique opportunity for a large group of students to get hands-on experience observing with a world-class radio observatory. These projects involve students in every single step of the process including: proposal writing to obtain telescope time on various Southern Arizona telescopes, observing at these telescopes, data reduction and analysis, managing large data sets, and presenting results at scientific meetings and in journal publications. The primary goal of these projects is to involve students in cutting-edge research early on in their undergraduate studies. The projects are designed to be continuous long term projects so that new students can easily join. As of January 2012 the extrasolar planet project became an official independent study class. New students learn from the more experienced students on the projects creating a learner-centered environment.
Student and Faculty Outcomes of Undergraduate Science Research Projects by Geographically Dispersed Students
Shaw, Lawton; Kennepohl, Dietmar
Senior undergraduate research projects are important components of most undergraduate science degrees. The delivery of such projects in a distance education format is challenging. Athabasca University (AU) science project courses allow distance education students to complete research project courses by working with research supervisors in their…
Leniency and halo effects in marking undergraduate short research projects
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Elton Robert A
Full Text Available Abstract Background Supervisors are often involved in the assessment of projects they have supervised themselves. Previous research suggests that detailed marking sheets may alleviate leniency and halo effects. We set out to determine if, despite using such a marking schedule, leniency and halo effects were evident in the supervisors' marking of undergraduate short research projects (special study modules (SSM. Methods Review of grades awarded by supervisors, second markers and control markers to the written reports of 4th year medical students who had participated in an SSM during two full academic years (n = 399. Paired t-tests were used to compare mean marks, Pearson correlation to look at agreement between marks and multiple linear regression to test the prediction of one mark from several others adjusted for one another. Results There was a highly significant difference of approximately half a grade between supervisors and second markers with supervisors marking higher. (t = 3.12, p Conclusions This study shows that with the use of structured marking sheet for assessment of undergraduate medical students, supervisors marks are not associated with a halo effect, but leniency does occur. As supervisor assessment is becoming more common in both under graduate and postgraduate teaching new ways to improve objectivity in marking and to address the leniency of supervisors should be sought.
When Twitter Meets Advocacy: A Multicultural Undergraduate Research Project from a First-Year Seminar
Maben, Sarah; Helvie-Mason, Lora
Two professors share how they combined Web 2.0, multicultural themes, and undergraduate research in a first-year seminar. The professors explain the "perfect storm" of a project in which undergraduate students collected and analyzed tweets from advocates for various multicultural causes to produce their first collegiate research project.…
Relationship between Students' Scores on Research Methods and Statistics, and Undergraduate Project Scores
Ossai, Peter Agbadobi Uloku
This study examined the relationship between students' scores on Research Methods and statistics, and undergraduate project at the final year. The purpose was to find out whether students matched knowledge of research with project-writing skill. The study adopted an expost facto correlational design. Scores on Research Methods and Statistics for…
Ethical Review of Undergraduate Student Research Projects: A Proportionate, Transparent and Efficient Process?
Hack, Catherine J.
Undergraduate research projects in the life sciences encompass a broad range of studies, some of which may require the participation of human subjects or other activities which may raise ethical concerns. As universities are accountable for all projects undertaken under their auspices they must ensure that these projects adhere to legal…
Group-effort applied research: expanding opportunities for undergraduate research through original, class-based research projects.
Moore, Sean D; Teter, Ken
Undergraduate research clearly enriches the educational development of participating students, but these experiences are limited by the inherent inefficiency of the standard one student-one mentor model for undergraduate research. Group-effort applied research (GEAR) was developed as a strategy to provide substantial numbers of undergraduates with meaningful research experiences. The GEAR curriculum delivers concept-driven lecture material and provides hands-on training in the context of an active research project from the instructor's laboratory. Because GEAR is structured as a class, participating students benefit from intensive, supervised research training that involves a built-in network of peer support and abundant contact with faculty mentors. The class format also ensures a relatively standardized and consistent research experience. Furthermore, meaningful progress toward a research objective can be achieved more readily with GEAR than with the traditional one student-one mentor model of undergraduate research because sporadic mistakes by individuals in the class are overshadowed by the successes of the group as a whole. Three separate GEAR classes involving three distinct research projects have been offered to date. In this article, we provide an overview of the GEAR format and review some of the recurring themes for GEAR instruction. We propose GEAR can serve as a template to expand student opportunities for life science research without sacrificing the quality of the mentored research experience. © 2014 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
The Python Project: A Unique Model for Extending Research Opportunities to Undergraduate Students
Harvey, Pamela A.; Wall, Christopher; Luckey, Stephen W.; Langer, Stephen; Leinwand, Leslie A.
Undergraduate science education curricula are traditionally composed of didactic instruction with a small number of laboratory courses that provide introductory training in research techniques. Research on learning methodologies suggests this model is relatively ineffective, whereas participation in independent research projects promotes enhanced…
Coping self-efficacy of Chinese nursing undergraduates with their research projects.
Zhang, Wei; Li, Kun; Zhang, XiuMin; Chen, Li
Undergraduate nursing education includes both professional knowledge and research skills. With regard to training nursing professionals for future healthcare settings, the ability to conduct research is fundamental for nurses after they graduate from universities. However, how nursing students develop coping self-efficacy and scientific skills as a specific ability during their professional study has received little attention. We studied nursing undergraduates' scientific research ability and its associated factors in the Chinese context and evaluated their self-efficacy for coping with research tasks. A total of 134 nursing undergraduates participated in the study. A purposely designed 22-item questionnaire was used to quantify students' research ability in implementing their research projects and the associated factors. Coping self-efficacy was measured with a modified Chinese version. The mean total self-efficacy score was 50.78±6.604 (M±SD). The majority (63.4%) of the students' coping self-efficacy was at a moderate level. Having "the ability to write a manuscript before conducting research projects" (P=0.006) and "topics determined by instructors after discussion with group members" (P=0.005) were the two predictive factors of good coping self-efficacy in students. Nursing undergraduates' self-efficacy was high enough to cope with their scientific research projects, but the information on procedures needed for project application was not abundant, and new training programs might be needed to meet the needs of nursing undergraduates. We should make full use of the predictors of good coping self-efficacy and promote nursing undergraduates' research ability. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Undergraduate Research as a Process for STEM Teaching and Learning Systemic Change: Lessons Learned from the Council on Undergraduate Research NSF CCLI and TUES Projects
Ambos, E. L.; Havholm, K. G.; Malachowski, M.; Osborn, J.; Karukstis, K.
concerted efforts to affect policy, workload, tenure and promotion and resource issues, which are often core factors in any STEM education change process. Several systems are now connecting individual campus-based undergraduate research efforts more effectively, and tying undergraduate research to regional workforce and economic development programs. Many campus teams are moving their department and colleges toward curricular innovations that emphasize scaffolding undergraduate research throughout the undergraduate curriculum. An NSF EAGER/WIDER supplement to the CUR CCLI III award was received in October 2012 and expanded the scope of the project to include deeper study of the changes processes underway at each of the six systems and to tease out the factors that can either promote or retard expansion of undergraduate research as a teaching and learning paradigm. Lessons learned from one of the six systems, the University of Wisconsin, will be highlighted.
Geoscience Education Research Project: Student Benefits and Effective Design of a Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience
Kortz, Karen M.; van der Hoeven Kraft, Katrien J.
Undergraduate research has been shown to be an effective practice for learning science. While this is a popular discussion topic, there are few full examples in the literature for introductory-level students. This paper describes the Geoscience Education Research Project, an innovative course-based research experience designed for…
Undergraduate Research Involving Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students in Interdisciplinary Science Projects
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Todd Pagano
Full Text Available Scientific undergraduate research in higher education often yields positive outcomes for student and faculty member participants alike, with underrepresented students often showing even more substantial gains (academic, professional, and personal as a result of the experience. Significant success can be realized when involving deaf and hard-of-hearing (d/hh undergraduate students, who are also vastly underrepresented in the sciences, in interdisciplinary research projects. Even d/hh Associate degree level students and those in the first two years of their postsecondary careers can contribute to, and benefit from, the research process when faculty mentors properly plan/design projects. We discuss strategies, including the dissemination/communication of research results, for involving these students in research groups with different communication dynamics and share both findings of our research program and examples of successful chemical and biological research projects that have involved d/hh undergraduate students. We hope to stimulate a renewed interest in encouraging diversity and involving students with disabilities into higher education research experiences globally and across multiple scientific disciplines, thus strengthening the education and career pipeline of these students.
Undergraduate research projects help promote diversity in the geosciences
Young, De'Etra; Trimboli, Shannon; Toomey, Rick S.; Byl, Thomas D.
A workforce that draws from all segments of society and mirrors the ethnic, racial, and gender diversity of the United States population is important. The geosciences (geology, hydrology, geospatial sciences, environmental sciences) continue to lag far behind other science, technology, engineering and mathematical (STEM) disciplines in recruiting and retaining minorities (Valsco and Valsco, 2010). A report published by the National Science Foundation in 2015, "Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering" states that from 2002 to 2012, less than 2% of the geoscience degrees were awarded to African-American students. Data also show that as of 2012, approximately 30% of African-American Ph.D. graduates obtained a bachelor's degree from a Historic Black College or University (HBCU), indicating that HBCUs are a great source of diverse students for the geosciences. This paper reviews how an informal partnership between Tennessee State University (a HBCU), the U.S. Geological Survey, and Mammoth Cave National Park engaged students in scientific research and increased the number of students pursuing employment or graduate degrees in the geosciences.
The python project: a unique model for extending research opportunities to undergraduate students.
Harvey, Pamela A; Wall, Christopher; Luckey, Stephen W; Langer, Stephen; Leinwand, Leslie A
Undergraduate science education curricula are traditionally composed of didactic instruction with a small number of laboratory courses that provide introductory training in research techniques. Research on learning methodologies suggests this model is relatively ineffective, whereas participation in independent research projects promotes enhanced knowledge acquisition and improves retention of students in science. However, availability of faculty mentors and limited departmental budgets prevent the majority of students from participating in research. A need therefore exists for this important component in undergraduate education in both small and large university settings. A course was designed to provide students with the opportunity to engage in a research project in a classroom setting. Importantly, the course collaborates with a sponsor's laboratory, producing a symbiotic relationship between the classroom and the laboratory and an evolving course curriculum. Students conduct a novel gene expression study, with their collective data being relevant to the ongoing research project in the sponsor's lab. The success of this course was assessed based on the quality of the data produced by the students, student perception data, student learning gains, and on whether the course promoted interest in and preparation for careers in science. In this paper, we describe the strategies and outcomes of this course, which represents a model for efficiently providing research opportunities to undergraduates. © 2014 P. A. Harvey et al. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). Two months after publication it is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).
Researching with undergraduate students
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Wulf-Andersen, Trine Østergaard; Mogensen, Kevin; Hjort-Madsen, Peder
The article presents a particular case of undergraduate students working on subprojects within the framework of their supervisors' (the authors') research project during Autumn Semester 2012 and Spring Semester 2013. The article's purpose is to show that an institutionalized focus on students...... as "research learners" rather than merely curriculum learners proves productive for both research and teaching. We describe the specific university learning context and the particular organization of undergraduate students' supervision and assistantships. The case builds on and further enhances a well......-established and proven university model of participant-directed, problem-oriented project work. We explore students' and researchers' experiences of being part of the collaboration, focusing on learning potentials and dilemmas associated with the multiple roles of researcher and student that characterized...
"On the job" learning: A bioinformatics course incorporating undergraduates in actual research projects and manuscript submissions.
Smith, Jason T; Harris, Justine C; Lopez, Oscar J; Valverde, Laura; Borchert, Glen M
The sequencing of whole genomes and the analysis of genetic information continues to fundamentally change biological and medical research. Unfortunately, the people best suited to interpret this data (biologically trained researchers) are commonly discouraged by their own perceived computational limitations. To address this, we developed a course to help alleviate this constraint. Remarkably, in addition to equipping our undergraduates with an informatic toolset, we found our course design helped prepare our students for collaborative research careers in unexpected ways. Instead of simply offering a traditional lecture- or laboratory-based course, we chose a guided inquiry method, where an instructor-selected research question is examined by students in a collaborative analysis with students contributing to experimental design, data collection, and manuscript reporting. While students learn the skills needed to conduct bioinformatic research throughout all sections of the course, importantly, students also gain experience in working as a team and develop important communication skills through working with their partner and the class as a whole, and by contributing to an original research article. Remarkably, in its first three semesters, this novel computational genetics course has generated 45 undergraduate authorships across three peer-reviewed articles. More importantly, the students that took this course acquired a positive research experience, newfound informatics technical proficiency, unprecedented familiarity with manuscript preparation, and an earned sense of achievement. Although this course deals with analyses of genetic systems, we suggest the basic concept of integrating actual research projects into a 16-week undergraduate course could be applied to numerous other research-active academic fields. © 2015 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
Engaging Undergraduates in Social Science Research: The Taking the Pulse of Saskatchewan Project
Berdahl, Loleen
Although student involvement in research and inquiry can advance undergraduate learning, there are limited opportunities for undergraduate students to be directly involved in social science research. Social science faculty members typically work outside of laboratory settings, with the limited research assistance work being completed by graduate…
Real Research Projects in the Classroom for Undergraduate Non-Majors
Rector, Travis A.; Puckett, A.; Pilachowski, C.; Young, M.
Research-Based Science Education (RBSE) is a method of instruction that models the processes of scientific inquiry and exploration used by scientists to discover new knowledge. It is "research-based" in the sense that students work together in self-guided, cooperative groups on a real astronomical research project. In other words, in order to learn science, students are given the opportunity to actually do science. We present new RBSE curricula that are part of an NSF-funded effort to develop and test such curricula in an undergraduate course setting. The goals of this curricula are fourfold: (1) To teach that science is a process, not just a body of knowledge; (2) To improve retention of science content by using it in a research project; (3) to improve attitudes towards STEM careers, particularly among first-year students; and (4) to develop task-driven skills, such as critical thinking and teamwork skills, that are useful in any career path. The research projects include projects that use astronomical imaging and spectroscopic data. The projects include: a spectroscopic study of semi-regular variable stars, a spectroscopic study of AGN, a photometric search for high-redshift galaxies in the NDWFS, a search for variable stars in open clusters, and a photometric and astrometric study of minor planets. In the projects using imaging data, students complete astrometric and photometric measurements. In the spectroscopy projects, students measure properties such continuum shape and the positions of emission and absorption lines. These curricula are currently being developed and tested at the University of Alaska Anchorage, Indiana University Bloomington, and Kenai Peninsula College.
An ET-CURE pilot project supporting undergraduate training in cancer research, emerging technology, and health disparities.
Wilson, Danyell S; Fang, Bin; Dalton, William S; Meade, Cathy D; Koomen, John M
The National Cancer Institute's Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities has created pilot training opportunities under the "Continuing Umbrella of Research Experiences" program that focus on emerging technologies. In this pilot project, an 18-month cancer biology research internship was reinforced with: instruction in an emerging technology (proteomics), a transition from the undergraduate laboratory to a research setting, education in cancer health disparities, and community outreach activities. A major goal was to provide underrepresented undergraduates with hands-on research experiences that are rarely encountered at the undergraduate level, including mentoring, research presentations, and participation in local and national meetings. These opportunities provided education and career development for the undergraduates, and they have given each student the opportunity to transition from learning to sharing their knowledge and from being mentored to mentoring others. Here, we present the concepts, curriculum, infrastructure, and challenges for this training program along with evaluations by both the students and their mentors.
Photo Z: A Real Research Project for Undergraduate Non-Majors
Rector, Travis A.; Puckett, A. W.; Hinnah, K. D.
Research-Based Science Education (RBSE) is a method of instruction that models the processes of scientific inquiry and exploration used by scientists to discover new knowledge. It is "research-based" in the sense that students work together on a real astronomical research project. In other words, in order to learn science, students are given the opportunity to actually do science. We present "Photo Z," a new RBSE project wherein students search for distant galaxies using data from the NOAO Deep Wide Field Survey (NDWFS). Students download FITS data files from the NDWFS cutout server. They then complete photometry of galaxies in three bands (Bw, V and I) using Polaris, a custom-made plugin written for ImageJ. The photometric color of each galaxy allows an estimate of its redshift as well as its star-formation history. Many student projects are possible. An example is to search for galaxies clustered around high-redshift quasars. An advantage of this project is that the datasets are readily available online. This project is part of an NSF CCLI grant to develop and test RBSE curricula in an undergraduate course setting. The goals of RBSE are fourfold: (1) To teach that science is a process, not just a body of knowledge; (2) To improve retention of science content by using it in a research project; (3) to improve attitudes towards STEM careers, particularly among first-year students; and (4) to develop task-driven skills, such as critical thinking and teamwork skills, that are useful in any career path. These curricula are currently being developed and tested at the University of Alaska Anchorage, Indiana University Bloomington, and Pima Community College.
Project INSPIRE-HBCU Undergraduate Collaborative Summer Training Program to Inspire Students in Prostate Cancer Research
National Research Council Canada - National Science Library
Kumar, Nagi
... sciences research for promising undergraduate students enrolled at Florida A & M University (FAMU), who are at an important career-decision-making point, in a host institution such as the Moffitt Cancer Center...
Project INSPIRE-HBCU Undergraduate Collaborative Summer Training Program to Inspire Students in Prostate Cancer Research
National Research Council Canada - National Science Library
Kumar, Nagi
... sciences research for promising undergraduate students enrolled at Florida A & M University (FAMU), who are at an important career-decision-making point, in a host institution such as the Moffitt Cancer Center...
Self-Cleaning Surfaces: A Third-Year Undergraduate Research Project
Haines, Ronald S.; Wu, Alex H. F.; Zhang, Hua; Coffey, Jacob; Huddle, Thomas; Lafountaine, Justin S.; Lim, Zhi-Jun; White, Eugene A.; Tuong, Nam T.; Lamb, Robert N.
Superhydrophobic (non water-wettable) surfaces can possess the ability to self-clean (the so-called "lotus effect"). The task of devising the apparatus and method for quantifying this self-cleaning effect was offered as a project in a third-year undergraduate laboratory course. Using commonly available equipment the students devised a…
Engaging undergraduate nursing students in research: the students' experience of a summer internship program pilot project.
Cepanec, Diane; Clarke, Diana; Plohman, James; Gerard, Judy
Educators continue to struggle with ways to foster an interest in and a passion for nursing research among undergraduate students. The purpose of this article is to describe the introduction of undergraduate student internships at the Manitoba Centre for Nursing and Health Research, Faculty of Nursing, University of Manitoba, as an innovation in education that allowed students to be employed while engaging them in student learning, scientific inquiry, and scholarship through one-to-one faculty-student research mentorships. In this article, the key components of the summer internship program are described, along with five nursing students' experiences of their participation in the program. Copyright 2013, SLACK Incorporated.
The Trident Scholar Program: Year-Long Undergraduate Research Projects at the United States Naval Academy
Katz-Stone, D. M.; Campbell, D. T.
The Trident Scholar Program allows undergraduate students at the U.S. Naval Academy to carry out advanced-level research in their senior year. This program was begun in 1963 and has provided an important opportunity for the most elite students, with five to fifteen students out of a class of a thousand participating each year. The program gives students the opportunity to explore all aspects of scientific research. First, the prospective scholar must write a proposal for the project. The student defends the proposal in front of two committees: a division-level committee as well as an academy-wide committee. Finally, the project must gain approval from the Academic Dean and Provost. Once approved, the Trident Scholar may be awarded a small budget and is released from some course credits. In addition, the academy-wide committee makes on-sight inspections midyear. At the end of the year, each Trident Scholar must write a professional-quality paper, create a display presentation and give an oral presentation to the whole Academy. With these goals in mind, MIDN Campbell decided to pursue a hands-on project using the newly renovated observatory. He found a project that was both scientifically interesting and doable on a short timescale. An Earth impact with an asteroid has potentially devastating consequences. In order to avoid global destruction, astronomers have been attempting to map out the orbits of all possibly hazardous Near-Earth Asteroids (NEAs) for the past two decades. Although there are a number of astronomers devoted to discovering new NEAs, there are very few who are tracking these discoveries, therefore many recently identified NEAs are routinely lost. Therefore, a Trident Scholar Project tracking NEAs is both a service to the astronomy community as well as an important experience for the student. MIDN Campbell completed his scientific goals, and along the way he improved the observatory at the U. S. Naval Academy. Most importantly, this experience has
Researching Undergraduate Social Science Research
Rand, Jane
The experience(s) of undergraduate research students in the social sciences is under-represented in the literature in comparison to the natural sciences or science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM). The strength of STEM undergraduate research learning environments is understood to be related to an apprenticeship-mode of learning supported…
Undergraduate Research Involving Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students in Interdisciplinary Science Projects
Pagano, Todd; Ross, Annemarie; Smith, Susan B.
Scientific undergraduate research in higher education often yields positive outcomes for student and faculty member participants alike, with underrepresented students often showing even more substantial gains (academic, professional, and personal) as a result of the experience. Significant success can be realized when involving deaf and…
The ASSURE Summer REU Program: Introducing research to first-generation and underserved undergraduates through space sciences and engineering projects
Barron, Darcy; Peticolas, Laura; Multiverse Team at UC Berkeley's Space Sciences Lab
The Advancing Space Science through Undergraduate Research Experience (ASSURE) summer REU program is an NSF-funded REU site at the Space Sciences Lab at UC Berkeley that first started in summer 2014. The program recruits students from all STEM majors, targeting underserved students including community college students and first-generation college students. The students have little or no research experience and a wide variety of academic backgrounds, but have a shared passion for space sciences and astronomy. We will describe our program's structure and the components we have found successful in preparing and supporting both the students and their research advisors for their summer research projects. This includes an intensive first week of introductory lectures and tutorials at the start of the program, preparing students for working in an academic research environment. The program also employs a multi-tiered mentoring system, with layers of support for the undergraduate student cohort, as well as graduate student and postdoctoral research advisors.
Undergraduate research internships to support exploratory research in transportation engineering : project final report, Sept. 2008.
The Case Western Reserve University Department of Civil Engineering is in the process of expanding its teaching and research activities, Transportation Engineering as part of its initiative in the overall area of Infrastructure Performance and Reliab...
What Is Undergraduate Research?
Halstead, Judith A.
The Council on Undergraduate Research promotes and assists development of collaborative student/faculty research at primarily undergraduate colleges and universities. Most science educators today accept such research as a critical component of an undergraduate science education. Research provides the primary opportunity for students to engage in the practice of science. We can draw an analogy between sports training and the education of young scientists. We cannot train future tennis players exclusively by providing them with lectures on tennis and supervising them performing skill-development drills. To become skilled at their game, tennis players must engage in active competition. Similarly, young scientists must engage in the enterprise that affords our understanding of the physical universe. Only by participating in scientific investigation can students understand the nature of science and become scientists.
The Baker's Yeast Reduction of Keto-Esters in Organic Solvents: A One Week Research Project for Undergraduate Students
North, Michael
An experiment has been designed which allows final year undergraduate students to carry out a mini-research project in one week and thus get a flavour of the joys and tribulations of conducting chemical research before they undertake a major research project. The experiment is an investigation into the reduction of alpha- or beta-keto esters using non-fermenting Baker's yeast in petroleum ether. There are a number of advantages to this method of using Baker's yeast, including a reduction in the amount of organic solvent used, and a much simplified purification procedure. During the course of the mini-project, the substrate specificity of the yeast is investigated, and the conditions for the optimisation of a particular keto ester are determined. Each product is analysed by a variety of analytical techniques including polarimetry, IR, NMR, and GC. In addition, the use of correct stereochemical nomenclature to describe prochiral, and chiral compounds as well as chemical reactions are discussed.
Introducing Undergraduates to a Research Laboratory
Weinberg, Robert
Discusses a student project which is intended to teach undergraduates concepts and techniques of nuclear physics, experimental methods used in particle detection, and provide experience in a functioning research environment. Included are detailed procedures for carrying out the project. (CC)
The Benefits of Peer-Mentoring in Undergraduate Group Research Projects at The University of Arizona
Hardegree-Ullman, Kevin; McGraw, A. M.; Towner, A. P.; Walker-LaFollette, A.; Robertson, A.; Smith, C.; Turner, J.; Biddle, L. I.; Thompson, R.
According to the American Institute of Physics, the number of graduate students enrolled in astronomy programs in the US has been steadily increasing in the past 15 years. Research experience is one of the key factors graduate admissions committees look for when choosing students. The University of Arizona Astronomy Club is setting a new precedent in research by having students introduce other students to research. This eases the transition to research projects, and allows students to work in a comfortable setting without the sometimes-overwhelming cognitive disconnect between a professor and their students. The University of Arizona's research projects have many benefits to all students involved. It is well established that people learn a subject best when they have to teach it to others. Students leading the projects learn alongside their peers in a peer-mentoring setting. When project leaders move on in their academic career, other project members can easily take the lead. Students learn how to work in teams, practice effective communication skills, and begin the processes of conducting a full research project, which are essential skills for all budding scientists. These research projects also give students hands-on research experience that supplement and greatly expand on concepts taught in the classroom, and make them more attractive to graduate schools and REU programs.
Promoting Learning by Inquiry Among Undergraduates in Soil Sciences: Scaffolding From Project-based Courses to Student-Staff Research Grants by the National Research Agency in Oman
Al-Ismaily, Said; Kacimov, Anvar; Al-Maktoumi, Ali
Three strategies in a soil science undergraduate programme with inquiry-based learning (IBL) principles at Sultan Qaboos University, Oman, are presented. The first strategy scaffolds courses into three phases: with direct instructional guidance, structured IBL, and finally, guided to open IBL. The second strategy involves extra-curricular activities of undergraduates, viz. conducting workshops on soils for pupils in grades 7-9 with their teachers. The third strategy promotes the teaching-research nexus through collaboration between the undergraduates and faculty within a student-supporting, government-funded programme through 1-year long research grants of up to 5,500 US/project. The efficiency of the strategies was evaluated by students' evaluations of courses and instructors and questionnaire-based surveys. Statistics of students' responses in teaching evaluations of IBL courses showed a significantly higher level of satisfaction compared with regular courses taught in the department and college. In surveys of other constituencies of the program, viz. the secondary schools, more than 90% of respondents "agreed" or "strongly agreed" that they had learned new information/secrets about soils. The indicators of success in the third strategy are: winning a highly competitive grant and, moreover, earning an even more competitive annual national award for the best executed research project. The two top graduates of the IBL soil programme progressed into the MSc programme with the university and national scholarships. Key words: inquiry based learning, soil science undergraduate program, scaffold of courses, outreach activities, teaching-research nexus, evaluation of program's efficiency
Engaging Undergraduates in Science Research: Not Just About Faculty Willingness
Eagan, M. Kevin; Sharkness, Jessica; Hurtado, Sylvia; Mosqueda, Cynthia M.; Chang, Mitchell J.
Despite the many benefits of involving undergraduates in research and the growing number of undergraduate research programs, few scholars have investigated the factors that affect faculty members' decisions to involve undergraduates in their research projects. We investigated the individual factors and institutional contexts that predict faculty members' likelihood of engaging undergraduates in their research project(s). Using data from the Higher Education Research Institute's 2007–2008 Facu...
Conducting Mathematical Research with Undergraduates
Roberts, Gareth E.
The notion that undergraduates are capable of making profound and original contributions to mathematical research is rapidly gaining acceptance. Undergraduates bring their enthusiasm, creativity, curiosity, and perseverance to bona fide research problems. This article discusses some of the key issues concerning undergraduate mathematical research:…
Conscious Engagement in Undergraduate Male Nursing Students: Facilitating Voice through an Action Research Project
Maykut, Colleen A.; Lee, Andrew; Argueta, Nelson Garcia; Grant, Sean; Miller, Cole
Although women have made significant progress into traditionally male-dominated professions, such as medicine and engineering, the same cannot be said of men in the nursing profession. Utilizing a critical social theory perspective, an action research project was designed to encourage participants, current male nursing students and alumni of…
Introducing a New Concept Inventory on Climate Change to Support Undergraduate Instruction, Teacher Education, Education Research, and Project Evaluation (Invited)
Morrow, C. A.; Monsaas, J.; Katzenberger, J.; Afolabi, C. Y.
The Concept Inventory on Climate Change (CICC) is a new research-based, multiple-choice 'test' that provides a powerful new assessment tool for undergraduate instructors, teacher educators, education researchers, and project evaluators. This presentation will describe the features and the development process of the (CICC). This includes insights about how the development team (co-authors) integrated and augmented their multi-disciplinary expertise. The CICC has been developed in the context of a popular introductory undergraduate weather and climate course at a southeastern research university (N~400-500 per semester). The CICC is not a test for a grade, but is intended to be a useful measure of how well a given teaching and learning experience has succeeded in improving understanding about climate change and related climate concepts. The science content addressed by the CICC is rooted in the national consensus document, 'Climate Literacy: The Essential Principles of Climate Science'. The CICC has been designed to support undergraduate instruction, and may be valuable in comparable contexts that teach about climate change. CICC results can help to inform decisions about the effectiveness of teaching strategies by 1) flagging conceptual issues (PRE-instruction); and 2) detecting conceptual change (POST-instruction). Specific CICC items and their answer choices are informed by the research literature on common misunderstandings about climate and climate change. Each CICC item is rated on a 3-tier scale of the cognitive sophistication the item is calling for, and there is a balance among all three tiers across the full instrument. The CICC development process has involved data-driven changes to successive versions. Data sources have included item statistics from the administration of progressively evolved versions of the CICC in the weather and climate course, group interviews with students, and expert review by climate scientists, educators, and project evaluators
Researching with undergraduate students
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Wulf-Andersen, Trine Østergaard; Mogensen, Kevin; Hjort-Madsen, Peder
-established and proven university model of participant-directed, problem-oriented project work. We explore students' and researchers' experiences of being part of the collaboration, focusing on learning potentials and dilemmas associated with the multiple roles of researcher and student that characterized...
Engaging Undergraduates in Science Research: Not Just about Faculty Willingness
Eagan, M. Kevin, Jr.; Sharkness, Jessica; Hurtado, Sylvia; Mosqueda, Cynthia M.; Chang, Mitchell J.
Despite the many benefits of involving undergraduates in research and the growing number of undergraduate research programs, few scholars have investigated the factors that affect faculty members' decisions to involve undergraduates in their research projects. We investigated the individual factors and institutional contexts that predict faculty…
"On the Job" Learning: A Bioinformatics Course Incorporating Undergraduates in Actual Research Projects and Manuscript Submissions
Smith, Jason T.; Harris, Justine C.; Lopez, Oscar J.; Valverde, Laura; Borchert, Glen M.
The sequencing of whole genomes and the analysis of genetic information continues to fundamentally change biological and medical research. Unfortunately, the people best suited to interpret this data (biologically trained researchers) are commonly discouraged by their own perceived computational limitations. To address this, we developed a course…
Developing Effective Undergraduate Research Experience
Evans, Michael; Ilie, Carolina C.
Undergraduate research is a valuable educational tool for students pursuing a degree in physics, but these experiences can become problematic and ineffective if not handled properly. Undergraduate research should be planned as an immersive learning experience in which the student has the opportunity to develop his/her skills in accordance with their interests. Effective undergraduate research experiences are marked by clear, measurable objectives and frequent student-professor collaboration. These objectives should reflect the long and short-term goals of the individual undergraduates, with a heightened focus on developing research skills for future use. 1. Seymour, E., Hunter, A.-B., Laursen, S. L. and DeAntoni, T. (2004), ``Establishing the benefits of research experiences for undergraduates in the sciences: First findings from a three-year study''. Science Education, 88: 493--534. 2. Behar-Horenstein, Linda S., Johnson, Melissa L. ``Enticing Students to Enter Into Undergraduate Research: The Instrumentality of an Undergraduate Course.'' Journal of College Science Teaching 39.3 (2010): 62-70.
Project INSPIRE-HBCU Undergraduate Collaborative Summer Training Program to Inspire Students in Prostate Cancer Research
fellow researcher. This list will be compared with a comprehensive listing of all state licensed cosmetology salons in Hillsborough County from the DPBR...sinensis plant , were tested and proven to cause apoptosis in cancer cells of the stomach, lungs, prostate, colon, leukemia, oral tumors, liver, breasts
Journal of Undergraduate Research, Volume IX, 2009
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Stiner, K. S.; Graham, S.; Khan, M.; Dilks, J.; Mayer, D.
Each year more than 600 undergraduate students are awarded paid internships at the Department of Energy's (DOE) National Laboratories. Th ese interns are paired with research scientists who serve as mentors in authentic research projects. All participants write a research abstract and present at a poster session and/or complete a fulllength research paper. Abstracts and selected papers from our 2007–2008 interns that represent the breadth and depth of undergraduate research performed each year at our National Laboratories are published here in the Journal of Undergraduate Research. The fields in which these students worked included: Biology; Chemistry; Computer Science; Engineering; Environmental Science; General Science; Materials Science; Medical and Health Sciences; Nuclear Science; Physics; Science Policy; and Waste Management.
Undergraduate research: a case study
Koppelman, Hermannus; van Dijk, Elisabeth M.A.G.; van der Hoeven, Gerrit
This paper describes a one semester research course for undergraduates of computing programs. Students formulate a research proposal, conduct research and write a full paper. They present the results at a one-day student conference. On the one hand we offer the students a lot of structure and
Passing on the medicinal chemistry baton: training undergraduates to be industry-ready through research projects between the University of Nottingham and GlaxoSmithKline.
Macdonald, Simon J F; Fray, M Jonathan; McInally, Thomas
In this article we describe a radically different industry-academia collaboration between the School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), aiming to train students in research and give them an insight into medicinal chemistry as practiced in industry. The project concerns the discovery of potent and selective αvβ6 integrin antagonists to treat idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis; the synthetic chemistry is performed by a group of ten final-year undergraduates and the biological and physicochemical screening data are generated by GSK. The project planning, organisation and operation are discussed, together with some of the challenges and rewards of working with undergraduates. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
The Geosciences Division of the Council on Undergraduate Research (GeoCUR): Supporting Faculty that Mentor Undergraduate Researchers
Fox, L. K.; Guertin, L. A.; Manley, P. L.; Fortner, S. K.
Undergraduate research is a proven effective pedagogy that has a number of benefits including: enhancing student learning through mentoring relationships with faculty; increasing retention; increasing enrollment in graduate programs; developing critical thinking, creativity, problem solving and intellectual independence; and, developing an understanding of research methodology. Undergraduate research also has been demonstrated in preparing students for careers. In addition to developing disciplinary and technical expertise, participation in undergraduate research helps students improve communication skills (written, oral, and graphical) and time management. Early involvement in undergraduate research improves retention and, for those engaged at the 2YC level, helps students successfully transfers to 4YC. The Geosciences Division of the Council on Undergraduate Research (GeoCUR) supports faculty in their development of undergraduate research programs at all levels. GeoCUR leads workshops for new and future faculty covering all aspects of undergraduate research including incorporating research into coursework, project design, mentoring students, sustaining programs, and funding sources. GeoCUR members support new faculty by providing a range of services including: peer-review of grant proposals; advice on establishing an undergraduate research program; balancing teaching and research demands; and networking with other geoscientist. GeoCUR has also developed web resources that support faculty and departments in development of undergraduate research programs (http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/undergraduate_research/index.html). This presentation will describe the services provided by GeoCUR and highlight examples of programs and resources available to geoscientists in all career stages for effective undergraduate research mentoring and development.
Summer Undergraduate Research Program: Environmental studies
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
McMillan, J. [ed.
The purpose of the summer undergraduate internship program for research in environmental studies is to provide an opportunity for well-qualified students to undertake an original research project as an apprentice to an active research scientist in basic environmental research. The students are offered research topics at the Medical University in the scientific areas of pharmacology and toxicology, epidemiology and risk assessment, environmental microbiology, and marine sciences. Students are also afforded the opportunity to work with faculty at the University of Charleston, SC, on projects with an environmental theme. Ten well-qualified students from colleges and universities throughout the eastern United States were accepted into the program.
Framing the Undergraduate Research Experience: Discovery Involvement in Retailing Undergraduate Education
Sternquist, Brenda; Huddleston, Patricia; Fairhurst, Ann
We provide an overview of ways to involve undergraduate business and retailing students in faculty research projects and discuss advantages of these student-faculty collaborations. We use Kolb's experiential learning cycle to provide a framework for creating an effective and engaging undergraduate research experience and use it to classify types…
Plasma Physics Research at an Undergraduate Institution
Padalino, Stephen
Undergraduate research experiences have motivated many physics majors to continue their studies at the graduate level. The Department of Physics and Astronomy at SUNY Geneseo, a primarily undergraduate institution, recognizes this simple reality and is committed to ensuring research opportunities are available to interested majors beginning as early as their freshman year. Every year for more than a decade, as many as two dozen students and 8 faculty members have worked on projects related to high energy density physics and inertial confinement fusion during the summer months and the academic year. By working with their research sponsors, it has been possible to identify an impressive number of projects suitable for an institution such as Geneseo. These projects tend to be hands-on and require teamwork and innovation to be successful. They also take advantage of in-house capabilities such as the 2 MV tandem pelletron accelerator, a scanning electron microscope, a duoplasmatron ion deposition system and a 64 processor computing cluster. The end products of their efforts are utilized at the sponsoring facilities in support of nationally recognized programs. In this talk, I will discuss a number of these projects and point out what made them attractive and appropriate for an institution like Geneseo, the direct and indirect benefits of the research opportunities for the students and faculty, and how the national programs benefited from the cost-effective use of undergraduate research. In addition, I will discuss the importance of exposure for both students and faculty mentors to the larger scientific community through posters presentations at annual meetings such as the DPP and DNP. Finally, I will address the need for even greater research opportunities for undergraduate students in the future and the importance of establishing longer ``educational pipelines'' to satisfy the ever growing need for top-tier scientists and engineers in industry, academia and the
New Project System for Undergraduate Electronic Engineering
Chiu, Dirk M.; Chiu, Shen Y.
A new approach to projects for undergraduate electronic engineering in an Australian university has been applied successfully for over 10 years. This approach has a number of projects running over three year period. Feedback from past graduates and their managers has confirmed that these projects train the students well, giving them the ability…
Origins of Sinuous and Braided Channels on Ascraeus Mons, Mars - A Keck Geology Consortium Undergraduate Research Project
de Wet, A. P.; Bleacher, J. E.; Garry, W. B.
Water has clearly played an important part in the geological evolution of Mars. There are many features on Mars that were almost certainly formed by fluvial processes -- for example, the channels Kasei Valles and Ares Vallis in the Chryse Planitia area of Mars are almost certainly fluvial features. On the other hand, there are many channel features that are much more difficult to interpret -- and have been variously attributed to volcanic and fluvial processes. Clearly unraveling the details of the role of water on Mars is extremely important, especially in the context of the search of extinct or extant life. In this project we built on our recent work in determining the origin of one channel on the southwest rift apron of Ascraeus Mons. This project, funded by the Keck Geology Consortium and involving 4 undergraduate geology majors took advantage of the recently available datasets to map and analyze similar features on Ascraeus Mons and some other areas of Mars. A clearer understanding of how these particular channel features formed might lead to the development of better criteria to distinguish how other Martian channel features formed. Ultimately this might provide us with a better understanding of the role of volcanic and fluvial processes in the geological evolution of Mars.
Providing Real Research Opoportunities to Undergraduates
Ragozzine, Darin
The current approach to undergraduate education focuses on teaching classes which provide the foundational knowledge for more applied experiences such as scientific research. Like most programs, Florida Institute of Technology (Florida Tech or FIT) strongly encourages undergraduate research, but is dominated by content-focused courses (e.g., "Physical Mechanics"). Research-like experiences are generally offered through "lab" classes, but these are almost always reproductions of past experiments: contrived, formulaic, and lacking the "heart" of real (i.e., potentially publishable) scientific research. Real research opportunities 1) provide students with realistic insight into the actual scientific process; 2) excite students far more than end-of-chapter problems; 3) provide context for the importance of learning math, physics, and astrophysics concepts; and 4) allow unique research progress for well-chosen problems. I have provided real research opportunities as an "Exoplanet Lab" component of my Introduction to Space Science (SPS1020) class at Florida Tech, generally taken by first-year majors in our Physics, Astronomy & Astrophysics, Planetary Science, and Astrobiology degree programs. These labs are a hybrid between citizen science (e.g., PlanetHunters) and simultaneously mentoring ~60 undergraduates in similar small research projects. These projects focus on problems that can be understood in the context of the course, but which benefit from "crowdsourcing". Examples include: dividing up the known planetary systems and developing a classification scheme and organizing them into populations (Fall 2013); searching through folded light curves to discover new exoplanets missed by previous pipelines (Fall 2014); and fitting n-body models to all exoplanets with known Transit Timing Variations to estimate planet masses (Fall 2015). The students love the fact that they are doing real potentially publishable research: not many undergraduates can claim to have discovered
Undergraduate Research: Importance, Benefits, and Challenges.
Petrella, John K; Jung, Alan P
Developing and maintaining undergraduate research programs benefits students, faculty mentors, and the university. Incorporating a research component along with a sound academic foundation enables students to develop independent critical thinking skills along with oral and written communication skills. The research process impacts valuable learning objectives that have lasting influence as undergraduates prepare for professional service. Faculty members at teaching intensive institutions can enhance learning experiences for students while benefiting from a productive research agenda. The university in turn benefits from presentations and publications that serve to increase visibility in the scientific community. Whether projects are derived through student-generated or mentor-generated means, students benefit from completion of exposure to the hypothesis-driven scientific method.
Formative Assessment as a Tool to Benefit the Student/Mentor Relationship in the Northern Ecosystem Research for Undergraduates (NERU) Project
Froburg, E.; Varner, R. K.
Partners in the Northern Ecosystem Research for Undergraduates (NERU) project, funded by the NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program, have developed a multi-instrument formative assessment approach aimed at maintaining a responsive relationship between undergraduate participants and their research mentors. All evaluation is conducted independent of the NERU scientific/mentor team, by the Joan and James Leitzel Center for Mathematics, Science, and Engineering Education. The 10-week summer research experience has 3 components. 1) REU fellows spend the first 3-weeks at the University of New Hampshire, where they acquire background knowledge of Earth System Science and biogeochemistry; 2) students spend the following 4-weeks at the Abisko Scientific Research Station in research co-mentored by UNH-based and ANS-based scientists; and 3) fellows return to UNH to complete any additional analytical work, synthesize their results, and prepare their projects for presentation. There are three primary tools that are used formatively, and the results are integrated over multiple time periods. Application and Pre-program Survey: Although these two instruments are primarily components of participant recruitment and the summative program metrics, they also provide a baseline understanding of student preparation and perspectives. Mentor Pairing Survey: This component was added prior to the fourth year of the program, in response to specific trends in participant feedback. The survey is completed by both participants and mentors, and is designed to match research goals, skills, and personalities. Focus Groups: Two focus group sessions are held during the summer research experience—one midway through the 3rd week, just prior to departure for Sweden, and a second session just prior to completion of the 10-week summer program. These focus groups provide immediate feedback on, and opportunity for response to, student concerns in a range of areas. Participants are also
Organization of an undergraduate research group
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hill, J.; Noteboom, E.
Traditionally, research groups consist of senior physicists, staff members, and graduate students. The physics department at Creighton University has formed a Relativistic Heavy Ion physics research group consisting primarily of undergraduate students. Although senior staff and graduate students are actively involved, undergraduate research and the education of undergraduates is the focus of the group. The presentation, given by two undergraduate members of the group, will outline progress made in the group's organization, discuss the benefits to the undergraduate group members, and speak to the balance which must be struck between education concerns and research goals
System design projects for undergraduate design education
Batill, S. M.; Pinkelman, J.
Design education has received considerable in the recent past. This paper is intended to address one aspect of undergraduate design education and that is the selection and development of the design project for a capstone design course. Specific goals for a capstone design course are presented and their influence on the project selection are discussed. The evolution of a series of projects based upon the design of remotely piloted aircraft is presented along with students' perspective on the capstone experience.
University of Houston Undergraduate Student Instrumentation Projects
Bering, E. A., III; Talbot, R. W.; Hampton, D. L.; Molders, N.; Millan, R. M.; Halford, A. J.; Dunbar, B.; Morris, G. A.; Prince, J.; Gamblin, R.; Ehteshami, A.; Lehnen, J. N.; Greer, M.; Porat, I.; Alozie, M.; Behrend, C. C.; Bias, C.; Fenton, A.; Gunawan, B.; Harrison, W.; Martinez, A.; Mathur, S.; Medillin, M.; Nguyen, T.; Nguyen, T. V.; Nowling, M.; Perez, D.; Pham, M.; Pina, M.; Thomas, G.; Velasquez, B.; Victor, L.
The Undergraduate Student Instrumentation Project (USIP) is a NASA program to engage undergraduate students in rigorous scientific research, for the purposes of innovation and developing the next generation of professionals for an array of fields. The program is student led and executed from initial ideation to research to the design and deployment of scientific payloads. The University of Houston has been selected twice to participate in the USIP programs. The first program (USIP_UH I) ran from 2013 to 2016. USIP_UH II started in January of 2016, with funding starting at the end of May. USIP_UH I (USIP_UH II) at the University of Houston was (is) composed of eight (seven) research teams developing six (seven), distinct, balloon-based scientific instruments. These instruments will contribute to a broad range of geophysical sciences from Very Low Frequency recording and Total Electron Content to exobiology and ozone profiling. USIP_UH I had 12 successful launches with 9 recoveries from Fairbanks, AK in March 2015, and 4 piggyback flights with BARREL 3 from Esrange, Kiruna, Sweden in August, 2015. USIP_UH II had 8 successful launches with 5 recoveries from Fairbanks, AK in March 2017, 3 piggyback flights with BARREL 4 from Esrange, Kiruna, Sweden in August, 2016, and 1 flight each from CSBF and UH. The great opportunity of this program is capitalizing on the proliferation of electronics miniaturization to create new generations of scientific instruments that are smaller and lighter than ever before. This situation allows experiments to be done more cheaply which ultimately allows many more experiments to be done.
Computational Physics Undergraduate Research Experience (A case Study)
Sadaghiani, Homeyra; Samll, Alex
There is a growing trend of inclusion of more research programs into undergraduate education. In spite of that, the assessment of undergraduate-research experience in physics is limited. This presentation describes a ten weeks undergraduate summer research experience in computational physics in the field of biophysics for two upper division physics students at Cal Poly Pomona. The analysis of Pre/post test data suggests more gains on research methodologies and skills than actual physical concepts underling the research project. We also discuss student attitude change measured by survey and interviews.
Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Education: CIC Project on the Future of Independent Higher Education. Innovations in Teaching and Learning. Research Brief 2
Katz, Philip M.
During the most recent decade, interdisciplinary instruction at the undergraduate level has increased rapidly. Independent colleges and universities are both innovators in developing new approaches to interdisciplinary education and strong supporters of traditional liberal arts disciplines. Some observers argue that interdisciplinary approaches…
Field Research in the Teaching of Undergraduate Soil Science
Brevik, Eric C.; Senturklu, Songul; Landblom, Douglas
Several studies have demonstrated that undergraduate students benefit from research experiences. Benefits of undergraduate research include 1) personal and intellectual development, 2) more and closer contact with faculty, 3) the use of active learning techniques, 4) creation of high expectations, 5) development of creative and problem-solving skills, 6) greater independence and intrinsic motivation to learn, and 7) exposure to practical skills. The scientific discipline also benefits, as studies have shown that undergraduates who engage in research experiences are more likely to remain science majors and finish their degree program (Lopatto, 2007). Research experiences come as close as possible to allowing undergraduates to experience what it is like to be an academic or research member of their profession working to advance their discipline. Soils form in the field, therefore, field experiences are very important in developing a complete and holistic understanding of soil science. Combining undergraduate research with field experiences can provide extremely beneficial outcomes to the undergraduate student, including increased understanding of and appreciation for detailed descriptions and data analysis as well as an enhanced ability to see how various parts of their undergraduate education come together to understand a complex problem. The experiences of the authors in working with undergraduate students on field-based research projects will be discussed, along with examples of some of the undergraduate research projects that have been undertaken. In addition, student impressions of their research experiences will be presented. Reference Lopatto, D. 2007. Undergraduate research experiences support science career decisions and active learning. CBE -- Life Sciences Education 6:297-306.
Undergraduate Research Mentoring: Obstacles and Opportunities
Johnson, W. Brad; Behling, Laura L.; Miller, Paul; Vandermaas-Peeler, Maureen
Researchers and policy-makers in higher education increasingly espouse the view that undergraduate students should have the opportunity to learn about scholarship and research in the context of faculty-mentored research experiences. There is mounting consensus that mentored undergraduate research should be standard pedagogical practice in all…
Project- versus Lecture-Based Courses: Assessing the Role of Course Structure on Perceived Utility, Anxiety, Academic Performance, and Satisfaction in the Undergraduate Research Methods Course
Rubenking, Bridget; Dodd, Melissa
Previous research suggests that undergraduate research methods students doubt the utility of course content and experience math and research anxiety. Research also suggests involving students in hands-on, applied research activities, although empirical data on the scope and nature of these activities are lacking. This study compared academic…
Watershed Watch: Using undergraduate student-driven inquiry-based research projects as a means of engaging undeclared students in the biogeosciences
Rock, B. N.; Hale, S.; Graham, K.; Hayden, L. B.
Watershed Watch (NSF 0525433) engages early undergraduate students from two-year and four-year colleges in student-driven full inquiry-based instruction in the biogeosciences. Program goals for Watershed Watch are to test if inquiry-rich student-driven projects sufficiently engage undeclared students (or noncommittal STEM majors) to declare a STEM major (or remain with their STEM major). The program is a partnership between two four-year campuses - the University of New Hampshire (UNH), and Elizabeth City State University (ECSU, in North Carolina); and two two-year campuses - Great Bay Community College (GBCC, in New Hampshire) and the College of the Albemarle (COA, in North Carolina). The program focuses on two watersheds: the Merrimack Ricer Watershed in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, and the Pasquotank River Watershed in Virginia and North Carolina. Both the terrestrial and aquatic components of both watersheds are evaluated using the student-driven projects. A significant component of this program is an intensive two-week Summer Research Institute (SRI), in which undeclared freshmen and sophomores investigate various aspects of their local watershed. Two Summer Research Institutes have been held on the UNH campus (2006 and 2008) and two on the ECSU campus (2007 and 2009). Students develop their own research questions and study design, collect and analyze data, and produce a scientific oral or poster presentation on the last day of the SRI. The course objectives, curriculum and schedule are presented as a model for dissemination for other institutions and programs seeking to develop inquiry-rich programs or courses designed to attract students into biogeoscience disciplines. Data from self-reported student feedback indicate the most important factors explaining high-levels of student motivation and research excellence in the program are: 1) working with committed, energetic, and enthusiastic faculty mentors, and 2) faculty mentors demonstrating high degrees of
Social Work Faculty and Undergraduate Research Mentorships
Horner, Pilar S.; Hughes, Anne K.; Vélez Ortiz, Daniel
Social work faculty scholars lead the field as generators of knowledge that integrates investigative studies with practical social welfare outcomes. As such, the faculty potentially offers undergraduate researchers a different way of envisioning research that extends beyond traditional undergraduate research models. To date, however, no research…
Undergraduate Research in the Dartmouth Economics Department
Feyrer, James
One of the key components to the undergraduate research enterprise at Dartmouth is the recognition that learning to do research requires both directed instruction and learning by doing. The economics faculty have tailored a fruitful undergraduate research program based on this philosophy, and this article describes these efforts while also…
Undergraduate Research as Engaged Student Learning
Wolf, Lorraine W.
This chapter discusses the impact of undergraduate research as a form of engaged student learning. It summarizes the gains reported in post-fellowship assessment essays acquired from students participating in the Auburn University Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program. The chapter also discusses the program's efforts to increase opportunities…
Early undergraduate research experience at Makerere University ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
To remain relevant the Faculty of Medicine Makerere University needs to identify research enhancing opportunities like undergraduate research experiences. Methods: This was a cross sectional study involving 424 graduate and undergraduate students of Makerere University Medical School on the traditional curriculum.
Journal of Undergraduate Research, Volume VIII, 2008
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Stiner, K. S.; Graham, S.; Khan, M.; Dilks, J.; Mayer, D.
Th e Journal of Undergraduate Research (JUR) provides undergraduate interns the opportunity to publish their scientific innovation and to share their passion for education and research with fellow students and scientists. Fields in which these students worked include: Biology; Chemistry; Computer Science; Engineering; Environmental Science; General Sciences; Materials Sciences; Medical and Health Sciences; Nuclear Sciences; Physics; Science Policy; and Waste Management.
Nuclear Medicine Technology Undergraduate Research Methods.
Nielsen, Cybil J
Introduction: The purpose of this article is to introduce nuclear medicine technology (NMT) educators to a method of incorporating research methodologies into the curriculum. Methods: The research methodology in the NMT program at Indiana University (IU) is taught in five steps (1. Introduction to research articles and statistics 2. Mock project and individual project design 3. Data collection 4. Writing the research paper 5. Presenting the abstract and mentoring new students). These steps could be combined for programs of shorter length or with credit hour restrictions. Results: All IU NMT students (100%) presented their research abstracts as part of a continuing education program for technologists. Seventeen of twenty-five (68%) presented their abstracts at a regional professional meeting. Six of twenty-five (24%) presented their research abstracts at a national professional meeting. Three of those six (50%) received travel grants. Two students submitted their research for publication and one was successful. Conclusion: The goal of incorporating a research methodology program into the nuclear medicine program should be to introduce undergraduates to the research process and instill excitement for new technologists to continue participation in research throughout their career. Copyright © 2017 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Inc.
Building an Automated Observatory for Undergraduate Research
Hood, Carol E.; Woodney, L.; Gardner, P. B.; Belicki, J.; Pate, J.
The Murillo Family Observatory is the culmination of more than 20 years of planning and fundraising to build a privately funded state of the art facilty for undergraduate research on a public campus which serves predominately minority students. This observatory allows us to bring a hands on approach to astronomy to traditionally underrepresented and underserved groups. Both our 18" and 20" telescopes have been equiped with CCD cameras and standard BVRI filters which will allow the students to do a wide variety of research projects from extra-solar planet transits to asteroid colors and light curves to AGN monitoring. Both telescopes have been designed to run remotely and in an automated mode. This has been achieved entirely with commercially available software products. The remote and automated modes enhance not only the functionality of our facility for research but will allow us to increase the reach of our programs into the local public schools.
Watershed Watch: The Importance of Mentors in Student-driven Full Inquiry Undergraduate Research Projects as the Foundation for an Introductory Course in Biogeoscience
Rock, B. N.; Hale, S. R.; Graham, K. J.; Hayden, L.; Barber, L.; Perry, C.; Schloss, J.; Sullivan, E.; Yuan, J.; Abebe, E.; Mitchell, L.; Abrams, E.; Gagnon, M.
Watershed Watch (NSF 0525433) engages early undergraduate students from two-year and four-year colleges in student-driven full inquiry-based instruction in the biogeosciences. Program goals for Watershed Watch are to test if inquiry-rich student-driven projects sufficiently engage undeclared students (or noncommittal STEM majors) to declare a STEM major (or remain with their STEM major). A significant component of this program is an intensive two-week Summer course, in which undeclared freshmen research various aspects of a local watershed. Students develop their own research questions and study design, collect and analyze data, and produce a scientific or an oral poster presentation. The course objectives, curriculum and schedule are presented as a model for dissemination for other institutions and programs seeking to develop inquiry-rich courses designed to attract students into biogeoscience disciplines. Data from self-reported student feedback indicated the most important factors explaining high-levels of student motivation and research excellence in the course are 1) working with committed, energetic, and enthusiastic faculty mentors; and 2) faculty mentors demonstrating high degrees of teamwork and coordination.
Summer Undergraduate Breast Cancer Research Program
National Research Council Canada - National Science Library
Folk, William R; Blockus, Linda
... opportunities, preparing for graduate school, and ethics. The 4 SUBCRP students joined the activities of the MU's Life Sciences Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program, including 80 other students involved in a wide variety of research experiences...
Summer Undergraduate Breast Cancer Research Program
National Research Council Canada - National Science Library
Folk, William
... opportunities, preparing for graduate school, and ethics. The 6 SUBCRP students joined the activities of the MU's Life Sciences Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program, including 70 other students involved in a wide variety of research experiences...
Emphasizing Research (Further) in Undergraduate Technical Communication Curricula: Involving Undergraduate Students with an Academic Journal's Publication and Management
Ford, Julie Dyke; Newmark, Julianne
This article presents follow-up information to a previous publication regarding ways to increase emphasis on research skills in undergraduate Technical Communication curricula. We detail the ways our undergraduate program highlights research by requiring majors to complete senior thesis projects that culminate in submission to an online…
Students' perspectives of undergraduate research methods ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Introduction: in this study we used a model of adult learning to explore undergraduate students' views on how to improve the teaching of research methods and biostatistics. Methods: this was a secondary analysis of survey data of 600 undergraduate students from three medical schools in Uganda. The analysis looked at ...
Research: Clinical undergraduate medical student training at ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
To profile the clinicians at Kimberley Hospital Complex in terms of their knowledge of, skills in and perspectives on the added responsibility of clinical undergraduate medical student training prior to the launch of the proposed undergraduate student rotations. Methods. The study followed a qualitative research design using ...
Reflections on Interdisciplinary Sustainability Research with Undergraduate Students
Aktas, Can Baran
Purpose: The purpose of the article was to convey experiences with pioneering interdisciplinary sustainability research by involving undergraduate students. Experiences with initiating and conducting multiple research projects spanning engineering and sustainability are described, and recommendations for programs and faculty in other institutions…
Field Research Studying Whales in an Undergraduate Animal Behavior Laboratory
MacLaren, R. David; Schulte, Dianna; Kennedy, Jen
This work describes a new field research laboratory in an undergraduate animal behavior course involving the study of whale behavior, ecology and conservation in partnership with a non-profit research organization--the Blue Ocean Society for Marine Conservation (BOS). The project involves two weeks of training and five weekend trips on whale watch…
Undergraduate medical research: the student perspective.
LENUS (Irish Health Repository)
Burgoyne, Louise N
Research training is essential in a modern undergraduate medical curriculum. Our evaluation aimed to (a) gauge students\\' awareness of research activities, (b) compare students\\' perceptions of their transferable and research-specific skills competencies, (c) determine students\\' motivation for research and (d) obtain students\\' personal views on doing research.
The Undergraduate ALFALFA Team: A Model for Involving Undergraduates in Major Legacy Astronomy Research
Troischt, Parker; Koopmann, Rebecca A.; Haynes, Martha P.; Higdon, Sarah; Balonek, Thomas J.; Cannon, John M.; Coble, Kimberly A.; Craig, David; Durbala, Adriana; Finn, Rose; Hoffman, G. Lyle; Kornreich, David A.; Lebron, Mayra E.; Crone-Odekon, Mary; O'Donoghue, Aileen A.; Olowin, Ronald Paul; Pantoja, Carmen; Rosenberg, Jessica L.; Venkatesan, Aparna; Wilcots, Eric M.; Alfalfa Team
The NSF-sponsored Undergraduate ALFALFA (Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA) Team (UAT) is a consortium of 19 institutions founded to promote undergraduate research and faculty development within the extragalactic ALFALFA HI blind survey project and follow-up programs. The collaborative nature of the UAT allows faculty and students from a wide range of public and private colleges and especially those with small astronomy programs to develop scholarly collaborations. Components of the program include an annual undergraduate workshop at Arecibo Observatory, observing runs at Arecibo, computer infrastructure, summer and academic year research projects, and dissemination at national meetings (e.g., Alfvin et al., Martens et al., Sanders et al., this meeting). Through this model, faculty and students are learning how science is accomplished in a large collaboration while contributing to the scientific goals of a major legacy survey. In the 7 years of the program, 23 faculty and more than 220 undergraduate students have participated at a significant level. 40% of them have been women and members of underrepresented groups. Faculty, many of whom were new to the collaboration and had expertise in other fields, contribute their diverse sets of skills to ALFALFA related projects via observing, data reduction, collaborative research, and research with students. 142 undergraduate students have attended the annual workshops at Arecibo Observatory, interacting with faculty, graduate students, their peers, and Arecibo staff in lectures, group activities, tours, and observing runs. Team faculty have supervised 131 summer research projects and 94 academic year (e.g., senior thesis) projects. 62 students have traveled to Arecibo Observatory for observing runs and 46 have presented their results at national meetings. 93% of alumni are attending graduate school and/or pursuing a career in STEM. Half of those pursuing graduate degrees in Physics or Astronomy are women. This work has been
Women in STEM: The Effect of Undergraduate Research on Persistence
Wilker, Jodi
The underrepresentation of women in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers constitutes a major issue in postsecondary science education. Perseverance of women in STEM is linked to a strong science identity. Experiential learning activities, such as undergraduate research, increase science identity and thus should help keep women in STEM. Most studies on research program development are from 4-year institutions, yet many women start at community colleges. The goal of this study was to fill this gap. Science identity and experiential learning theories provided the framework for this case study at a local institution (LECC). Semistructured interviews determined college science faculty and administrators perceptions of advantages and disadvantages of undergraduate research, the viability of developing a research program, and specific research options feasible for LECC. Transcripted data were analyzed through multiple rounds of coding yielding five themes: faculty perception of undergraduate research, authentic experiences, health technologies/nursing programs, LECC students career focus, and the unique culture at LECC. The most viable type of undergraduate research for LECC is course-based and of short timeframe. The project study advocates the use of citizen science (CS) studies in the classroom as they are relatively short-term and can take the place of lab sessions. The true benefit is that students perform authentic science by contributing to an actual scientific research project. CS projects can effect social change by developing science literate citizens, empowering faculty to create authentic learning experiences, and by sparking interest in science and directing women into STEM careers.
Implementation and assessment of a yeast orphan gene research project: involving undergraduates in authentic research experiences and progressing our understanding of uncharacterized open reading frames.
Bowling, Bethany V; Schultheis, Patrick J; Strome, Erin D
Saccharomyces cerevisiae was the first eukaryotic organism to be sequenced; however, little progress has been made in recent years in furthering our understanding of all open reading frames (ORFs). From October 2012 to May 2015 the number of verified ORFs had only risen from 75.31% to 78%, while the number of uncharacterized ORFs had decreased from 12.8% to 11% (representing > 700 genes still left in this category; http://www.yeastgenome.org/genomesnapshot). Course-based research has been shown to increase student learning while providing experience with real scientific investigation; however, implementation in large, multi-section courses presents many challenges. This study sought to test the feasibility and effectiveness of incorporating authentic research into a core genetics course, with multiple instructors, to increase student learning and progress our understanding of uncharacterized ORFs. We generated a module-based annotation toolkit and utilized easily accessible bioinformatics tools to predict gene function for uncharacterized ORFs within the Saccharomyces Genome Database (SGD). Students were each assigned an uncharacterized ORF, which they annotated using contemporary comparative genomics methodologies, including multiple sequence alignment, conserved domain identification, signal peptide prediction and cellular localization algorithms. Student learning outcomes were measured by quizzes, project reports and presentations, as well as a post-project questionnaire. Our results indicate that the authentic research experience had positive impacts on students' perception of their learning and their confidence to conduct future research. Furthermore, we believe that creation of an online repository and adoption and/or adaptation of this project across multiple researchers and institutions could speed the process of gene function prediction. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Implementation and assessment of a yeast orphan gene research project; involving undergraduates in authentic research experiences and progressing our understanding of uncharacterized open reading frames
Bowling, Bethany V.; Schultheis, Patrick J.
Saccharomyces cerevisiae was the first eukaryotic organism to be sequenced, however little progress has been made in recent years in furthering our understanding of all open reading frames (ORFs). From October 2012 to May 2015 the number of verified ORFs has only risen from 75.31% to 78% while the number of uncharacterized ORFs have decreased from 12.8% to 11% (representing more than 700 genes still left in this category) [http://www.yeastgenome.org/genomesnapshot]. Course-based research has been shown to increase student learning while providing experience with real scientific investigation; however, implementation in large, multi-section courses presents many challenges. This study sought to test the feasibility and effectiveness of incorporating authentic research into a core genetics course with multiple instructors to increase student learning and progress our understanding of uncharacterized ORFs. We generated a module-based annotation toolkit and utilized easily accessible bioinformatics tools to predict gene function for uncharacterized ORFs within the Saccharomyces Genome Database (SGD). Students were each assigned an uncharacterized ORF which they annotated using contemporary comparative genomics methodologies including multiple sequence alignment, conserved domain identification, signal peptide prediction and cellular localization algorithms. Student learning outcomes were measured by quizzes, project reports and presentations, as well as a post-project questionnaire. Our results indicate the authentic research experience had positive impacts on student's perception of their learning and their confidence to conduct future research. Furthermore we believe that creation of an online repository and adoption and/or adaptation of this project across multiple researchers and institutions could speed the process of gene function prediction. PMID:26460164
How to Successfully Incorporate Undergraduate Researchers Into a Complex Research Program at a Large Institution.
Weldon, Rebecca B; Reyna, Valerie F
One feature of the Laboratory for Rational Decision Making at Cornell University is the integration of a large number of undergraduate students into a relatively elaborate research program. We describe our thorough screening process, laboratory structure, and our expectations for undergraduate researchers in our lab. We have a structure in place that helps maintain organization and enhance productivity, including scheduled weekly and monthly meetings, and selecting undergraduate and graduate team leaders to lead each research project. We discuss how it is important to encourage students to aim high and have a good attitude toward learning and problem solving. We emphasize that both initiative and teamwork are important in a large research laboratory. We also discuss the importance of giving students responsibility in connection with research projects-our undergraduate researchers engage in data analysis, interpretation of results, and have a high-level understanding of theory.
Open Innovation Labs for Physics Undergraduate Independent Research
Carlsmith, Duncan
The open undergraduate laboratory Garage Physics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is home to a variety of independent physics and multidisciplinary research projects. Its maker-style environment encourages innovation and entrepreneurship. Experience establishing and staffing the laboratory will be described.
Undergraduate medical research: the student perspective
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Louise N. Burgoyne
Full Text Available Background: Research training is essential in a modern undergraduate medical curriculum. Our evaluation aimed to (a gauge students' awareness of research activities, (b compare students' perceptions of their transferable and research-specific skills competencies, (c determine students' motivation for research and (d obtain students' personal views on doing research. Methods: Undergraduate medical students (N=317 completed a research skills questionnaire developed by the Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning in Applied Undergraduate Research Skills (CETL-AURS at Reading University. The questionnaire assessed students' transferable skills, research-specific skills (e.g., study design, data collection and data analysis, research experience and attitude and motivation towards doing research. Results: The majority of students are motivated to pursue research. Graduate entrants and male students appear to be the most confident regarding their research skills competencies. Although all students recognise the role of research in medical practice, many are unaware of the medical research activities or successes within their university. Of those who report no interest in a career incorporating research, a common perception was that researchers are isolated from patients and clinical practice. Discussion: Students have a narrow definition of research and what it entails. An explanation for why research competence does not align more closely with research motivation is derived from students' lack of understanding of the concept of translational research, as well as a lack of awareness of the research activity being undertaken by their teachers and mentors. We plan to address this with specific research awareness initiatives.
A Strategy for Involving Undergraduates in Research
Rogers, Darrin L.; Kranz, Peter L.; Ferguson, Christopher J.
Increasingly, colleges and universities value undergraduate educational research experiences, though traditional apprenticeship models may be infeasible due to faculty time and resource limitations. The "embedded researcher" method can provide research experiences to large numbers of students within traditional courses while generating valuable…
Advancing Research on Undergraduate Science Learning
Singer, Susan Rundell
This special issue of "Journal of Research in Science Teaching" reflects conclusions and recommendations in the "Discipline-Based Education Research" (DBER) report and makes a substantial contribution to advancing the field. Research on undergraduate science learning is currently a loose affiliation of related fields. The…
Promoting Undergraduate Research at Grand Valley State University
Riemersma, P.; Mekik, F. A.
Grand Valley State University (GVSU) is a relatively young, rapidly growing, predominately undergraduate institution of about 20,000 students located in western Michigan in which undergraduate research plays a vital role in the education of our students. Student research is supported and actively promoted by 1) creating university funding opportunities and taking advantage of small outside funding sources 2) building a tradition of undergraduate research 3) incorporating small research activities into classes and 4) educating students explicitly in how to prepare a professional poster, give a professional talk and write a journal article. As the saying goes, if you have money, the students will come. At GVSU most students recognize the value of a research experience but need income to pay for college expenses. The internally funded Student Summer Scholars program at GVSU provides student salary and faculty stipend for a summer research project (\\6000 per grant). The geology department has also been successful at obtaining grants from the NASA Michigan Space Grant Consortium (\\5,000 plus a 100% GVSU match). We have been successful in using these easier to obtain smaller grants to fund undergraduate projects. In some cases small grants actually allow us to pursue "risky" or otherwise difficult to fund projects. Undergraduate research "counts" at GVSU and once a tradition and critical mass of undergraduate research has been established, it can become self-sustaining. To recognize the achievements of undergraduate research at GVSU, there is an annual Student Scholarship Day in which the students (580 university wide) present the results of their research. Also, by persuading students in our introductory classes (for extra credit) to attend Student Scholarship Day, the students, early in their college career, can see what fellow students can accomplish and student presenters can revel in their role of researcher and educator. Such an event helps to build a tradition
Undergraduates' Experience of Preparedness for Engaging with Sensitive Research Topics Using Qualitative Research
Simpson, Kerri L.; Wilson-Smith, Kevin
This research explored the experience of five undergraduates who engaged with qualitative research as part of their final dissertation project. There have been concerns raised over the emotional safety of researchers carrying out qualitative research, which increases when researchers are inexperienced making this a poignant issues for lectures…
Purification and Characterization of Taq Polymerase: A 9-Week Biochemistry Laboratory Project for Undergraduate Students
Bellin, Robert M.; Bruno, Mary K.; Farrow, Melissa A.
We have developed a 9-week undergraduate laboratory series focused on the purification and characterization of "Thermus aquaticus" DNA polymerase (Taq). Our aim was to provide undergraduate biochemistry students with a full-semester continuing project simulating a research-like experience, while having each week's procedure focus on a single…
EDITORIAL: Student undergraduate laboratory and project work
Schumacher, Dieter
that new experiments which illustrate both fundamental physics and modern technology can be realized even with a small budget. Traditional labwork courses often provide a catalogue of well known experiments. The students must first learn the theoretical background. They then assemble the setup from specified equipment, collect the data and perform the default data processing. However, there is no way to learn to swim without water. In order to achieve a constructivist access to learning, 'project labs' are needed. In a project labwork course a small group of students works as a team on a mini research project. The students have to specify the question of research, develop a suitable experimental setup, conduct the experiment and find a suitable way to evaluate the data. Finally they must present their results e.g. in the framework of a public poster session. Three contributions refer to this approach, however they focus on different aspects: 'Project laboratory for first-year students' by Gorazd Planinšič, 'RealTime Physics: active learning laboratories' by David Sokoloff et al and 'Labs outside labs: miniprojects at a spring camp for future physics teachers' by Leos Dvorák. Is it possible to prepare the students specifically for project labwork? This question is answered by the contribution 'A new labwork course for physics students: devices, methods and research projects' by Knut Neumann and Manuela Welzel. The two main parts of the labwork course cover first experimental devices (e.g. multimeters, oscilloscopes, different sensors, operational amplifiers, step motors, AD/DA-converters). Then subjects such as data processing, consideration of measurement uncertainties, keeping records or using tools like LABVIEW etc are focused on. Another concrete proposal for a new curriculum is provided by James Sharp et al, in 'Computer based learning in an undergraduate physics laboratory: interfacing and instrument control using MATLAB'. One can well imagine that project labs
An Undergraduate Student's Perspective on Geoscience Research
Wilder, A.; Feeley, T.; Michelfelder, G.
formulate research questions, how to systematically investigate these questions, how to prioritize their time, and how to critique their work objectively. Finally, by presenting the results of their work at professional meetings and departmental seminars, they share in the excitement of making new discoveries and generating results that are truly used. The most significant challenges are time and money. Costs related to stipends, analytical expenses, and travel are substantial and likely prohibitive for many individual students without generous grant or institutional support. Time is equally prohibitive because it can involve periods of more than two years from initial planning to dissemination of the results, in addition to disruption of progression within the undergraduate course curriculum. The latter is particularly significant in this case where field work was conducted in the Southern Hemisphere during the traditional Spring Semesters. As such, success in field- and laboratory-based petrology research at the undergraduate level requires replacing the concept of a "senior thesis" with that of a longer term project beginning as early as, perhaps, the sophomore year.
An Undergraduate Research Experience on Studying Variable Stars
Amaral, A.; Percy, J. R.
We describe and evaluate a summer undergraduate research project and experience by one of us (AA), under the supervision of the other (JP). The aim of the project was to sample current approaches to analyzing variable star data, and topics related to the study of Mira variable stars and their astrophysical importance. This project was done through the Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) in astronomy at the University of Toronto. SURP allowed undergraduate students to explore and learn about many topics within astronomy and astrophysics, from instrumentation to cosmology. SURP introduced students to key skills which are essential for students hoping to pursue graduate studies in any scientific field. Variable stars proved to be an excellent topic for a research project. For beginners to independent research, it introduces key concepts in research such as critical thinking and problem solving, while illuminating previously learned topics in stellar physics. The focus of this summer project was to compare observations with structural and evolutionary models, including modelling the random walk behavior exhibited in the (O-C) diagrams of most Mira stars. We found that the random walk could be modelled by using random fluctuations of the period. This explanation agreed well with observations.
Assessing Aspects of Undergraduate Research through Journaling
Mimbs, Debra
It is necessary while mentoring students in undergraduate research to conduct assessments in order to determine how well the research experience is progressing. It may also be necessary to assign a grade to a student's performance at the conclusion of such a venture. Journaling may be used both as a formative assessment tool and as a summative…
Going URB@N: Exploring the Impact of Undergraduate Students as Pedagogic Researchers
Butcher, John; Maunder, Rachel
This paper reports on the impact for students of an institutional scheme designed to involve undergraduate students in pedagogic research. Through Undergraduate Research Bursaries at Northampton, students are funded to work as researchers on pedagogic projects in partnership with academic staff. Drawing on data from a larger longitudinal mixed…
Enhancing Undergraduate Education through Mentored Research and Practical Writing Experiences
Stephens, Denise C.; Hintz, Eric G.; Joner, Michael D.; Moody, J. Ward
Twenty years ago I attended my very first AAS meeting as a 21-year old undergraduate physics major. At that meeting I presented the light curve of a variable star I had studied as part of a mentored research program at BYU. That opportunity to do mentored research, and to attend a professional meeting of astronomers, helped to set the foundation for my success today as an associate professor of physics and astronomy. Twenty years ago I was the student, now I am the mentor! I have eight undergraduate students whom I currently supervise in active research, four of which are presenting their senior projects at the 225th meeting of the AAS.My experience has shown me that the full impact of mentored research cannot be measured by yearly numbers or statistics. When we mentor a student, we influence their career path and choices for years to come. Where feasible, every undergraduate should have the opportunity to do research if they so choose. It is a sacrifice of our time and our effort that cannot be easily measured through numbers or results, and is only visible many years down the road as these students become the future leaders in astronomy and policy. In this poster, I will discuss the benefits of mentored research, the growth we have seen at BYU over the past twenty years with the introduction of a mentored research program, and ideas for implementing mentored research and writing into course curricula to enhance the undergraduate educational experience.
Effect of Undergraduate Research Output on Faculty Scholarly Research Impact
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Adriana Popescu
Full Text Available Abstract Objective – In the context of the ongoing discourse about the role of Institutional Repositories (IRs, the objective of the study is to investigate if there is any evidence of a relation between undergraduate student activity in an IR and the impact of faculty research. Methods – The data used for the study is representative of six academic departments of the College of Science and Mathematics (CSM at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly. Digital Commons@Cal Poly (DC is the IR supported by the library. Regression analysis was used to investigate the interdependence between faculty research impact (dependent variable and undergraduate student repository activity (independent variable. For each department, faculty research impact was quantified as a measure of the citation counts for all faculty publications indexed in Web of Science (WoS between January 2008 and May 2017. Student repository activity was quantified for each department in two ways: (1 total number of student projects deposited in DC since 2008 (Sp and (2 total number of student project downloads from DC (Sd. The dependent variable was regressed against each of the two elements of student repository activity (Sp and Sd, and the resulting statistics (sample correlation coefficients, coefficients of determination, and linear regression coefficients were calculated and checked for statistical significance. Results – The statistical analysis showed that both components of student repository activity are positively and significantly correlated with the impact of faculty research quantified by a measure of the citation counts. It was also found that faculty repository activity, although positively correlated with faculty research impact, has no significant effect on the correlation between student repository activity and faculty research impact. Conclusion – The analysis considers two distinct groups of publications: one group of student publications (senior
Incorporating Applied Undergraduate Research in Senior to Graduate Level Remote Sensing Courses
Henley, Richard B.; Unger, Daniel R.; Kulhavy, David L.; Hung, I-Kuai
An Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture (ATCOFA) senior spatial science undergraduate student engaged in a multi-course undergraduate research project to expand his expertise in remote sensing and assess the applied instruction methodology employed within ATCOFA. The project consisted of performing a change detection…
Engaging Undergraduates through Interdisciplinary Research in Nanotechnology
Goonewardene, Anura U.; Offutt, Christine; Whitling, Jacqueline; Woodhouse, Donald
To recruit and retain more students in all science disciplines at our small (5,000 student) public university, we implemented an interdisciplinary strategy focusing on nanotechnology and enhanced undergraduate research. Inherently interdisciplinary, the novelty of nanotechnology and its growing career potential appeal to students. To engage…
Use of Engineering Design Competitions for Undergraduate and Capstone Projects
Kundu, Sumit; Fowler, Michael W.
There are many professional benefits to pursuing undergraduate design opportunities and capstone projects to both students and faculty advisors. Using a case study on a group of graduates and undergraduates who took part in the Hydrogen Ambassador Competition in 2005 this study will examine the benefits and challenges from the point of view of all…
Using Geowall to Promote Undergraduate Research
Scec EIT Intern Team; Perry, S.; Jordan, T.
The principal use of our Geowall system is to showcase the 3-D visualizations created by SCEC/EITR (Southern California Earthquake Center/Earthquake Information Technology Research) interns. These visualizations, called LA3D, are devised to educate the public, assist researchers, inspire students, and attract new interns. With the design criteria that LA3D code must be object-oriented and open-source, and that all datasets should be in internet-accessible databases, our interns have made interactive visualizations of southern California's earthquakes, faults, landforms, and other topographic features, that allow unlimited additions of new datasets and map objects. The interns built our Geowall system, and made a unique contribution to the Geowall consortium when they devised a simple way to use Java3D to create and send images to Geowall's projectors. The EIT interns are enormously proud of their accomplishments, and for most, working on LA3D has been the high point of their college careers. Their efforts have become central to testbed development of the system level science that SCEC is orchestrating in its Community Modeling Environment. In addition, SCEC's Communication, Education and Outreach Program uses LA3D on Geowall to communicate concepts about earthquakes and earthquake processes. Then, projecting LA3D on Geowall, it becomes easy to impress students from elementary to high school ages with what can be accomplished if they keep learning math and science. Finally, we bring Geowall to undergraduate research symposia and career-day open houses, to project LA3D and attract additional students to our intern program, which to date has united students in computer science, engineering, geoscience, mathematics, communication, pre-law, and cinema. (Note: distribution copies of LA3D will be available in early 2004.) The Southern California Earthquake Center Earthquake Information Technology Intern Team on this project: Adam Bongarzone, Hunter Francoeur, Lindsay
Successful Undergraduate Research: Creating Win-Win-Win
Guswa, A. J.; Rhodes, A. L.
Undergraduate involvement in research has the potential to advance science, enhance education, strengthen the research community, and raise general awareness of the importance and impact of scientific understanding. Rather than being competing objectives, these goals are synergistic. Effective research experiences are those that create win-win-win situations: benefits to the student, benefits to the project, and benefits to the scientific community. When structured appropriately, undergraduate research fits into a learner-centered paradigm that puts emphasis on student learning, rather than instructor teaching. Under such a paradigm the student and professor learn together, constructing knowledge by integrating information with critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, and use this knowledge to address issues in real-life contexts. Creating such a learning environment requires that the professor be vested in the outcome of the research, that the student take a meta-cognitive approach to the project and work at a level appropriate to her abilities, and that the student understand how her contribution fits into the project and the larger field. All of these factors lead to greater independence, confidence, and productivity on the part of the student. By providing undergraduates with these experiences, we introduce not only future scientists but also non-scientists to the excitement of discovery and the value of scientific research. Currently, we involve undergraduates in our research on the hydrology and geochemistry of a tropical montane cloud forest in Monteverde, Costa Rica. At the start of each student's involvement, we provide her with the big picture: our project goals, the relevant social issues, and the importance of watershed research. Each student then articulates her own educational and project objectives. Together, we choose tasks that match her skills and interests with our scholarly work. Specific activities range from literature review to
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Collaborative Computer-Intensive Projects in an Undergraduate Psychometrics Course
Barchard, Kimberly A.; Pace, Larry A.
Undergraduate psychometrics classes often use computer-intensive active learning projects. However, little research has examined active learning or computer-intensive projects in psychometrics courses. We describe two computer-intensive collaborative learning projects used to teach the design and evaluation of psychological tests. Course…
Undergraduate Medical Education Research in Malaysia: Time for a Change.
Salam, Abdus; Hamzah, Jemaima Che; Chin, Tan Geok; Siraj, Harlina Halizah; Idrus, Ruszymah; Mohamad, Nabishah; Raymond, Azman Ali
Special Study Module (SSM) is a mandatory research module implemented in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). The objective of this paper is to provide a brief overview on the student research activities and to find out the outcome measures in terms of publication. It was a retrospective study done on SSM research projects at UKM. The SSM research is conducted from beginning of year-4 until 1(st) seven weeks of year-5. In year-4, students are assigned to a faculty-supervisor in small groups and spend every Thursday afternoon to plan and carry the research. Whole first seven weeks of year-5, students are placed with their supervisor continuously to collect data, do analysis, write report and present in the scientific conference. Outcomes of 5-years SSM research-projects starting from 2008/2009 to 2012/2013 academic session were analyzed. Total 257 projects were completed and presented in annual scientific meetings from which 57 (22.2%) articles were published in peer reviewed journals. Mandatory undergraduate student research project brings an opportunity to develop students' capacity building from conception to final report writing and thereby narrowing the gap between education and practice. Medical schools should implement research module to bring changes in research and publication culture of undergraduate medical education.
Undergraduate Medical Education Research in Malaysia: Time for a Change
Salam, Abdus; Hamzah, Jemaima Che; Chin, Tan Geok; Siraj, Harlina Halizah; Idrus, Ruszymah; Mohamad, Nabishah; Raymond, Azman Ali
Objective: Special Study Module (SSM) is a mandatory research module implemented in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). The objective of this paper is to provide a brief overview on the student research activities and to find out the outcome measures in terms of publication. Methods: It was a retrospective study done on SSM research projects at UKM. The SSM research is conducted from beginning of year-4 until 1st seven weeks of year-5. In year-4, students are assigned to a faculty-supervisor in small groups and spend every Thursday afternoon to plan and carry the research. Whole first seven weeks of year-5, students are placed with their supervisor continuously to collect data, do analysis, write report and present in the scientific conference. Outcomes of 5-years SSM research-projects starting from 2008/2009 to 2012/2013 academic session were analyzed. Results: Total 257 projects were completed and presented in annual scientific meetings from which 57 (22.2%) articles were published in peer reviewed journals. Conclusion: Mandatory undergraduate student research project brings an opportunity to develop students' capacity building from conception to final report writing and thereby narrowing the gap between education and practice. Medical schools should implement research module to bring changes in research and publication culture of undergraduate medical education. PMID:26150832
Interdisciplinary Biomathematics: Engaging Undergraduates in Research on the Fringe of Mathematical Biology
Fowler, Kathleen; Luttman, Aaron; Mondal, Sumona
The US National Science Foundation's (NSF's) Undergraduate Biology and Mathematics (UBM) program significantly increased undergraduate research in the biomathematical sciences. We discuss three UBM-funded student research projects at Clarkson University that lie at the intersection of not just mathematics and biology, but also other fields. The…
Successfully Mentoring Undergraduates in Research: A How to Guide for Mathematicians
Dorff, Michael; Henrich, Allison; Pudwell, Lara
Undergraduate research occurs in a variety of mathematical fields and in diverse settings, but all mentors of undergraduates face a number of common considerations. This article is a brief guide to help faculty with various levels of previous mentoring experience lead students in research projects. In particular, we discuss the issues of picking…
Demand for Interdisciplinary Laboratories for Physiology Research by Undergraduate Students in Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering
Clase, Kari L.; Hein, Patrick W.; Pelaez, Nancy J.
Physiology as a discipline is uniquely positioned to engage undergraduate students in interdisciplinary research in response to the 2006-2011 National Science Foundation Strategic Plan call for innovative transformational research, which emphasizes multidisciplinary projects. To prepare undergraduates for careers that cross disciplinary…
An Evaluation of Research Ethics in Undergraduate Health Science Research Methodology Programs at a South African University.
Coetzee, Tanya; Hoffmann, Willem A; de Roubaix, Malcolm
The amended research ethics policy at a South African University required the ethics review of undergraduate research projects, prompting the need to explore the content and teaching approach of research ethics education in health science undergraduate programs. Two qualitative data collection strategies were used: document analysis (syllabi and study guides) and semi-structured interviews with research methodology coordinators. Five main themes emerged: (a) timing of research ethics courses, (b) research ethics course content, (c) sub-optimal use of creative classroom activities to facilitate research ethics lectures, (d) understanding the need for undergraduate project research ethics review, and (e) research ethics capacity training for research methodology lecturers and undergraduate project supervisors. © The Author(s) 2015.
The Articulation of Formative Research and Classrooms Projects in the Language and Culture Class in an Undergraduate English Teaching Program (Articulación de Prácticas de Investigación Formativa con los Proyectos de Aula de las Clases de Lengua y Cultura Anglófona en un Programa de Licenciatura en Lengua Extranjera)
Marroquín, Paula Ramírez
This article shows the results of a research project which searched to answer how to articulate formative research with classroom projects in an undergraduate English teaching program. To accomplish the purpose of this paper, the document will focus on the two specific objectives of this qualitative research: document revision, and knowing about…
Summer Undergraduate Breast Cancer Research Program
National Research Council Canada - National Science Library
Folk, William
.... These students participated in faculty-mentored research projects for eight weeks and participated in seminars, brown-bag lunches, and specialty discussion on research, clinical trials, career...
Architectural project and research
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Lotz, Katrine
Discussion of criterias for research including the researchers or designers own project as theme.......Discussion of criterias for research including the researchers or designers own project as theme....
The Role of High School Research Experiences in Shaping Students' Research Self-Efficacy and Preparation for Undergraduate Research Participation
Swan, Amy K.; Inkelas, Karen Kurotsuchi; Jones, Jill N.; Pretlow, Joshua; Keller, Tierney F.
The effects of undergraduate research participation are well documented, but less is known about students' pathways into undergraduate research participation. This mixed-methods study explored the role of an International Baccalaureate research project in students' development of research self-efficacy in high school, and how this development…
The Undergraduate Student Instrumentation Projects at the University of Houston
Bering, E. A., III; Talbot, R. W.; Glennie, C. L.; Rodrigues, D.; Jinghong, C.; Alozie, M.; Behrend, C. C.; Bias, C.; Ehteshami, A.; Fenton, A.; Greer, M.; Gunawan, B.; Harrison, W.; Jordan, J.; Lalata, M. C.; Lehnen, J. N.; Martinez, A.; Mathur, S.; Medillin, M.; Nguyen, T.; Nguyen, T. V.; Nowling, M.; Perez, D.; Pham, M.; Pina, M.; Porat, I.; Prince, J.; Thomas, G. C.; Velasquez, B.; Victor, L.
The Undergraduate Student Instrumentation Project (USIP) is a NASA program to engage undergraduate students in rigorous scientific research, for the purposes of innovation and developing the next generation of professionals for an array of fields. The program is student led and executed from initial ideation to research to the design and deployment of scientific payloads. The University of Houston has been selected twice to participate in the USIP programs. The first program (USIP_UH I) ran from 2013 to 2016. USIP_UH II started in January of this year, with funding starting at the end of May. USIP_UH I (USIP_UH II) at the University of Houston was (is) composed of eight (seven) research teams developing six (seven), distinct, balloon-based scientific instruments. These instruments will contribute to a broad range of geophysical sciences from Very Low Frequency recording and Total Electron Content to exobiology and ozone profiling. USIP_UH I had 12 successful launches with 9 recoveries from Fairbanks, AK in March 2015 and 4 piggyback flights with BARREL 3 from Esrange, Kiruna, Sweden in August, 2015. Additional flights with BARREL 4 will take place in August 2016. The great opportunity of this program is capitalizing on the proliferation of electronics miniaturization to create new generations of scientific instruments that are smaller and lighter than ever before. This situation allows experiments to be done more cheaply which ultimately allows many more experiments to be done.
Undergraduate Research and the Growth of a Department
Dukes, R. J.
According to American Institute of Physics statistics the College of Charleston's Department of Physics and Astronomy is second among all primarily undergraduate institutions in the production of physics and astronomy bachelor's degrees. A little over a decade ago the roster faculty of the department consisted of 5 physicists and 2 astronomers. Currently we have 13 filled positions including 6 astronomers and are hiring 3 additional faculty this year. What has caused this growth? While there are a number of factors, our undergraduate research program is a major one. Although we have required a "senior project" for 30 years about 15 years ago we started encouraging students to present their work at both a college wide research poster session and the annual meeting of the South Carolina Academy of Science. We also began to encourage students to begin research earlier in their careers. At about the same time we received NSF funding to operate an automatic photometric telescope in southern Arizona. This facility greatly increased the opportunities available in astronomy. A decade ago venues for student presentations were expanded to include AAS meetings as well as others. Undergraduate students, especially beginning ones, require very careful and time-consuming mentoring. In addition to funding from NSF our students have also been funded by the SC Space Grant and by internal funds. Even in the time of drastic budget cuts our president has begun funding 20 competitive summer research appointments for undergraduates as well as providing travel support for attendance at meetings. In summary, our emphasis on undergraduate research has attracted students and in turn resulted in the administration granting us additional faculty lines. The new faculty hires have been instrumental in attracting even more students. I would like to express my appreciation to my students and colleagues and to NSF for supporting our automatic telescope for the last 14 years under the following
Using Group Research to Stimulate Undergraduate Astronomy Major Learning
McGraw, A. M.; Hardegree-Ullman, K. K.; Turner, J. D.; Shirley, Y. L.; Walker-LaFollette, A. M.; Robertson, A. N.; Carleton, T. M.; Smart, B. M.; Towner, A. P. M.; Wallace, S. C.; Smith, C.-T. W.; Austin, C. L.; Small, L. C.; Daugherty, M. J.; Guvenen, B. C.; Crawford, B. E.; Schlingman, W. M.
The University of Arizona Astronomy Club has been working on two large group research projects since 2009. One research project is a transiting extrasolar project that is fully student led and run. We observed the transiting extrasolar planets, TrES-3b and TrES-4b, with the 1.55 meter Kuiper Telescope using different filters to test a proposed method of detecting extrasolar planet magnetic fields. The second project is a radio astronomy survey utilizing the Arizona Radio Observatory 12 meter telescope on Kitt Peak to study molecular gas in cold star-like cores identified by the Planck all sky survey. This project provides a unique opportunity for a large group of students to get hands-on experience observing with a world-class radio observatory. These projects involve students in every single step of the process including: proposal writing to obtain telescope time on various Southern Arizona telescopes, observing at these telescopes, data reduction and analysis, managing large data sets, and presenting results at scientific meetings and in journal publications. The primary goal of these projects is to involve students in cutting-edge research early on in their undergraduate studies. These projects are designed to be continuous long term projects so that new students can easily join. New students learn from the more experienced students on the projects, creating a learner-centered environment. Independent study credit is now an option for some students working on these projects.
Symbiosis--undergraduate research mentoring and faculty scholarship in nursing.
Wheeler, Erlinda C; Hardie, Thomas; Schell, Kathleen; Plowfield, Lisa
Although teaching is the major focus of academia, research and professional publications frequently determine faculty eligibility for promotion and tenure. In universities where funded research is scarce, faculty need creative means to accomplish research goals. Research is an essential part of baccalaureate nursing education. The goal of research education at the baccalaureate level is to prepare knowledgeable consumers in nursing research. The purpose of this article is to describe an undergraduate nursing research course that provide students with hands-on experience in the conduct of nursing research and provide faculty with assistance in moving their research agenda forward. Faculty members were solicited to work with 5-10 students in a research project that was either in the planning stages or actively in progress. After one year of program implementation, faculty and students were involved in presenting poster and oral presentations at state, regional, and international research conferences. Manuscripts and proposals for funding are in the process of submission.
Symbiosis – Undergraduate Research Mentoring and Faculty Scholarship in Nursing
Wheeler, Erlinda C.; Hardie, Thomas; Schell, Kathleen; Plowfield, Lisa
While teaching is the major focus of academia, research and professional publications frequently determine faculty eligibility for promotion and tenure. In universities where funded research is scarce, faculty need creative means to accomplish research goals. Research is an essential part of baccalaureate nursing education. The goal of research education at the baccalaureate level is to prepare knowledgeable consumers of nursing research. The purpose of this article is to describe an undergraduate nursing research course that provide students with hands on experience in the conduct of nursing research and provide faculty with assistance in moving their research agenda forward. Faculty members were solicited to work with 5-10 students in a research project that was either in the planning stages or actively in progress. After one year of program implementation, faculty and students were involved in presenting poster and oral presentations at state, regional, and international research conferences. Manuscripts as well as proposals for funding are in the process of submission. PMID:18237619
Binomial Coefficients Modulo a Prime--A Visualization Approach to Undergraduate Research
Bardzell, Michael; Poimenidou, Eirini
In this article we present, as a case study, results of undergraduate research involving binomial coefficients modulo a prime "p." We will discuss how undergraduates were involved in the project, even with a minimal mathematical background beforehand. There are two main avenues of exploration described to discover these binomial…
Research Ethics with Undergraduates in Summer Research Training Programs
Cheung, I.; Yalcin, K.
Many undergraduate research training programs incorporate research ethics into their programs and some are required. Engaging students in conversations around challenging topics such as conflict of interest, cultural and gender biases, what is science and what is normative science can difficult in newly formed student cohorts. In addition, discussing topics with more distant impacts such as science and policy, intellectual property and authorship, can be difficult for students in their first research experience that have more immediate concerns about plagiarism, data manipulation, and the student/faculty relationship. Oregon State University's Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) in Ocean Sciences: From Estuaries to the Deep Sea as one model for incorporating a research ethics component into summer undergraduate research training programs. Weaved into the 10-week REU program, undergraduate interns participate in a series of conversations and a faculty mentor panel focused on research ethics. Topics discussed are in a framework for sharing myths, knowledge and personal experiences on issues in research with ethical implications. The series follows guidelines and case studies outlined from the text, On Being A Scientist: Responsible Conduct In Research Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy, National Academy of Sciences.
Merits of Undergraduate and High School Research
Kenney, John
When it comes to sports, everyone gets it; you have to play to really understand, experience, and learn what the game is all about. It would be ludicrous to teach basketball by practicing basketball fundamentals in the gym (layups, free throws, jump shots, dribbling, defense), reading about and attending professional basketball games, but never playing in a game. As important as classes and teaching laboratories may be in science education, there is simply no substitute for active engagement in scientific research to show students what science is all about and, perhaps even more importantly, to inspire and motivate them to become scientists or at least appreciate science. It is a widely held misconception that a student cannot really do meaningful, publishable scientific research until he/she is in graduate school. In actual fact, college undergraduates and even high school students can make original and significant scientific research contributions. Astronomical research, in particular, is very well suited to engage the beginning high school or college undergraduate researcher. The night sky's inherent accessibility and also its inherent grandeur are natural draws for the curious student's mind. And much can be learned and discovered using small telescopes. In sports, joining a team is a key aspect of the sports experience. Similarly in science, joining a research team and thereby entering a "community of scientific practice" is fundamental and transformational. As important as working with equipment and acquiring data happen to be in scientific research, this is only the beginning of the research process. Student researchers of all ages—particularly high school students and college undergraduates—have much to gain by giving presentations on their research, writing up their results for publication, and going through the peer review process. But this only works if the student researchers are imbedded within the community of practice.
Integrating Research Experiences into the Undergraduate Education
Bauer, Wolfgang
During the last seven years Michigan State University has been able to increase the number of physics and astrophysics majors by more than a factor of two. Part of this increase can be attributed to introducing special first-year courses on computational physics and on laboratory techniques, designed exclusively for physics majors. Investing into strengthening the Society of Physics Students and Science Theatre and into increased outreach activities also plays a role. But the largest effect is due to integrating a wide variety of research experiences into the Michigan State undergraduate physics and astrophysics experience. An overview of these activities will be given, and ways to upscale these efforts will be discussed.
Journal of Undergraduate Research, Volume I, 2001
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Faletra, P.; Beavis, W.; Franz, K.; Musick, C.; Walbridge, S.E.; Myron, H.
This is our first volume of the Undergraduate Journal. It is an approbation of the impressive research performed by summer interns under the guidance of their dedicated mentors. The full-length publications were chosen from a pool of submissions that were reviewed by many of the excellent scientists at our National Laboratories. Most of these students will pursue careers in science, engineering and technology and, hopefully, some of this talent will remain with our labs. We have also included about 125 abstracts that survived the review process. These were submitted from all of our participating National Laboratories.
Summer Undergraduate Breast Cancer Research Program
National Research Council Canada - National Science Library
Folk, William
...) supported 6 students in 2002. These students participated in faculty-mentored research projects for eight weeks and participated in seminars, brown-bag lunches, and specialty discussions on research, clinical trials, career...
Summer Undergraduate Breast Cancer Research Program
National Research Council Canada - National Science Library
Folk, William R; Blockus, Linda
...) supported 4 students in 2003. These students participated in faculty-mentored research projects for eight weeks and participated in seminars, brown-bag lunches, and specialty discussions on research, clinical trials, career...
Assessing Student Outcomes of Undergraduate Research with URSSA, the Undergraduate Student Self-Assessment Instrument
Laursen, S. L.; Weston, T. J.; Thiry, H.
URSSA is the Undergraduate Research Student Self-Assessment, an online survey instrument for programs and departments to use in assessing the student outcomes of undergraduate research (UR). URSSA focuses on what students learn from their UR experience, rather than whether they liked it. The online questionnaire includes both multiple-choice and open-ended items that focus on students' gains from undergraduate research. These gains include skills, knowledge, deeper understanding of the intellectual and practical work of science, growth in confidence, changes in identity, and career preparation. Other items probe students' participation in important research-related activities that lead to these gains (e.g. giving presentations, having responsibility for a project). These activities, and the gains themselves, are based in research and thus constitute a core set of items. Using these items as a group helps to align a particular program assessment with research-demonstrated outcomes. Optional items may be used to probe particular features that are augment the research experience (e.g. field trips, career seminars, housing arrangements). The URSSA items are based on extensive, interview-based research and evaluation work on undergraduate research by our group and others. This grounding in research means that URSSA measures what we know to be important about the UR experience The items were tested with students, revised and re-tested. Data from a large pilot sample of over 500 students enabled statistical testing of the items' validity and reliability. Optional items about UR program elements were developed in consultation with UR program developers and leaders. The resulting instrument is flexible. Users begin with a set of core items, then customize their survey with optional items to probe students' experiences of specific program elements. The online instrument is free and easy to use, with numeric results available as raw data, summary statistics, cross-tabs, and
Two Undergraduate Projects for Data Acquisition and Control
Hiersche, Kelly; Pena, Tara; Grogan, Tanner; Wright, Matthew
We are designing two separate instruments for use in our undergraduate laboratory. In the first project, a Raspberry Pi is used to simultaneously monitor a large number of current and voltage readings and store them in a database. In our second project, we are constructing our own microcontrollers to work as a general-purpose interface based off work carried out in Review of Scientific Instruments 84, 103101 (2013). It was designed for low cost and simple construction, making it ideal for undergraduate level work. This circuit has room for two interchangeable daughter boards, giving it the capability to work as a general lab interface, lock-in detector, or waveform generator.
Strategies for involving undergraduates in mentored research (Invited)
Marin-Spiotta, E.
Early engagement in research can transform the undergraduate experience and has a positive effect on minority student recruitment to graduate school. Multiple strategies used to involve undergraduates in research at a large R1 university are presented. During my first four years as an assistant professor, my lab has hosted 14 undergraduates, 9 of them women and 4 of them Hispanic. Institutional support has been critical for undergraduate student involvement. UW supports a research program for incoming underrepresented students. An advantage of this program is very early research participation, with the opportunity for long-term training. One disadvantage is that many first year students have not yet identified their interests. The Biology major also requires students to complete an independent project, which culminates in a research symposium. Competitive research fellowships and grants are available for students to conduct work under faculty mentorship. We have been successful at keeping students on even when their majors are very different from our research discipline, mainly by providing flexibility and a welcoming lab environment. This mentoring culture is strongly fostered by graduate student interest and involvement with all undergraduates as well as active mentor training. By offering multiple pathways for involvement, we can accommodate students' changing schedules and priorities as well as changing lab needs. Students can volunteer, receive course credit, conduct an independent project or honors thesis, contribute to an existing project, do lab work or write a literature review, work with one mentor or on multiple projects. We often provide employment over the summer and subsequent semesters for continuing students. Some will increase their commitment over time and work more closely with me. Others reduce down to a few hours a week as they gain experience elsewhere. Most students stay multiple semesters and multiple years because they 'enjoy being in the
Undergraduate Research at SETI in Astrobiology
Kress, Monika; Phillips, C.; DeVore, E.; Hubickyj, O.
The SETI Institute and San Jose State University (SJSU) have begun a partnership (URSA: Undergraduate Research at the SETI Institute in Astrobiology) in which undergraduate science and engineering majors from SJSU participate in research at the SETI Institute during the academic year. We are currently in our second year of the three-year NASA-funded grant. The goal of this program is to expose future scientists, engineers and educators to the science of astrobiology and to NASA in general, and by so doing, to prepare them for the transition to their future career in the Silicon Valley or beyond. The URSA students are mentored by a SETI Institute scientist who conducts research at the SETI Institute headquarters or nearby at NASA Ames Research Center. The SETI Institute is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to scientific research, education and public outreach. Its mission is to explore, understand and explain the origin, nature and prevalence of life in the universe. SJSU is a large urban public university that serves the greater Silicon Valley area in California. Students at SJSU come from diverse ethnic, cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. Many of them face financial pressures that force them to pursue part-time work. URSA students are paid to work for 10 hours/week during the academic year, and also participate in monthly group meetings where they practice their presentation skills and discuss future plans. We encourage underserved and underrepresented students, including women, minority, and those who are the first in their family to go to college, to apply to the URSA program and provide ongoing mentoring and support as needed. While preparing students for graduate school is not a primary goal, some of our students have gone on to MS or PhD programs or plan to do so. The URSA program is funded by NASA EPOESS.
The NSF Undergraduate ALFALFA Team: Partnering with Arecibo Observatory to Offer Undergraduate and Faculty Extragalactic Radio Astronomy Research Opportunities
Ribaudo, Joseph; Koopmann, Rebecca A.; Haynes, Martha P.; Balonek, Thomas J.; Cannon, John M.; Coble, Kimberly A.; Craig, David W.; Denn, Grant R.; Durbala, Adriana; Finn, Rose; Hallenbeck, Gregory L.; Hoffman, G. Lyle; Lebron, Mayra E.; Miller, Brendan P.; Crone-Odekon, Mary; O'Donoghue, Aileen A.; Olowin, Ronald Paul; Pantoja, Carmen; Pisano, Daniel J.; Rosenberg, Jessica L.; Troischt, Parker; Venkatesan, Aparna; Wilcots, Eric M.; ALFALFA Team
The NSF-sponsored Undergraduate ALFALFA (Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA) Team (UAT) is a consortium of 20 institutions across the US and Puerto Rico, founded to promote undergraduate research and faculty development within the extragalactic ALFALFA HI blind survey project and follow-up programs. The objective of the UAT is to provide opportunities for its members to develop expertise in the technical aspects of observational radio spectroscopy, its associated data analysis, and the motivating science. Partnering with Arecibo Observatory, the UAT has worked with more than 280 undergraduates and 26 faculty to date, offering 8 workshops onsite at Arecibo (148 undergraduates), observing runs at Arecibo (69 undergraduates), remote observing runs on campus, undergraduate research projects based on Arecibo science (120 academic year and 185 summer projects), and presentation of results at national meetings such as the AAS (at AAS229: Ball et al., Collova et al., Davis et al., Miazzo et al., Ruvolo et al, Singer et al., Cannon et al., Craig et al., Koopmann et al., O'Donoghue et al.). 40% of the students and 45% of the faculty participants have been women and members of underrepresented groups. More than 90% of student alumni are attending graduate school and/or pursuing a career in STEM. 42% of those pursuing graduate degrees in Physics or Astronomy are women.In this presentation, we summarize the UAT program and the current research efforts of UAT members based on Arecibo science, including multiwavelength followup observations of ALFALFA sources, the UAT Collaborative Groups Project, the Survey of HI in Extremely Low-mass Dwarfs (SHIELD), and the Arecibo Pisces-Perseus Supercluster Survey (APPSS). This work has been supported by NSF grants AST-0724918/0902211, AST-075267/0903394, AST-0725380, AST-121105, and AST-1637339.
Undergraduate Research and Education at MIT Haystack Observatory
Pratap, P.; Salah, J.
The MIT Haystack Observatory Undergraduate Research Initiative is an NSF- funded program aimed at involving undergraduate students in active radio astronomical research. The project has two major thrusts - students get hands-on experience using a small radio telescope that has been developed at Haystack and which will be provided as a low cost kit early next year. Beta versions of this telescope are being built for a select group of institutions. The second component is a research experience with the Haystack 37-m telescope. Use of the 37-m telescope has ranged from classroom demonstrations to original research projects. The Small Radio Telescope (SRT) project consists of a 2m dish with a 1420 MHz receiver. The antenna has a two axis mount that provides full sky coverage. The telescope is intended to provide students and faculty with an introduction to radio astronomy and instrument calibration. Observations of the sun and the galactic HI line are possible with the current version of this telescope. The 37-m telescope program is aimed at providing students with a research experience that can result in publishable results. The telescope has also been used in providing students with an introduction to the scope of radio astronomical data including continuum and spectral line observations. Classroom demonstrations have also been tested with non-science majors. Extensive supporting materials for the project have been developed on the world wide web. These include a radio astronomy tutorial, hardware and software information about both telescopes and project descriptions. We also provide curriculum suggestions to aid faculty incorporate radio astronomy into their courses.
"Hey, I Can Do This!" The Benefits of Conducting Undergraduate Psychology Research for Young Adult Development
Searight, H. Russell; Ratwik, Susan; Smith, Todd
Many undergraduate programs require students to complete an independent research project in their major field prior to graduation. These projects are typically described as opportunities for integration of coursework and a direct application of the methods of inquiry specific to a particular discipline. Evaluations of curricular projects have…
A Research-Based Undergraduate Organic Laboratory Project: Investigation of a One-Pot, Multicomponent, Environmentally Friendly Prins-Friedel-Crafts-Type Reaction
Dintzner, Matthew R.; Maresh, Justin J.; Kinzie, Charles R.; Arena, Anthony F.; Speltz, Thomas
Students in the undergraduate organic laboratory synthesize tetrahydro-2-(4-nitrophenyl)-4-phenyl-2"H"-pyran via the Montmorillonite K10 clay-catalyzed reaction of p-nitrobenzaldehye with methanol, 3-buten-1-ol, and benzene. The synthesis comprises an environmentally friendly tandem Prins-Friedel-Crafts-type multicomponent reaction (MCR) and sets…
An Evaluation of a Course That Introduces Undergraduate Students to Authentic Aerospace Engineering Research
Mena, Irene B.; Schmitz, Sven; McLaughlin, Dennis
This paper describes the implementation and assessment of an aerospace engineering course in which undergraduate students worked on research projects with graduate research mentors. The course was created using the principles from cooperative learning and project-based learning, and consisted of students working in small groups on a complex,…
Flyover Modeling of Planetary Pits - Undergraduate Student Instrument Project
Bhasin, N.; Whittaker, W.
On the surface of the moon and Mars there are hundreds of skylights, which are collapsed holes that are believed to lead to underground caves. This research uses Vision, Inertial, and LIDAR sensors to build a high resolution model of a skylight as a landing vehicle flies overhead. We design and fabricate a pit modeling instrument to accomplish this task, implement software, and demonstrate sensing and modeling capability on a suborbital reusable launch vehicle flying over a simulated pit. Future missions on other planets and moons will explore pits and caves, led by the technology developed by this research. Sensor software utilizes modern graph-based optimization techniques to build 3D models using camera, LIDAR, and inertial data. The modeling performance was validated with a test flyover of a planetary skylight analog structure on the Masten Xombie sRLV. The trajectory profile closely follows that of autonomous planetary powered descent, including translational and rotational dynamics as well as shock and vibration. A hexagonal structure made of shipping containers provides a terrain feature that serves as an appropriate analog for the rim and upper walls of a cylindrical planetary skylight. The skylight analog floor, walls, and rim are modeled in elevation with a 96% coverage rate at 0.25m2 resolution. The inner skylight walls have 5.9cm2 color image resolution and the rims are 6.7cm2 with measurement precision superior to 1m. The multidisciplinary student team included students of all experience levels, with backgrounds in robotics, physics, computer science, systems, mechanical and electrical engineering. The team was commited to authentic scientific experimentation, and defined specific instrument requirements and measurable experiment objectives to verify successful completion.This work was made possible by the NASA Undergraduate Student Instrument Project Educational Flight Opportunity 2013 program. Additional support was provided by the sponsorship of an
Using Replication Projects in Teaching Research Methods
Standing, Lionel G.; Grenier, Manuel; Lane, Erica A.; Roberts, Meigan S.; Sykes, Sarah J.
It is suggested that replication projects may be valuable in teaching research methods, and also address the current need in psychology for more independent verification of published studies. Their use in an undergraduate methods course is described, involving student teams who performed direct replications of four well-known experiments, yielding…
From Mentoring to Collaborating: Fostering Undergraduate Research in History
History Teacher, 2013
The author of this essay argues that historians should join their colleagues in the sciences in creating supportive environments for undergraduate research. Despite the apparent hurdles to overcome, historians can devise effective undergraduate research experiences that mimic those occurring in the chemistry, biology, and psychology labs across…
Interpreting Undergraduate Research Posters in the Literature Classroom
Manarin, Karen
This essay explores the use of undergraduate research posters in English literature classrooms; at the same time, it argues for a scholarship of teaching and learning responsive to how meaning is constructed in the arts and humanities. Our scholarly practice requires interaction with texts and with each other, yet the undergraduate research paper…
Tools for Monitoring Social Media: A Marketing Research Project
Veeck, Ann; Hoger, Beth
Knowledge of how to effectively monitor social media is an increasingly valued marketing research skill. This study tests an approach for adding social media content to an undergraduate marketing research class team project. The revised project maintains the expected objectives and parameters of a traditional research project, while integrating…
Collaborative Approaches to Undergraduate Research Training: Information Literacy and Data Management
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Hailey Mooney
Full Text Available The undergraduate research experience (URE provides an opportunity for students to engage in meaningful work with faculty mentors on research projects. An increasingly important component of scholarly research is the application of research data management best practices, yet this often falls out of the scope of URE programs. This article presents a case study of faculty and librarian collaboration in the integration of a library and research data management curriculum into a social work URE research team. Discussion includes reflections on the content and learning outcomes, benefits of a holistic approach to introducing undergraduate students to research practice, and challenges of scale.
Developing Research Competence in Undergraduate Students through Hands on Learning
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Zoe E. Davidson
Full Text Available Evidence-based practice is the foundation of nutrition and dietetics. To effectively apply evidence-based practice, health professionals must understand the basis of research. Previous work has identified the lack of involvement of dietitians in research. As part of a curriculum redevelopment in undergraduate nutrition and dietetics courses, research skill teaching was enhanced. This study evaluated the effect of a new, year two level nutrition research methods unit on the perceived research skills of students. The unit consisted of two key components: a student-led class research project and a small group systematic literature review. Prior to commencement and on completion of the course, students completed a modified version of the Research Skills Questionnaire. Results demonstrated that self-perceived competence increased by a small degree in a set of specific research skills as well as in broader skills such as information gathering and handling, information evaluation, ability to work independently, and critical thinking. The new research unit was also evaluated highly on a student satisfaction survey. Despite these positive findings, students indicated that their general feelings towards research or a career in research were unchanged. In summary, this unit enhanced students' perceived research skills. Further exploration of students' attitude towards research is warranted.
Research Experience for Undergraduates: A Non-Traditional Approach
Carrick, T. L.; Miller, K. C.; Hagedorn, E.; Velasco, A. A.
Research experiences for undergraduates (REUs) have been documented to be an effective way to increase student retention in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) by exposing students to research. REUs typically run during the summer months, allowing students to travel to different universities away from their home institutions. We created an REU program, Pathways Research Experience for undergraduates Program (PREP) that ran during the fall and spring academic semesters and focused on the geosciences. These students were provided with a monthly stipend to work with a research mentor, and they were required to attend a weekly professional development meeting led by the Pathways PIs and the program coordinator. The weekly training program focused on research skills, presentation skills, and graduate school preparation. Since a majority of students at University of Texas at El Paso (a Hispanic Serving Institution with 70% Hispanic and 10% Mexican students) must work outside the university while attending college, the stipends enabled students to remain on campus to "work", with the hope that this may contribute to their overall academic success. By spending more time on campus, the participants were able to interact more with faculty and other students, both at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Participants were chosen on a basis of GPA and the contents of an application that included a statement of purpose, a resume, a transcript, and at least one letter of recommendation. Once the student was selected, they were required to find a mentor and research project. Through an analysis of surveys, we have found that participants enjoy the meetings, which gave them a sense of belonging to a group, and an additional source of academic support. Participants were also expected to take part in outreach activities as part of our goal to create a geosciences network in El Paso. With this REU approach, we believe that our success rate suggests that this
Undergraduate Summer Fellowships in Breast Cancer Research
National Research Council Canada - National Science Library
Brooks, Sam
.... The intent of this application is to broaden the number of students that can participate in KCI's undergraduate summer training program by creating a focused program utilizing the established Breast...
Undergraduate Summer Fellowships in Breast Cancer Research
National Research Council Canada - National Science Library
Brooks, Samuel
.... The intent of this application is to broaden the number of students that can participate in KCI's undergraduate summer training program by creating a focused program utilizing the established Breast...
Undergraduate Summer Fellowships in Breast Cancer Research
National Research Council Canada - National Science Library
Brooks, Samuel C
.... The intent of this program is to broaden the number of students that can participate in KCI's undergraduate summer training endeavor by creating a focused effort utilizing the established Breast...
An Introductory Research Experience in Mathematics for Undergraduates
Johnston, William W.; Webster, Jonathan E.; Wilson, Christopher James
This paper offers a strategic initiative designed to boost the level of collaborative mathematical research involving undergraduate mathematics students at Butler University. It describes goals, program design, logistics, and outcomes for an 8-day intensive summer experience in which undergraduate mathematics majors engaged in original…
Mixing Business Communication and Business Statistics with Experiential Learning: Student and Instructor Reflections on Work-Related Undergraduate Business Research Projects
Roach-Duncan, Joy
In recent times experiential learning attempted to assist student development in almost every field. More specifically regarding business studies, instructors have used experiential learning projects in a variety of ways, depending upon the business function. The described learning project progression holds the potential to be useful to…
Research Experiences for Undergraduates in Estuarine and Atmospheric Processes
Aller, J. Y.
Our program in the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook University is unique in emphasizing the interdisciplinary study of coastal ocean and atmospheric processes. We attract a large number of both male and female undergraduate applicants representing diverse ethnic groups from across the country. Many are multi-discipline majors merging geology, biology, chemistry, or physics with engineering, and/or mathematics and welcome the opportunity to combine their academic training to examine environmental problems. Our goal is a program reflective of today's world and environmental challenges, one that provides a 'hands-on' research experience which illustrates the usefulness of scientific research for understanding real-world problems or phenomena, and one in which students are challenged to apply their academic backgrounds to develop intuition about natural systems and processes. Projects this past summer focused on assessing climate change and its effects on coastal environments and processes. Projects addressed the implications of a changing global climate over the next 50 years on hydrologic cycles and coastal environments like barrier islands and beaches, on seasonal weather conditions and extreme events, on aerosols and the Earth's radiative balance, and on aquatic habitats and biota. Collaborative field and laboratory or computer-based projects involving two or three REU students, graduate students, and several mentors, enable undergraduate students appreciate the importance of teamwork in addressing specific scientific questions or gaining maximum insight into a particular phenomenon or process. We believe that our approach allows students to understand what their role will be as scientists in the next phase of our earth's evolution.
Engaging undergraduate students in hadron physics research and instrumentation
Horn, Tanja
Nuclear physics research is fundamental to our understanding of the visible universe and at the same time intertwined with our daily life. Nuclear physics studies the origin and structure of the atomic nuclei in terms of their basic constituents, the quarks and gluons. Atoms and molecules would not exist without underlying quark-gluon interactions, which build nearly all the mass of the visible universe from an assembly of massless gluons and nearly-massless quarks. The study of hadron structure with electromagnetic probes through exclusive and semi-inclusive scattering experiments carried out at the 12 GeV Jefferson Laboratory plays an important role in this effort. In particular, planned precision measurements of pion and kaon form factors and longitudinal-transverse separated deep exclusive pion and kaon electroproduction cross sections to the highest momentum transfers achievable play an important role in understanding hadron structure and masses and provide essential constraints for 3D hadron imaging. While a growing fraction of nuclear physics research is carried out at large international laboratories, individual university research groups play critical roles in the success of that research. These include data analysis projects and the development of state-of-the-art instrumentation demanded by increasingly sophisticated experiments. These efforts are empowered by the creativity of university faculty, staff, postdocs, and provide students with unique hands-on experience. As an example, an aerogel Cherenkov detector enabling strangeness physics research in Hall C at Jefferson Lab was constructed at the Catholic University of America with the help of 16 undergraduate and high school students. The ''Conference Experience for Undergraduates'' (CEU) provides a venue for these students who have conducted research in nuclear physics. This presentation will present the experiences of one of the participants in the first years of the CEU, her current research program
U.S.{/}South African Undergraduate Education and Research Workshops
Coleman, K. M.; Nolan, J. R.; Davis, K. L.; Phelps, T. J.; Kieft, T. L.; van Heerden, E.; Litthauer, D.; Pfiffner, S. M.
Deep South African mines (2 to 3.5 km below land surface) have provided unique opportunities for research investigating geochemical and microbial processes in deep subsurface environments. The environments encountered in these mines range from prolific biofilms to hot saline water emanating from gas-rich boreholes. This venture is an outgrowth of ongoing research funded by the NSF Life in Extreme Environments Program as the Witswatersrand Deep Microbiology Project. A workshop for U.S. and South African underrepresented undergraduates was held in December 2001 and is being repeated in December 2002. The main purpose of the workshops were to provide a field and laboratory research experience for underrepresented undergraduate students from the United States (U.S.) and South Africa (S.A.) in the fields of earth, biological, and environmental sciences and engineering. Additional purposes included continuing the exchange of scientific, educational, and biotechnological efforts, and to discuss and explore opportunities for expanding the educational, research and biotechnological efforts. The workshop goals were to recruit and engage undergraduate students in unique and exciting research not normally available to them. The workshops offered state-of-the-art experimental opportunities on specific scientific topics, including subsurface biogeochemstry and microbial ecology. The workshops strengthened scientific and technological collaborations between the South African and U.S. academic communities and South African mining companies. The mines welcome opportunities to host under represented student education initiatives and are forthcoming with refreshments, mining gear, underground transport and geologists. We successfully demonstrated that a workshop with underground activities involving students from both nations was safe, feasible, and career enhancing. Student activities included chemical analyses of groundwater, enrichment for iron- and sulfate-reducing bacteria and
Implementation and Assessment of Undergraduate Experiences in SOAP: An Atmospheric Science Research and Education Program
Hopper, Larry J., Jr.; Schumacher, Courtney; Stachnik, Justin P.
The Student Operational Aggie Doppler Radar Project (SOAP) involved 95 undergraduates in a research and education program to better understand the climatology of storms in southeast Texas from 2006-2010. This paper describes the structure, components, and implementation of the 1-credit-hour research course, comparing first-year participants'…
The Language Lessons around Us: Undergraduate English Pedagogy and Linguistic Landscape Research
Chesnut, MIchael; Lee, Vivian; Schulte, Jenna
This narrative article analyses three Korean undergraduate students' experiences conducting a linguistic landscape research project. Linguistic landscape research, the study of publicly displayed language such as billboards and other signs, is a relatively new area of scholarly interest. However, there has been only limited study of using…
Doing Publishable Research with Undergraduate Students
Fenn, Aju J.; Johnson, Daniel K. N.; Smith, Mark Griffin; Stimpert, J. L.
Many economics majors write a senior thesis. Although this experience can be the pinnacle of their education, publication is not the common standard for undergraduates. The authors describe four approaches that have allowed students to get their work published: (1) identify a topic, such as competitive balance in sports, and have students work on…
Cultures of Undergraduate Teaching at Research Universities.
Serow, Robert C.; Van Dyk, Pamela B.; McComb, Errin M.; Harrold, Adrian T.
Data from five campuses revealed an explicitly oppositional culture among faculty committed to undergraduate teaching, which questions both the Scholarship of Teaching model and the ethos of competitive achievement. The views echo the longstanding populist tradition within U.S. higher education and represent a potential counterforce to the recent…
Introducing Research Methods to Undergraduate Majors Through an On-Campus Observatory with The University of Toledo's Ritter Observatory
Richardson, Noel; Hardegree-Ullman, Kevin; Bjorkman, Jon Eric; Bjorkman, Karen S.; Ritter Observing Team
With a 1-m telescope on the University of Toledo (OH) main campus, we have initiated a grad student-undergraduate partnership to help teach the undergraduates observational methods and introduce them to research through peer mentorship. For the last 3 years, we have trained up to 21 undergraduates (primarily physics/astronomy majors) in a given academic semester, ranging from freshman to seniors. Various projects are currently being conducted by undergraduate students with guidance from graduate student mentors, including constructing three-color images, observations of transiting exoplanets, and determination of binary star orbits from echelle spectra. This academic year we initiated a large group research project to help students learn about the databases, journal repositories, and online observing tools astronomers use for day-to-day research. We discuss early inclusion in observational astronomy and research of these students and the impact it has on departmental retention, undergraduate involvement, and academic success.
The Undergraduate Research Resources at the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute
Cline, J. Donald; Castelaz, Michael W.
Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI), a former NASA tracking station located in western North Carolina, has been offering programs, campus, and instrument use for undergraduate research and learning experiences since 2000. Over these years, PARI has collaborated with universities and colleges in the Southeastern U.S. Sharing its campus with institutions of higher learning is a priority for PARI as part of its mission to "to providing hands-on educational and research opportunities for a broad cross-section of users in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) disciplines."PARI is a 200 acre campus for environmental, earth, geological, physical, and astronomical sciences. For example, the PARI 26-m and 4.6-m radio telescopes are excellent for teaching electromagnetic theory, spectroscopy, atomic and molecular emission processes, and general physics and astronomy concepts. The PARI campus has lab and office space, data centers with high speed internet, distance learning capabilities, radio and optical telescopes, earth science sensors, housing and cafeteria.Also, the campus is in an excellent spot for environmental and biological sciences lab and classroom experiences for students. The campus has the capability to put power and Internet access almost anywhere on its 200 acre campus so experiments can be set up in a protected area of a national forest. For example, Earthscope operates a Plate Boundary Observatory sensor on campus to measure plate tectonic motion. And, Clemson University has an instrument measuring winds and temperatures in the Thermsophere. The use of thePARI campus is limited only by the creativity faculty to provide a rich educational environment for their students. An overview of PARI will be presented along with a summary of programs, and a summary of undergraduate research experiences over the past 15 years. Access to PARI and collaboration possibilities will be presented.
Imaging Spectrograph as a Tool to Enhance the Undergraduate Student Research Experience
Williams, B.; Nielsen, K.; Johnson, S.
Undergraduate students often engage in research activities that are part of a larger project outlined by research faculty, while it is less common for students to explore and define their own research project. The later has been shown to have tremendous impact on the learning outcome of the students and provide a stronger sense of pride and ownership of the research project. It is unrealistic to expect starting undergraduate students to define transformative research projects. However, with the proper training and guidance student-driven transformative research is possible for upper division students. We have instituted a student research paradigm with focus on the development of student research skills in coordination with their course progress. We present here a specific student project that engage students in aeronomy research activities and provide them with a solid base to establish their own research projects for senior year. The core of the project is an imaging spectrograph, which is constructed, tested, and calibrated by the students. The instrument provides unique opportunities student research projects across subject such as optics, quantum mechanics, and how these subjects are applied in the geosciences of aeronomy and space physics.
27-A: Team-Centered, Project-Based Learning in an Undergraduate Neurobiology Course
Beumer, A.E.; Briggs, A.G.; Sanderson, S.K.; Morgan., S.K.; Caldari, C.; Carson, S.; Caruso, J.P.; Israel, N.; Lovelace, M.; Saunders, M.J.; DeBoy, C.A.; Gabriel, S.G.; Peterson, M.P.; Gollery, S.W.; Gunn, K.
Too often in a predetermined or ?cookbook? laboratory, students do not make the connection between experiential methods, the concepts behind these methods, and the application of these methods to different situations. This semester-long laboratory exercise was designed to provide students with an inquiry-based or classroom undergraduate research experience (CURE) laboratory project that incorporates commonly used microbiological lab concepts and techniques and to see whether this type of labo...
Artificial Gravity Research Project
Kamman, Michelle R.; Paloski, William H.
Protecting the health, safety, and performance of exploration-class mission crews against the physiological deconditioning resulting from long-term weightlessness during transit and long-term hypogravity during surface operations will require effective, multi-system countermeasures. Artificial gravity (AG), which would replace terrestrial gravity with inertial forces generated by rotating the transit vehicle or by a human centrifuge device within the transit vehicle or surface habitat, has long been considered a potential solution. However, despite its attractiveness as an efficient, multi-system countermeasure and its potential for improving the environment and simplifying operational activities (e.g., WCS, galley, etc.), much still needs to be learned regarding the human response to rotating environments before AG can be successfully implemented. This paper will describe our approach for developing and implementing a rigorous AG Research Project to address the key biomedical research questions that must be answered before developing effective AG countermeasure implementation strategies for exploration-class missions. The AG Research Project will be performed at JSC, ARC, extramural academic and government research venues, and international partner facilities maintained by DLR and IMBP. The Project includes three major ground-based human research subprojects that will lead to flight testing of intermittent short-radius AG in ISS crewmembers after 201 0, continuous long-radius AG in CEV crews transiting to and from the Moon, and intermittent short-radius AG plus exercise in lunar habitats. These human ground-based subprojects include: 1) a directed, managed international short-radius project to investigate the multi-system effectiveness of intermittent AG in human subjects deconditioned by bed rest, 2) a directed, managed long-radius project to investigate the capacity of humans to live and work for extended periods in rotating environments, and 3) a focused
Alive and aware: Undergraduate research as a mechanism for program vitalization
Rohs, C.
Undergraduate research is a vital component of many geoscience programs across the United States. It is especially critical at those institutions that do not have graduate students or graduate programs in the geosciences. This paper presents findings associated with undergraduate research in four specific areas: The success of students that pursue undergraduate research both in the workforce and in graduate studies; the connections that are generated through undergraduate research and publication; the application of undergraduate research data and materials in the classroom; and the development of lasting connections between faculty and students to construct a strong alumni base to support the corresponding programs. Students that complete undergraduate research have the opportunity to develop research proposals, construct budgets, become familiar with equipment or software, write and defend their results. This skill set translates directly to graduate studies; however, it is also extremely valuable for self-marketing when seeking employment as a geoscientist. When transitioning from higher education into the workforce, a network of professional connections facilitates and expedites the process. When completing undergraduate research, students have a direct link to the faculty member that they are working with, and potentially, the network of that faculty member. Even more important, the student begins to build their own professional network as they present their findings and receive feedback on their research. Another area that benefits from undergraduate research is the classroom. A cyclical model is developed where new data and information are brought into the classroom by the faculty member, current students see the impact of undergraduate research and have the desire to participate, and a few of those students elect to participate in a project of their own. It turns into a positive feedback loop that is beneficial for both the students and the faculty members
RNA Secondary Structure Prediction by Using Discrete Mathematics: An Interdisciplinary Research Experience for Undergraduate Students
Ellington, Roni; Wachira, James; Nkwanta, Asamoah
The focus of this Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) project was on RNA secondary structure prediction by using a lattice walk approach. The lattice walk approach is a combinatorial and computational biology method used to enumerate possible secondary structures and predict RNA secondary structure from RNA sequences. The method uses…
Developing Early Undergraduate Research at a Two-Year College
Sibbernsen, Kendra
Two-year college (TYC) physics teachers are not often required to provide student research experiences as a part of their contracted duties. However, some TYC physics faculty members are interested in developing research opportunities for their freshman- and sophomore-level students, often called "early undergraduate research" (EUR).…
Research Experience for Undergraduates Program in Multidisciplinary Environmental Science
Wu, M. S.
During summers 2011 and 12 Montclair State University hosted a Research Experience for Undergraduates Program (REU) in transdisciplinary, hands-on, field-oriented research in environmental sciences. Participants were housed at the Montclair State University's field station situated in the middle of 30,000 acres of mature forest, mountain ridges and freshwater streams and lakes within the Kittatinny Mountains of Northwest New Jersey, Program emphases were placed on development of project planning skills, analytical skills, creativity, critical thinking and scientific report preparation. Ten students were recruited in spring with special focus on recruiting students from underrepresented groups and community colleges. Students were matched with their individual research interests including hydrology, erosion and sedimentation, environmental chemistry, and ecology. In addition to research activities, lectures, educational and recreational field trips, and discussion on environmental ethics and social justice played an important part of the program. The ultimate goal of the program is to facilitate participants' professional growth and to stimulate the participants' interests in pursuing Earth Science as the future career of the participants.
Inexpensive Raman Spectrometer for Undergraduate and Graduate Experiments and Research
Mohr, Christian; Spencer, Claire L.; Hippler, Michael
We describe the construction and performance of an inexpensive modular Raman spectrometer that has been assembled in the framework of a fourth-year undergraduate project (costs below $5000). The spectrometer is based on a 4 mW 532 nm green laser pointer and a compact monochromator equipped with glass fiber optical connections, linear detector…
The Summer Undergraduate Research Internship Program at the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute
Cline, J. Donald; Castelaz, M.; Whitworth, C.; Clavier, D.; Owen, L.; Barker, T.
Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI) offers summer undergraduate research internships. PARI has received support for the internships from the NC Space Grant Consortium, NSF awards for public science education, private donations, private foundations, and through a collaboration with the Pisgah Astronomical Research and Education Center of the University of North Carolina - Asheville. The internship program began in 2001 with 4 students. This year 7 funded students participated in 2011. Mentors for the interns include PARI's Science, Education, and Information Technology Directors and visiting faculty who are members of the PARI Research Affiliate Faculty program. Students work with mentors on radio and optical astronomy research, electrical engineering for robotic control of instruments, software development for instrument control and software for citizen science projects, and science education by developing curricula and multimedia and teaching high school students in summer programs at PARI. At the end of the summer interns write a paper about their research which is published in the PARI Summer Student Proceedings. Several of the students have presented their results at AAS Meetings. We will present a summary of specific research conducted by the students with their mentors, the logistics for hosting the PARI undergraduate internship program, and plans for growth based on the impact of an NSF supported renovation to the Research Building on the PARI campus.
Undergraduate students' development of social, cultural, and human capital in a networked research experience
Thompson, Jennifer Jo; Conaway, Evan; Dolan, Erin L.
Recent calls for reform in undergraduate biology education have emphasized integrating research experiences into the learning experiences of all undergraduates. Contemporary science research increasingly demands collaboration across disciplines and institutions to investigate complex research questions, providing new contexts and models for involving undergraduates in research. In this study, we examined the experiences of undergraduates participating in a multi-institution and interdisciplinary biology research network. Unlike the traditional apprenticeship model of research, in which a student participates in research under the guidance of a single faculty member, students participating in networked research have the opportunity to develop relationships with additional faculty and students working in other areas of the project, at their own and at other institutions. We examined how students in this network develop social ties and to what extent a networked research experience affords opportunities for students to develop social, cultural, and human capital. Most studies of undergraduate involvement in science research have focused on documenting student outcomes rather than elucidating how students gain access to research experiences or how elements of research participation lead to desired student outcomes. By taking a qualitative approach framed by capital theories, we have identified ways that undergraduates utilize and further develop various forms of capital important for success in science research. In our study of the first 16 months of a biology research network, we found that undergraduates drew upon a combination of human, cultural, and social capital to gain access to the network. Within their immediate research groups, students built multidimensional social ties with faculty, peers, and others, yielding social capital that can be drawn upon for information, resources, and support. They reported developing cultural capital in the form of learning to
Undergraduate Research in Physics as a course for Engineering and Computer Science Majors
O'Brien, James; Rueckert, Franz; Sirokman, Greg
Undergraduate research has become more and more integral to the functioning of higher educational institutions. At many institutions undergraduate research is conducted as capstone projects in the pure sciences, however, science faculty at some schools (including that of the authors) face the challenge of not having science majors. Even at these institutions, a select population of high achieving engineering students will often express a keen interest in conducting pure science research. Since a foray into science research provides the student the full exposure to the scientific method and scientific collaboration, the experience can be quite rewarding and beneficial to the development of the student as a professional. To this end, the authors have been working to find new contexts in which to offer research experiences to non- science majors, including a new undergraduate research class conducted by physics and chemistry faculty. An added benefit is that these courses are inherently interdisciplinary. Students in the engineering and computer science fields step into physics and chemistry labs to solve science problems, often invoking their own relevant expertise. In this paper we start by discussing the common themes and outcomes of the course. We then discuss three particular projects that were conducted with engineering students and focus on how the undergraduate research experience enhanced their already rigorous engineering curriculum.
Project Kaleidoscope: Advancing What Works in Undergraduate STEM Education
Elrod, S.
In 1989, Project Kaleidoscope (PKAL) published its first report, What Works: Building Natural Science Communities, on reforming undergraduate STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education. Since then, PKAL has grown into a national organization comprised of a diverse group of over 6500 STEM educators who are committed to advancing "what works." The PKAL mission is to be a national leader in catalyzing the efforts of people, institutions, organizations and networks to move from analysis to action in significantly improving undergraduate student learning and achievement in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). Specifically, PKAL's strategic goals are to: 1) Promote the development and wider use of evidence-based teaching, learning and assessment approaches, 2) Build individual and organizational capacity to lead change in STEM education, and 3) Engage the broader community of external stakeholders - professional and disciplinary societies, business and industry groups, accreditation organizations, educational associations, governmental agencies, philanthropic organizations - in achieving our mission. PKAL achieves these goals by serving as the nexus of an interconnected and multidisciplinary web of people, ideas, strategies, evidence and resources focused on systemic change in undergraduate STEM education. PKAL also provides resources on critical issues, such as teaching using pedagogies of engagement, and engages interested faculty, campuses and professional societies in national projects and programs focused on cutting edge issues in STEM education. One of these projects - Mobilizing Disciplinary Societies for a Sustainable Future - is engaging eleven disciplinary societies, including the National Association of Geoscience Teachers, in defining specific resources, faculty development programs and goals focused on promoting undergraduate STEM courses that: 1) provide more knowledge about real-world issues; 2) connect these real
Undergraduate degree projects in the Swedish dental schools: a documentary analysis.
Franzén, C; Brown, G
Undergraduate degree projects have currently been introduced into courses in the four Swedish dental schools. The rationale for research projects is that they enable students to develop research expertise skills and to show their ability to apply and develop knowledge relevant to professional practice. This paper reports a qualitative analysis of the curriculum documents and handbooks including the criteria used to assess the students' research reports. The aim was to investigate commonalities and differences in the design of degree projects between the four Swedish dental schools and to explore any inconsistencies within the documents. The documentary analysis was based on the constant comparison method. Four overarching themes emerged from the analysis: (i) developing scientific expertise, (ii) developing professional expertise, (iii) following rules and (iv) fostering creativity. The documents from the four dental schools revealed similar views on the purposes of the projects and provided similar assessment criteria. The students were requested to formulate an odontological problem, apply a relevant scientific method, analyse texts and empirical data, express critical reflections and write a short thesis. The students were free to choose topics. There were differences between the dental schools on the emphasis placed on practical uses of the projects and theoretical background of the projects. Two of the schools insisted on rigid rules of completing and writing the project yet paradoxically emphasised creativity. There were wide variations in the required length of the project report. The report may prove useful to dental schools in other countries who are about to design undergraduate research projects. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
Assessment Study of an Undergraduate Research Training Abroad Program
Nieto-Fernandez, Fernando; Race, Kathryn; Quarless, Duncan A.
The Old Westbury Neuroscience International Research Program (OWNIP) encourages undergraduate students from health disparities populations and underrepresented minorities to pursue careers in basic science, biomedical, clinical, and behavioral health research fields. To evaluate this program, several measures were used tracked through an online…
The Contribution of Academics' Engagement in Research to Undergraduate Education
Hajdarpasic, Ademir; Brew, Angela; Popenici, Stefan
Can current trends to develop teaching-only academic positions be reconciled with the notion of the interrelationship of teaching and research as a defining characteristic of universities? In particular, what does academics' engagement in research add to students' learning? A study of 200 undergraduates' perceptions of the role of staff research…
Use of Mobile Phones for Research Among Undergraduates in Two ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
The study is titled 'Use of Mobile Phones for Research among Undergraduates in two Polytechnic Libraries in Nigeria. The study seeks to establish if students who make use of the polytechnic libraries studied do use their mobile phones for research purposes, their reasons for preferring to use their mobile phones to ...
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The research programs under the cognizance of the Office of Energy Research (OER) are directed toward discovery of natural laws and new knowledge, and to improved understanding of the physical and biological sciences as related to the development, use, and control of energy. The ultimate goal is to develop a scientific underlay for the overall DOE effort and the fundamental principles of natural phenomena so that these phenomena may be understood, and new principles, formulated. The DOE-OER outlay activities include three major programs: High Energy Physics, Nuclear Physics, and Basic Energy Sciences. Taken together, these programs represent some 30 percent of the Nation's Federal support of basic research in the energy sciences. The research activities of OER involve more than 6,000 scientists and engineers working in some 17 major Federal Research Centers and at more than 135 different universities and industrial firms throughout the United States. Contract holders in the areas of high-energy physics, nuclear physics, materials sciences, nuclear science, chemical sciences, engineering, mathematics geosciences, advanced energy projects, and biological energy research are listed. Funding trends for recent years are outlined
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The research programs under the cognizance of the Office of Energy Research (OER) are directed toward discovery of natural laws and new knowledge, and to improved understanding of the physical and biological sciences as related to the development, use, and control of energy. The ultimate goal is to develop a scientific underlay for the overall DOE effort and the fundamental principles of natural phenomena so that these phenomena may be understood, and new principles, formulated. The DOE-OER outlay activities include three major programs: High Energy Physics, Nuclear Physics, and Basic Energy Sciences. Taken together, these programs represent some 30 percent of the Nation's Federal support of basic research in the energy sciences. The research activities of OER involve more than 6,000 scientists and engineers working in some 17 major Federal Research Centers and at more than 135 different universities and industrial firms throughout the United States. Contract holders in the areas of high-energy physics, nuclear physics, materials sciences, nuclear science, chemical sciences, engineering, mathematics geosciences, advanced energy projects, and biological energy research are listed. Funding trends for recent years are outlined. (RWR)
Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Research Experiences in Geosciences for Physical Science and Engineering Students
Bililign, S.; Schimmel, K.; Lin, Y. L.; Germuth, A.
The recruitment of undergraduate students, especially minorities, into geoscience career paths continues to be a challenge. One approach for addressing this issue involves providing geoscience research experiences. Therefore, the outcomes of an undergraduate research program (REU) focused on recruiting science (physics, mathematics, chemistry) and engineering (electrical) students for an interdisciplinary research experience in geosciences will be presented. The program design has several unique features that include: (1) projects with clear societal implications, (2) projects involve multiple faculty members (at least two) and expose students to interdisciplinary approaches and thinking, (3) partnerships between national labs and universities to provide cutting-edge research, educational, and professional development opportunities for students, (4) student engagement in the creation of personalized professional development plans, (5) combined summer and academic year research experiences. Pre- and post-assessment results, successes, and challenges will be presented.
Untypical Undergraduate Research: Player Motion Analysis in Sports
Loerke, Dinah
There is significant concern about the degree of attrition in STEM disciplines from the start of K-12 through to the end of higher education, and the analysis of the `leaky pipeline' from the various institutions has identified a critical decline - which may be as high as 60 percent - between the fraction of students who identify as having an interest in a science or engineering major at the start of college/university, and the fraction of students who ultimately graduate with a STEM degree. It has been shown that this decline is even more dramatic for women and underrepresented minorities (Blickenstaff 2005, Metcalf 2010). One intervention which has been proven to be effective for retention of potential STEM students is early research experience, particularly if it facilitates the students' integration into a STEM learning community (Graham et al. 2013, Toven-Lindsey et al. 2015). In other words, to retain students in STEM majors, we would like to encourage them to `think of themselves as scientists', and simultaneously promote supportive peer networks. The University of Denver (DU) already has a strong undergraduate research program. However, while the current program provides valuable training for many students, it likely comes too late to be effective for student retention in STEM, because it primarily serves older students who have already finished the basic coursework in their discipline; within physics, we know that the introductory physics courses already serve as gatekeeper courses that cause many gifted but `non-typical' students to lose interest in pursuing a STEM major (Tobias 1990). To address this issue, my lab is developing a small research spinoff program in which we apply spatiotemporal motion analysis to the motion trajectories of players in sports, using video recordings of DU Pioneer hockey games. This project aims to fulfill a dual purpose: The research is framed in a way that we think is attractive and accessible for beginning students who
2012 Summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates at Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute
Castelaz, Michael W.; Cline, J. D.; Whitworth, C.; Clavier, D.; Owen, L.
Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI) offers research experiences for undergraduates (REU). PARI receives support for the internships from the NC Space Grant Consortium, NSF awards, private donations, and industry partner funding. The PARI REU program began in 2001 with 4 students and has averaged 6 students per year over the past 11 years. This year PARI hosted 8 funded REU students. Mentors for the interns include PARI's Science, Education, and Information Technology staff and visiting faculty who are members of the PARI Research Faculty Affiliate program. Students work with mentors on radio and optical astronomy research, electrical engineering for robotic control of instruments, software development for instrument control and software for citizen science projects, and science education by developing curricula and multimedia and teaching high school students in summer programs at PARI. At the end of the summer interns write a paper about their research which is published in the annually published PARI Summer Student Proceedings. Several of the students have presented their results at AAS Meetings. We will present a summary of specific research conducted by the students with their mentors and the logistics for hosting the PARI undergraduate internship program.
Catalogue of research projects
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Skarp, K.
The Centre for Materials Science serves as an umbrella for organizations involved in materials research at the two Universities and at certain branch institutes in the Gothenburg region. The general goal of the Centre is to promote materials research among the member organizations and to provide a link to industry and to the society at large. Members of the Centre work on most aspects of modern materials research, ranging from single-atom manipulation and theoretical simulations to biomaterials and production engineering. In order to give a presentation of the members and their research, the Centre produces an inventory of materials research projects approximately every four years. The 1993 issue is somewhat more extensive than previous editions, detailing e.g. also scientific equipment and listing work published during the past four years. The register covers the following main headings: General materials and surface science; Materials chemistry; Polymers and fibres; Biomaterials; Clusters and fine particles; Electronic and opto-electronic materials; Superconductors and nanometer structures; Ceramics; Metals; Building materials; Production and materials processing
The Embedded Researcher Method for Involving Undergraduates in Research: New Data and Observations
Rogers, Darrin L.; Kranz, Peter L.; Ferguson, Christopher J.
Undergraduate research provides multiple educational advantages, and Hispanic students may reap particular benefits. The "embedded researcher" method avoids difficulties inherent in traditional apprenticeship models, providing meaningful research experience to multiple students within a standard didactic course structure while yielding…
Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences Can Make Scientific Research More Inclusive
Bangera, Gita; Brownell, Sara E.
Current approaches to improving diversity in scientific research focus on graduating more science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors, but graduation with a STEM undergraduate degree alone is not sufficient for entry into graduate school. Undergraduate independent research experiences are becoming more or less a prerequisite…
Lessons in collaboration and effective field research from the Appalachian Headwaters Research Experience for Undergraduates Program
Jones, A. L.; Fox, J.; Wilder, M. S.
In the summer of 2009, the authors launched year one of a three-year National Science Foundation-funded Research Experience for Undergraduates entitled "Carbon Storage and Headwater Health in the Appalachian Headwaters." Eight undergraduates selected from a nationally competitive field of more than 60 applicants participated in the ten-week field- and laboratory-based program along with three middle- and high-school teachers. Each student developed and completed an independent research project related to coal mining's impact on soil organic carbon and sediment transport processes. Specifically, they used isotope ratio mass spectrometry to measure the carbon and nitrogen stable isotopic signature of soils and sediments in the Appalachian headwater landscapes and first order streams of Kentucky's southeastern coalfields. Among the program's innovative features was its fundamentally collaborative nature--which was represented in several ways. First, the background of the three program leaders was very different: an environmental planner with an academic background in land use planning and administration (Jones); a civil engineer trained in biogeochemistry and watershed modeling (Fox); and an environmental educator experienced in both formal and nonformal educator training and certification (Wilder). The program was also a collaboration between a Carnegie 1 research-oriented institution and an undergraduate/ teaching -focused regional comprehensive university. Finally, the participants themselves represented a diversity of disciplines and institutional backgrounds--including biology, geology, chemistry, environmental science and civil engineering. The Research Experience for Teachers component was another innovative program element. The teachers participated in all field and laboratory research activities during the first six weeks, then developed a unit of study for their own classrooms to be implemented during the current school year. In addition to the six
Mississippi CaP HBCU Undergraduate Research Training Program
16 Annual Summary 1. Introduction Mississippi has the second highest rate of PCa death in the country and the fourth highest incidence...train undergraduate students from two Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tougaloo College (TC) and Jackson State University (JSU), so they...detailedguide/prostate-cancer- key- statistics The webpage informs prospective applicants about eligibility requirements, Program components, Summer Research
Student and Faculty Perceptions of Undergraduate Research Experiences in Computing
Barker, L.
Undergraduate research experiences are promoted and funded for their potential in increasing students' likelihood of pursuing graduate degrees, increasing their confidence, and expanding their awareness of their discipline and career opportunities. These outcomes, however, depend on the social, organizational, and intellectual conditions under…
Undergraduate Research at Two-Year Community Colleges
Schuster, Matthew
There is a growing movement in academia that focuses on increased efforts at undergraduate research. Historically, this movement has been driven by faculty in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields and has only recently become a focus for social sciences in general and political science in particular. For students to…
To promote the engineering innovative abilities of undergraduates by taking projects as the guidance and competitions as the promotion
Xu, Yishen; Wu, Di; Chen, Daqing; Gu, Jihua; Gao, Lei
According to the inherent requirements of education for talents' knowledge, quality and comprehensive ability and the major training goals of optoelectronics information science and engineering, in order to enhance the undergraduates' comprehensive practical ability and consciousness of innovation, we carried out the reforms of teaching method and teaching mode, which took the training programs of innovation and entrepreneurship for undergraduates, extracurricular academic research fund, "Chun-Tsung Scholar" program or research projects of their tutors as the guidance, and took the all levels of relevant discipline competitions as the promotion. And the training mainline of engineering innovation talents as "undergraduate's tutorial system ->innovative training program or tutor's research project ->academic competition ->graduation projects (thesis)" was constructed stage by stage by combining the undergraduates' graduation projects and their participated academic competition into one for improving the quality of the graduation projects (thesis). The practical results of the last several years illuminate that the proposed training model can effectively stimulate the students' awareness of autonomous learning, enhance their comprehensive ability of analyzing and solving problems and improve their ability of engineering practice and innovation as well as their teamwork spirit.
The Use of Project Work in Undergraduate Geography Teaching.
Silk, John; Bowlby, Sophia
Describes the use of optional group projects for third-year college-level geography students. The authors conclude that this format, besides being intellectually rewarding, teaches students valuable research, problem solving, and social skills. (AM)
Journal of Undergraduate Research, Volume VI, 2006
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Faletra, P.; Schuetz, A.; Cherkerzian, D.; Clark, T.
Students who conducted research at DOE National Laboratories during 2005 were invited to include their research abstracts, and for a select few, their completed research papers in this Journal. This Journal is direct evidence of students collaborating with their mentors. Fields in which these students worked include: Biology; Chemistry; Computer Science; Engineering; Environmental Science; General Sciences; Materials Sciences; Medical and Health Sciences; Nuclear Sciences; Physics; and Science Policy.
Toward a Conceptual Framework for Measuring the Effectiveness of Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences in Undergraduate Biology
Brownell, Sara E.; Kloser, Matthew J.
Recent calls for reform have advocated for extensive changes to undergraduate science lab experiences, namely providing more authentic research experiences for students. Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) have attempted to eschew the limitations of traditional "cookbook" laboratory exercises and have received…
Partners in Research: Developing a Model for Undergraduate Faculty-Student Collaboration.
Reitmaier Koehler, Amy; Reveling Smith, Linda; Davies, Susan; Mangan-Danckwart, Deborah
Maintaining scholarship while delivering an undergraduate nursing program is a challenge for nursing faculty. In this paper, we describe an approach that involves undergraduate nursing students in a program of faculty research, which evaluates new approaches to teaching and learning. Students work with faculty to develop a research proposal, identifying specific questions and exploring relevant literature. Projects may include original data collection with faculty supervision, or secondary analysis of existing datasets. Foci have included partnership learning between nursing students and older adults, models of sustainability for a traveling health clinic, and experiences of aging. Findings and recommendations feed into the broader faculty research agenda, provide a foundation for subsequent projects, and inform further development of educational programs. Students have presented at local and national conferences and developed papers for publication based on this joint work. We describe the benefits and challenges of these partnerships, drawing upon student and faculty reflections.
Valuing Professional Development Components for Emerging Undergraduate Researchers
Cheung, I.
In 2004 the Hatfield Marine Science Center (HMSC) at Oregon State University (OSU) established a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program to engage undergraduate students in hands-on research training in the marine sciences. The program offers students the opportunity to conduct research focused on biological and ecological topics, chemical and physical oceanography, marine geology, and atmospheric science. In partnership with state and federal government agencies, this ten-week summer program has grown to include 20+ students annually. Participants obtain a background in the academic discipline, professional development training, and research experience to make informed decisions about careers and advanced degrees in marine and earth system sciences. Professional development components of the program are designed to support students in their research experience, explore career goals and develop skills necessary to becoming a successful young marine scientist. These components generally include seminars, discussions, workshops, lab tours, and standards of conduct. These componentscontribute to achieving the following professional development objectives for the overall success of new emerging undergraduate researchers: Forming a fellowship of undergraduate students pursuing marine research Stimulating student interest and understanding of marine research science Learning about research opportunities at Oregon State University "Cross-Training" - broadening the hands-on research experience Exploring and learning about marine science careers and pathways Developing science communication and presentation skills Cultivating a sense of belonging in the sciences Exposure to federal and state agencies in marine and estuarine science Academic and career planning Retention of talented students in the marine science Standards of conduct in science Details of this program's components, objectives and best practices will be discussed.
Measuring Networking as an Outcome Variable in Undergraduate Research Experiences.
Hanauer, David I; Hatfull, Graham
The aim of this paper is to propose, present, and validate a simple survey instrument to measure student conversational networking. The tool consists of five items that cover personal and professional social networks, and its basic principle is the self-reporting of degrees of conversation, with a range of specific discussion partners. The networking instrument was validated in three studies. The basic psychometric characteristics of the scales were established by conducting a factor analysis and evaluating internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha. The second study used a known-groups comparison and involved comparing outcomes for networking scales between two different undergraduate laboratory courses (one involving a specific effort to enhance networking). The final study looked at potential relationships between specific networking items and the established psychosocial variable of project ownership through a series of binary logistic regressions. Overall, the data from the three studies indicate that the networking scales have high internal consistency (α = 0.88), consist of a unitary dimension, can significantly differentiate between research experiences with low and high networking designs, and are related to project ownership scales. The ramifications of the networking instrument for student retention, the enhancement of public scientific literacy, and the differentiation of laboratory courses are discussed. © 2015 D. I. Hanauer and G. Hatfull. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2015 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).
Methods for Retention of Undergraduate Students in Field-Based Research
Lehnen, J. N.
Undergraduate students often participate in research by following the vision, creativity, and procedures established by their principal investigators. Students at the undergraduate level rarely get a chance to direct the course of their own research and have little experience creatively solving advanced problems and establishing project objectives. This lack of independence and ingenuity results in students missing out on some of the most key aspects of research. For the last two years, the Undergraduate Student Instrument Project (USIP) at the University of Houston has encouraged students to become more independent scientists by completing a research project from start to finish with minimal reliance on faculty mentors. As part of USIP, students were responsible for proposing scientific questions about the upper stratosphere, designing instruments to answer those questions, and launching their experiments into the atmosphere of Fairbanks, Alaska. Everything from formulation of experiment ideas to actual launching of the balloon borne payloads was planned by and performed by students; members of the team even established a student leadership system, handled monetary responsibilities, and coordinated with NASA representatives to complete design review requirements. This session will discuss the pros and cons of student-led research by drawing on USIP as an example, focusing specifically on how the experience impacted student engagement and retention in the program. This session will also discuss how to encourage students to disseminate their knowledge through conferences, collaborations, and educational outreach initiatives by again using USIP students as an example.
Undergraduate Biocuration: Developing Tomorrow's Researchers While Mining Today's Data.
Mitchell, Cassie S; Cates, Ashlyn; Kim, Renaid B; Hollinger, Sabrina K
Biocuration is a time-intensive process that involves extraction, transcription, and organization of biological or clinical data from disjointed data sets into a user-friendly database. Curated data is subsequently used primarily for text mining or informatics analysis (bioinformatics, neuroinformatics, health informatics, etc.) and secondarily as a researcher resource. Biocuration is traditionally considered a Ph.D. level task, but a massive shortage of curators to consolidate the ever-mounting biomedical "big data" opens the possibility of utilizing biocuration as a means to mine today's data while teaching students skill sets they can utilize in any career. By developing a biocuration assembly line of simplified and compartmentalized tasks, we have enabled biocuration to be effectively performed by a hierarchy of undergraduate students. We summarize the necessary physical resources, process for establishing a data path, biocuration workflow, and undergraduate hierarchy of curation, technical, information technology (IT), quality control and managerial positions. We detail the undergraduate application and training processes and give detailed job descriptions for each position on the assembly line. We present case studies of neuropathology curation performed entirely by undergraduates, namely the construction of experimental databases of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) transgenic mouse models and clinical data from ALS patient records. Our results reveal undergraduate biocuration is scalable for a group of 8-50+ with relatively minimal required resources. Moreover, with average accuracy rates greater than 98.8%, undergraduate biocurators are equivalently accurate to their professional counterparts. Initial training to be completely proficient at the entry-level takes about five weeks with a minimal student time commitment of four hours/week.
The SUPER Program: A Research-based Undergraduate Experience
Ernakovich, J. G.; Boone, R. B.; Boot, C. M.; Denef, K.; Lavallee, J. M.; Moore, J. C.; Wallenstein, M. D.
Producing undergraduates capable of broad, independent thinking is one of the grand challenges in science education. Experience-based learning, specifically hands-on research, is one mechanism for increasing students' ability to think critically. With this in mind, we created a two-semester long research program called SUPER (Skills for Undergraduate Participation in Ecological Research) aimed at teaching students to think like scientists and enhancing the student research experience through instruction and active-learning about the scientific method. Our aim was for students to gain knowledge, skills, and experience, and to conduct their own research. In the first semester, we hosted active-learning workshops on "Forming Hypotheses", "Experimental Design", "Collecting and Managing Data", "Analysis of Data", "Communicating to a Scientific Audience", "Reading Literature Effectively", and "Ethical Approaches". Each lesson was taught by different scientists from one of many ecological disciplines so that students were exposed to the variation in approach that scientists have. In the second semester, students paired with a scientific mentor and began doing research. To ensure the continued growth of the undergraduate researcher, we continued the active-learning workshops and the students attended meetings with their mentors. Thus, the students gained technical and cognitive skills in parallel, enabling them to understand both "the how" and "the why" of what they were doing in their research. The program culminated with a research poster session presented by the students. The interest in the program has grown beyond our expectations, and we have now run the program successfully for two years. Many of the students have gone on to campus research jobs, internships and graduate school, and have attributed part of their success in obtaining their positions to their experience with the SUPER program. Although common in other sciences, undergraduate research experiences are
Multilevel approach to mentoring in the Research Experiences for Undergraduates programs
Bonine, K. E.; Dontsova, K.; Pavao-Zuckerman, M.; Paavo, B.; Hogan, D.; Oberg, E.; Gay, J.
This presentation focuses on different types of mentoring for students participating in Research Experiences for Undergraduates programs with examples, including some new approaches, from The Environmental and Earth Systems Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program at Biosphere 2. While traditional faculty mentors play essential role in students' development as researchers and professionals, other formal and informal mentoring can be important component of the REU program and student experiences. Students receive mentoring from program directors, coordinators, and on site undergraduate advisors. While working on their research projects, REU students receive essential support and mentoring from undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral scientists in the research groups of their primary mentors. Cohort living and group activities give multiple opportunities for peer mentoring where each student brings their own strengths and experiences to the group. Biosphere 2 REU program puts strong emphasis on teaching students to effectively communicate their research to public. In order to help REUs learn needed skills the outreach personnel at Biosphere 2 mentor and advise students both in groups and individually, in lecture format and by personal example, on best outreach approaches in general and on individual outreach projects students develop. To further enhance and strengthen outreach mentoring we used a novel approach of blending cohort of REU students with the Cal Poly STAR (STEM Teacher And Researcher) Program fellows, future K-12 STEM teachers who are gaining research experience at Biosphere 2. STAR fellows live together with the REU students and participate with them in professional development activities, as well as perform research side by side. Educational background and experiences gives these students a different view and better preparation and tools to effectively communicate and adapt science to lay audiences, a challenge commonly facing
Undergraduate Research in Quantum Information Science
Lyons, David W.
Quantum Information Science (QIS) is an interdisciplinary field involving mathematics, computer science, and physics. Appealing aspects include an abundance of accessible open problems, active interest and support from government and industry, and an energetic, open, and collaborative international research culture. We describe our student-faculty…
What Undergraduates Misunderstand about Stem Cell Research
Halverson, Kristy Lynn; Freyermuth, Sharyn K.; Siegel, Marcelle A.; Clark, Catharine G.
As biotechnology-related scientific advances, such as stem cell research (SCR), are increasingly permeating the popular media, it has become ever more important to understand students' ideas about this issue. Very few studies have investigated learners' ideas about biotechnology. Our study was designed to understand the types of alternative…
National register of research projects
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
This Register is intended to serve as a source of information on research which is being conducted in all fields (both natural and human sciences) in the Republic of South Africa. New research projects commenced during 1983 or 1984, and significantly changed research projects, as well as project that were completed or terminated during this period, on which information was received by the compilers before December 1984, are included, with the exception of confidential projects.
The Barrett Foundation: Undergraduate Research Program for Environmental Engineers and Scientists
Rizzo, D. M.; Paul, M.; Farmer, C.; Larson, P.; Matt, J.; Sentoff, K.; Vazquez-Spickers, I.; Pearce, A. R.
A new program sponsored by The Barrett Foundation in the University of Vermont College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences (UVM) supports undergraduate students in Environmental Engineering, Earth and Environmental Sciences to pursue independent summer research projects. The Barrett Foundation, a non-profit organization started by a UVM Engineering alum, provided a grant to support undergraduate research. Students must work with at least two different faculty advisors to develop project ideas, then independently prepare a research proposal and submit it to a faculty panel for review. The program was structured as a scholarship to foster a competitive application process. In the last three years, fourteen students have participated in the program. The 2007 Barrett Scholars projects include: - Using bacteria to change the chemistry of subsurface media to encourage calcite precipitation for soil stability and pollutant sequestration - Assessing structural weaknesses in a historic post and beam barn using accelerometers and wireless data collection equipment - Using image processing filters to 1) evaluate leaf wetness, a leading indicator of disease in crops and 2) assess the movement of contaminants through building materials. - Investigating the impact of increased water temperature on cold-water fish species in two Vermont streams. - Studying the impacts of light duty vehicle tailpipe emissions on air quality This program supports applied and interdisciplinary environmental research and introduces students to real- world engineering problems. In addition, faculty from different research focuses are presented the opportunity to establish new collaborations around campus through the interdisciplinary projects. To date, there is a successful publication record from the projects involving the Barrett scholars, including students as authors. One of the objectives of this program was to provide prestigious, competitive awards to outstanding undergraduate engineers
From Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience: Encouraging Innovation in Undergraduate Neuroscience Education by Supporting Student Research and Faculty Development
Hardwick, Jean C.; Kerchner, Michael; Lom, Barbara; Ramirez, Julio J.; Wiertelak, Eric P.
This article features the organization Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience. FUN was established by a group of neuroscientists dedicated to innovation and excellence in undergraduate neuroscience education and research. In the years since its inception, FUN has grown into a dynamic organization making a significant impact on the quality of…
[Environmental Hazards Assessment Program annual report, June 1992--June 1993]. Summer undergraduate research program: Environmental studies
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
McMillan, J. [ed.
The purpose of the summer undergraduate internship program for research in environmental studies is to provide an opportunity for well-qualified students to undertake an original research project as an apprentice to an active research scientist in basic environmental research. Ten students from throughout the midwestern and eastern areas of the country were accepted into the program. These students selected projects in the areas of marine sciences, biostatistics and epidemiology, and toxicology. The research experience for all these students and their mentors was very positive. The seminars were well attended and the students showed their interest in the presentations and environmental sciences as a whole by presenting the speakers with thoughtful and intuitive questions. This report contains the research project written presentations prepared by the student interns.
USC Undergraduate Team Research, Geological Field Experience and Outdoor Education in the Tuolumne Batholith and Kings Canyon, High Sierra Nevada
Culbert, K. N.; Anderson, J. L.; Cao, W.; Chang, J.; Ehret, P.; Enriquez, M.; Gross, M. B.; Gelbach, L. B.; Hardy, J.; Paterson, S. R.; Ianno, A.; Iannone, M.; Memeti, V.; Morris, M.; Lodewyk, J.; Davis, J.; Stanley, R.; van Guilder, E.; Whitesides, A. S.; Zhang, T.
Within four years, USC's College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and Earth Science department have successfully launched the revolutionary undergraduate team research (UTR) program "Geologic Wonders of Yosemite at Two Miles High". A diverse group of professors, graduate students and undergraduates spent two weeks mapping the Boyden Cave in Kings Canyon National Park, the Iron Mountain pendants south of Yosemite, the Western Metamorphic belt along the Merced River, and the Tuolumne Batholith (TB) in June and August 2009. During their experience in the field, the undergraduates learned geologic field techniques from their peers, professors, and experienced graduate students and developed ideas that will form the basis of the independent and group research projects. Apart from teaching undergraduates about the geology of the TB and Kings Canyon, the two weeks in the field were also rigorous exercise in critical thinking and communication. Every day spent in the field required complete cooperation between mentors and undergraduates in order to successfully gather and interpret the day's data. Undergraduates were to execute the next day's schedule and divide mapping duties among themselves. The two-week field experience was also the ideal setting in which to learn about the environmental impacts of their work and the actions of others. The UTR groups quickly adapted to the demanding conditions of the High Sierra—snow, grizzly bears, tourists, and all. For many of the undergraduates, the two weeks spent in the field was their first experience with field geology. The vast differences in geological experience among the undergraduates proved to be advantageous to the 'team-teaching' focus of the program: more experienced undergraduates were able to assist less experienced undergraduates while cementing their own previously gained knowledge about geology. Over the rest of the academic year, undergraduates will learn about the research process and scientific
Astrobites: Engaging Undergraduate Science Majors with Current Astrophysical Research
Zevin, Michael; Astrobites
Astrobites is a graduate-student organization that publishes an online astrophysical literature blog (astrobites.com). The purpose of the site is to make current astrophysical research accessible to and exciting for undergraduate physical science majors and astronomy enthusiasts, and the site now hosts an archive of over 1300 posts summarizing recent astrophysical research. In addition, Astrobites presents posts on career guidance, practical 'how-to' articles, conference summaries, and astronomy news. Astrobites has an average of more than 1000 pageviews per day and reaches not only its target audience of undergraduates, but also graduate students and professionals within astronomy, astronomy enthusiasts, and educators. As we enter our seventh year of successful blogging, we share here the most up-to-date summary of our organization, readership, and growth.
Educational Aspects of Undergraduate Research on Smartphone Application Development
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Joseph Gibson
Full Text Available Smartphones have become commonplace in today's society. There seems to be a mobile application for every conceivable use, expect one. Smartphones have been conspicuously absent in higher education. This research examines the use of mobile applications (apps in the higher education setting. In addition, it evaluates the potential for including smartphone application development in undergraduate computer science curriculum. This paper will present a variety of smartphone apps that were developed by undergraduate researchers for use for use by students and faculty in a university environment, and apps developed to enhance the educational experience in the classroom. We also study the efficacy of the inclusion of smartphone app development in the computer science curriculum and modes for its inclusion.
Preparation and participation of undergraduate students to inform culturally sensitive research.
Wells, Jo Nell; Cagle, Carolyn Spence
Most student work as research assistants occurs at the graduate level of nursing education, and little is known about the role of undergraduate students as research assistants (RAs) in major research projects. Based on our desire to study Mexican American (MA) cancer caregivers, we needed bilingual and bicultural RAs to serve as data collectors with women who spoke Spanish and possessed cultural beliefs that influenced their caregiving. Following successful recruitment, orientation, and mentoring based on Bandura's social learning theory [Bandura, A., 2001. Social learning theory: an agentic perspective. Annual Review of Psychology 52, 1-26] and accepted teaching-learning principles, RAs engaged in various behaviors that facilitated study outcomes. Faculty researchers, RAs, and study participants benefitted greatly from the undergraduate student involvement in this project. This article describes successful student inclusion approaches, ongoing faculty-RA interactions, and lessons learned from the research team experience. Guidelines discussed support the potential for making the undergraduate RA role a useful and unique learning experience.
Using Facebook to Supplement Participant Pools for Class Research Projects: Should We Like It?
Sciutto, Mark J.
In-class research projects are a valuable way of providing research experience for undergraduate students in psychology. This article evaluates the use of online social networks to supplement sample recruitment for in-class research projects. Specifically, this article presents a systematic analysis of seven student research projects that…
Computer Data Analysis for Meteorology - Project-Centered Skill Development for the Early Undergraduate Career
Ellis, T. D.
Too often in geoscience education are the computer skills necessary for success in the workforce put off until the last years of undergraduate education. This is especially true in meteorology, a form of geophysical fluid dynamics many people encounter on a daily basis. Meteorologists often need to know specialized computer skills, including the use of scripting languages to automate handling large bundles of data, manipulating four-dimensional arrays (with three spatial dimensions and one time dimension), visualizing said datasets simply and effectively for publication, and performing statistical analysis of those datasets. Such topics are often addressed only at the senior undergraduate level or graduate school. At SUNY Oneonta, we are piloting a course that teaches these skills to third-semester students with the intent of building confidence in these skills throughout students' careers and with the of building a tool-box of skills that can be used in upper-division courses and undergraduate research. This poster will present the methods used in building this course, the kinds of activities designed, the desired student learning outcomes, and our assessment of those outcomes, and new initiatives engaged since the completion of the NSF-funded portion of the project in 2012.
Assessment of plagiarism in undergraduate projects in the ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
This has a consequent effect on the research visibility and global ranking of Federal University of Technology, Minna on the Web. The study recommended among others that students should be advised to start turning in their works early and not at the end of the project, this would give them time to paraphrase the work ...
RNA Secondary Structure Prediction by Using Discrete Mathematics: An Interdisciplinary Research Experience for Undergraduate Students
Ellington, Roni; Wachira, James
The focus of this Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) project was on RNA secondary structure prediction by using a lattice walk approach. The lattice walk approach is a combinatorial and computational biology method used to enumerate possible secondary structures and predict RNA secondary structure from RNA sequences. The method uses discrete mathematical techniques and identifies specified base pairs as parameters. The goal of the REU was to introduce upper-level undergraduate students to the principles and challenges of interdisciplinary research in molecular biology and discrete mathematics. At the beginning of the project, students from the biology and mathematics departments of a mid-sized university received instruction on the role of secondary structure in the function of eukaryotic RNAs and RNA viruses, RNA related to combinatorics, and the National Center for Biotechnology Information resources. The student research projects focused on RNA secondary structure prediction on a regulatory region of the yellow fever virus RNA genome and on an untranslated region of an mRNA of a gene associated with the neurological disorder epilepsy. At the end of the project, the REU students gave poster and oral presentations, and they submitted written final project reports to the program director. The outcome of the REU was that the students gained transferable knowledge and skills in bioinformatics and an awareness of the applications of discrete mathematics to biological research problems. PMID:20810968
Integrating Research-Informed Teaching within an Undergraduate Level 4 (Year 1) Diagnostic Radiography Curriculum: A Pilot Study
Higgins, Robert; Hogg, Peter; Robinson, Leslie
This article discusses the piloting and evaluation of the Research-informed Teaching experience (RiTe) project. The aim of RiTe was to link teaching and learning with research within an undergraduate diagnostic radiography curriculum. A preliminary pilot study of RiTe was undertaken with a group of level 4 (year 1) volunteer BSc (Hons) diagnostic…
Teaching of Research Methodology in Nursing History: evaluation of educational strategy for undergraduation students
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Luciana Barizon Luchesi
Full Text Available The objective is to identify the impact of the use of a pedagogical strategy for teaching research methodology in the History of Nursing in a course designed for undergraduate students in Nursing. This is a descriptive, quantitative research, which had as source of data a self-administered questionnaire with closed and open questions and an essay prepared by nursing students at the end of the course about their perception of the importance of study History of Nursing during undergraduation course. Among the course participants 33.3% participated in the study. It was concluded that the course was successful in the evaluation of students, and it contributed for more mature professional, scientific and cultural development of the students, there was demonstration of internalization of concepts described in the scientific literature and also presented as impact the production of five micro research projects and consolidation of an interinstitutional laboratory of studies. Descriptors: Nursing, History of Nursing, Teaching.
The Role of Student-Advisor Interactions in Apprenticing Undergraduate Researchers into a Scientific Community of Practice
Thiry, Heather; Laursen, Sandra L.
Among science educators, current interest in undergraduate research (UR) is influenced both by the traditional role of the research apprenticeship in scientists' preparation and by concerns about replacing the current scientific workforce. Recent research has begun to demonstrate the range of personal, professional, and intellectual benefits for STEM students from participating in UR, yet the processes by which student-advisor interactions contribute to these benefits are little understood. We employ situated learning theory (Lave and Wenger, Situated learning: legitimate peripheral participation, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge in 1991) to examine the role of student-advisor interactions in apprenticing undergraduate researchers, particularly in terms of acculturating students to the norms, values, and professional practice of science. This qualitative study examines interviews with a diverse sample of 73 undergraduate research students from two research-extensive institutions. From these interviews, we articulate a continuum of practices that research mentors employed in three domains to support undergraduate scientists-in-training: professional socialization, intellectual support, and personal/emotional support. The needs of novice students differed from those of experienced students in each of these areas. Novice students needed clear expectations, guidelines, and orientation to their specific research project, while experienced students needed broader socialization in adopting the traits, habits, and temperament of scientific researchers. Underrepresented minority students, and to a lesser extent, women, gained confidence from their interactions with their research mentors and broadened their future career and educational possibilities. Undergraduate research at research-extensive universities exemplifies a cycle of scientific learning and practice where undergraduate researchers are mentored by graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, who are
Undergraduate Research or Research-Based Courses: Which Is Most Beneficial for Science Students?
Olivares-Donoso, Ruby; González, Carlos
Over the last 25 years, both research literature and practice-oriented reports have claimed the need for improving the quality of undergraduate science education through linking research and teaching. Two manners of doing this are reported: undergraduate research and research-based courses. Although there are studies reporting benefits of participating in these experiences, few synthesize their findings. In this article, we present a literature review aimed at synthesizing and comparing results of the impact of participating in these research experiences to establish which approach is most beneficial for students to develop as scientists. Twenty studies on student participation in undergraduate research and research-based courses were reviewed. Results show that both types of experiences have positive effects on students. These results have implications for both practice and research. Regarding practice, we propose ideas for designing and implementing experiences that combine both types of experiences. Concerning research, we identify some methodological limitations that should be addressed in further studies.
Re-Envisioning the Honors Senior Project: Experience as Research
Gustafson, Kevin; Cureton, Zachary
One of the National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) Basic Characteristics of a Fully Developed Honors Program is that it creates opportunities for undergraduate research, opportunities that frequently culminate in a senior thesis or capstone project. This article describes how the University of Texas at Arlington Honors College integrated…
Integrating undergraduate research into the electro-optics and laser engineering technology program at Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Zhou, Andrew F.
Bringing research into an undergraduate curriculum is a proven and powerful practice with many educational benefits to students and the professional rewards to faculty mentors. In recent years, undergraduate research has gained national prominence as an effective problem-based learning strategy. Developing and sustaining a vibrant undergraduate research program of high quality and productivity is an outstanding example of the problem-based learning. To foster student understanding of the content learned in the classroom and nurture enduring problem-solving and critical-thinking abilities, we have created a collaborative learning environment by building research into the Electro-Optics curriculum for the first- and second-year students. The teaching methodology is described and examples of the research projects are given. Such a research-integrated curriculum effectively enhances student learning and critical thinking skills, and strengthens the research culture for the first- and second-year students.
Estes, Matt; Brady, Ann
Matt Estes, a social studies teacher, mentions the main instructional goals for his students like understanding the importance of proper citation and attribution presenting the Machiavelli project that deals with the skills he wants his students to develop and the course material that must be covered. In addition, Ann Brady, a library media…
Increasing Research Productivity in Undergraduate Research Experiences: Exploring Predictors of Collaborative Faculty-Student Publications.
Morales, Danielle X; Grineski, Sara E; Collins, Timothy W
Little attention has been paid to understanding faculty-student productivity via undergraduate research from the faculty member's perspective. This study examines predictors of faculty-student publications resulting from mentored undergraduate research, including measures of faculty-student collaboration, faculty commitment to undergraduate students, and faculty characteristics. Generalized estimating equations were used to analyze data from 468 faculty members across 13 research-intensive institutions, collected by a cross-sectional survey in 2013/2014. Results show that biomedical faculty mentors were more productive in publishing collaboratively with undergraduate students when they worked with students for more than 1 year on average, enjoyed teaching students about research, had mentored Black students, had received more funding from the National Institutes of Health, had a higher H-index scores, and had more years of experience working in higher education. This study suggests that college administrators and research program directors should strive to create incentives for faculty members to collaborate with undergraduate students and promote faculty awareness that undergraduates can contribute to their research. © 2017 D. X. Morales et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2017 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).
Projects Using a Computer Algebra System in First-Year Undergraduate Mathematics
Rosenzweig, Martin
This paper illustrates the use of computer-based projects in two one-semester first-year undergraduate mathematics classes. Developed over a period of years, the approach is one in which the classes are organised into work-groups, with computer-based projects being undertaken periodically to illustrate the class material. These projects are…
Dream Team--The Case of an Undergraduate Surgical Talent Development Project
Jensen, Rune Dall; Ljungmann, Ken; Christensen, Mette Krogh; Møldrup, Ulla; Grøndal, Anne Krogh; Mogensen, Mads Filtenborg; Seyer-Hansen, Mikkel
To be successful, a surgeon must master a variety of skills. To meet the high demand for surgical expertise, an extracurricular undergraduate project was launched. The extracurricular project consists of hands-on laparoscopic training and a mentorship programme. The project aims to find the best surgical talents among fourth-year medical students.…
[Glimpsing undergraduate research from the view of the advisors of Nursing scholarships].
Erdmann, Alacoque Lorenzini; Leite, Joséte Luzia; Nascimento, Keyla Cristiane do; Lanzoni, Gabriela Marcellino de Melo
This research aimed at understanding the meaning of undergraduate research for supervisors of Nursing scholarship students in a university in the South of Brazil. The methodological reference used was the Grounded Theory, by the means of interviews with seven undergraduate research scholarship advisors forming two sample groups. The phenomenon "glimpsing undergraduate research activities of research groups coordinated by nursing advisors, the basis of competency formation in research of the scholarships" emerged form the interrelation of six categories. To be a advisor and researcher of human resources in research form undergraduation requires pedagogical, instrumental, and managerial competencies associated to research policies of nursing and health.
Experimental Plasma Research project summaries
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
This report contains descriptions of the activities supported by the Experimental Plasma Research Branch of APP. The individual project summaries were prepared by the principal investigators and include objectives and milestones for each project. The projects are arranged in six research categories: Plasma Properties; Plasma Heating; Plasma Diagnostics; Atomic, Molecular and Nuclear Physics; Advanced Superconducting Materials; and the Fusion Plasma Research Facility (FPRF). Each category is introduced with a statement of objectives and recent progress and followed by descriptions of individual projects. An overall budget summary is provided at the beginning of the report
Experimental plasma research project summaries
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
This report contans descriptions of the activities supported by the Experimental Plasma Research Branch of APP. The individual project summaries were prepared by the principal investigators and include objectives and milestones for each project. The projects are arranged in six research categories: Plasma Properties; Plasma Heating; Plasma Measurements and Instrumentation; Atomic, Molecular and Nuclear Physics; Advanced Superconducting Materials; and the Fusion Plasma Research Facility (FPRF). Each category is introduced with a statement of objectives and recent progress and followed by descriptions of individual projects. An overall budget summary is provided at the beginning of the report
The Value of Collaborative Research before Independent Research in Undergraduate Music Education
Harney, Kristin
Increasing evidence points to the importance of undergraduate research in teacher education programs. Before undertaking independent research, it is essential that music education students gain exposure to a range of research skills and develop basic research competencies. In this study, I explored the influence of a semester-long collaborative…
Research Project Leadership Stipulation System
Taghavi, Mona; Taghavi, Hamed; Taghavi, Milad
Purpose: Due to the increased research funding which academic institutions receive to perform advanced R&D, there is an indispensable need to have a systematic approach for selecting competent academicians capable of leading such projects. This paper aims to propose an approach to develop a system for Research Project Leadership Stipulation in…
Improving Undergraduate Research Experiences With An Intentional Mentoring Program: Lessons Learned Through Assessment of Keck Geology Consortium Programs
Wirth, K. R.; Garver, J. I.; Greer, L.; Pollock, M.; Varga, R. J.; Davidson, C. M.; Frey, H. M.; Hubbard, D. K.; Peck, W. H.; Wobus, R. A.
The Keck Geology Consortium, with support from the National Science Foundation (REU Program) and ExxonMobil, is a collaborative effort by 18 colleges to improve geoscience education through high-quality research experiences. Since its inception in 1987 more than 1350 undergraduate students and 145 faculty have been involved in 189 yearlong research projects. This non-traditional REU model offers exceptional opportunities for students to address research questions at a deep level, to learn and utilize sophisticated analytical methods, and to engage in authentic collaborative research that culminates in an undergraduate research symposium and published abstracts volume. The large numbers of student and faculty participants in Keck projects also affords a unique opportunity to study the impacts of program design on undergraduate research experiences in the geosciences. Students who participate in Keck projects generally report significant gains in personal and professional dimensions, as well as in clarification of educational and career goals. Survey data from student participants, project directors, and campus advisors identify mentoring as one of the most critical and challenging elements of successful undergraduate research experiences. Additional challenges arise from the distributed nature of Keck projects (i.e., participants, project directors, advisors, and other collaborators are at different institutions) and across the span of yearlong projects. In an endeavor to improve student learning about the nature and process of science, and to make mentoring practices more intentional, the Consortium has developed workshops and materials to support both project directors and campus research advisors (e.g., best practices for mentoring, teaching ethical professional conduct, benchmarks for progress, activities to support students during research process). The Consortium continues to evolve its practices to better support students from underrepresented groups.
Inside the research incubator: a case study of an intensive undergraduate research experience for nursing a midwifery students.
Kain, Victoria J; Hepworth, Julie; Bogossian, Fiona; McTaggart, Lya
Undergraduate research experiences are an increasing component of nursing and midwifery degrees. The Summer Research Scholarship Programme (SRSP) is a tertiary education initiative in Australia to provide an intensive undergraduate research experience. Between 2009 and 2010, six students and four academic faculty mentors in School of Nursing and Midwifery participated in an inaugural SRSP. This study explores the experiences of both students and faculty mentors to determine how this undergraduate research experience impacted student learning and interest in research. A qualitative case study approach was used to explore the research experiences of undergraduate student and faculty participants in an inaugural undergraduate research programme. Based on the results of two surveys four main themes were identified: (1) acquisition of research skills, (2) expectations, (3) academic engagement, and (4) continued interest in research. An intensive undergraduate research experience is a valuable component of student learning that has the capacity to contribute to immediate and longer-term learning and research outcomes.
Enhancing Student Learning of Research Methods through the Use of Undergraduate Teaching Assistants
Crowe, Jessica; Ceresola, Ryan; Silva, Tony
By using a quasi-experimental design, in this study, we test the effect of undergraduate teaching assistants on student learning. Data were collected from 170 students enrolled in four sections of a quantitative research methods course, two sections without undergraduate teaching assistants and two sections with undergraduate teaching assistants,…
One more thing: Faculty response to increased emphasis on project teams in undergraduate engineering education
Hunter, Jane
Tenured and tenure-track faculty members at institutions of higher education, especially those at Research I institutions, are being asked to do more than ever before. With rapidly changing technology, significant decreases in public funding, the shift toward privately funded research, and the ever increasing expectations of students for an education that adequately prepares them for professional careers, engineering faculty are particularly challenged by the escalating demands on their time. In 1996, the primary accreditation organization for engineering programs (ABET) adopted new criteria that required, among other things, engineering programs to teach students to function on multidisciplinary teams and to communicate effectively. In response, most engineering programs utilize project teams as a strategy for teaching these skills. The purpose of this qualitative study of tenured and tenure track engineering faculty at a Research I institution in the southwestern United States was to explore the variety of ways in which the engineering faculty responded to the demands placed upon them as a result of the increased emphasis on project teams in undergraduate engineering education. Social role theory and organizational climate theory guided the study. Some faculty viewed project teams as an opportunity for students to learn important professional skills and to benefit from collaborative learning but many questioned the importance and feasibility of teaching teamwork skills and had concerns about taking time away from other essential fundamental material such as mathematics, basic sciences and engineering sciences. Although the administration of the College of Engineering articulated strong support for the use of project teams in undergraduate education, the prevailing climate did little to promote significant efforts related to effective utilization of project teams. Too often, faculty were unwilling to commit sufficient time or effort to make project teamwork a
The 21st Century Digital Student: Google Books as a Tool in Promoting Undergraduate Research in the Humanities
Karpenko, Lara; Dietz, Lauri
In this article, we contend that publically available, mass digitization projects, such as Google Books, present faculty, regardless of their specific institutional context, with an exciting opportunity to promote meaningful undergraduate research in the humanities. By providing a classroom case study and by proposing an institutional model, we…
Astrobites: The Online Astronomy Research Digest for Undergraduates
Faesi, Christopher; Astrobites Collaboration
Astrobites (http://astrobites.org) is an innovative science education initiative developed by graduate students in astrophysics for an undergraduate audience. Our goal is to help undergraduates make the transition from the classroom to careers in research by introducing them to the astronomical literature in a pedagogical, approachable, and comprehensible way. Every day we select one new journal article posted to the astrophysics preprint server (http://arXiv.org/astro-ph) and prepare a brief summary describing methods and results, explaining jargon, and providing context. We also write regular blog posts containing career advice, such as tips for applying for graduate school, how to install astronomical software, or demystifying the publishing process. The articles are written by a team of about 30 graduate students in astrophysics from throughout the US and Europe. Since its founding in 2010, Astrobites has grown dramatically, now reaching more than 1000 daily readers in over 100 countries worldwide. Our audience includes not only undergraduates, but also interested non-scientists, educators, and professional researchers. More broadly, Astrobites is interested in fostering the development of vital communication skills that are crucial to a successful science career, yet not formally taught in most astronomy PhD programs. In addition to providing our graduate student authors with valuable opportunities to practice these skills through writing and editing articles, we organize events such as the upcoming workshop Communicating Science 2013, at which graduate students in all science fields from around the country will learn from and interact with panelists who are experts in science communication.
Research projects and capacity building
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Oct 4, 2004 ... strategic alliances interacting in a learning environment that is supported by enabling conditions, we appreciate that capacity building in research projects is not the sole responsibility of the researchers. The responsibility must be shared amongst those individuals and institutions who promote research (for ...
Why Work with Undergraduate Researchers? Differences in Research Advisors' Motivations and Outcomes by Career Stage
Hayward, Charles N.; Laursen, Sandra L.; Thiry, Heather
Undergraduate research is often hailed as a solution to increasing the number and quality of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics graduates needed to fill the high-tech jobs of the future. Student benefits of research are well documented but the emerging literature on advisors' perspectives is incomplete: only a few studies have included the graduate students and postdocs who often serve as research advisors, and not much is known about why research advisors choose to work with undergraduate researchers. We report the motivations for advising undergraduate researchers, and the related costs and benefits of doing so, from 30 interviews with research advisors at various career stages. Many advisors stated intrinsic motivations, but a small group of early-career advisors expressed only instrumental motivations. We explore what this means for how advisors work with student researchers, the benefits students may or may not gain from the experience, and the implications for training and retaining research advisors who can provide high-quality research experiences for undergraduate students. PMID:28213583
The benefits to medical undergraduates of exposure to community-based survey research.
Dongre, A R; Kalaiselvan, G; Mahalakshmy, T
In India, there has been little effort to teach medical students about public health research. Few medical institutions in India and nearby Nepal formally offer exposure to field surveys or projects to medical undergraduates as a part of their training in community medicine. Little is known about the effect of such activity on students or how they apply what they learn. We implemented a systematic, hands-on experience in the public health research process with medical undergraduates in Puducherry, India to evaluate its effect on students. Two groups, each with 30 third-semester (second year) medical undergraduates, participated in a 15-day, two and one-half hours per day course on the public health research process. At the end of course, a retrospective post-then-pre self-assessment of students skills was obtained. One year later, we resurveyed students with open-ended questions to assess their impressions of what they had gained from learning about the field survey process. Out of the 60 students, 55 (91.6%) provided complete responses for analysis. The mean post-exposure Likert scores of students self-perceived skills and knowledge were significantly higher than their retrospective assessments of themselves prior to the course in areas such as being aware of the public health research process, their skills in interviewing and communicating with local villagers, and ability to collect, enter via computer and present gathered information (p undergraduates to the survey research process appears to help them be better clinicians, who are able to understand and use field level data.
Enhancing Undergraduate Research Experience with Observational Astronomy: One Aspect of the NSF CSULA/JPL CURE REU Program
Yanamandra-Fisher, Padma A.; Gillam, S.; Lotozinski, J.; Holt, D.; Genov, I.
Aligned with NASA's educational goals to engage and identify future scientists and engineers, the California State University Los Angeles (CSULA)/JPL Consortium for Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) program provides opportunities for minority and women undergraduates to actively participate in research at the jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). CURE is a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Site funded for the last ten years by the National Science Foundation. The interaction between mentors and students allows the students to appreciate and translate classroom lessons to hands-on experience. In many cases, it provides the undergraduate with their first realization that they can be part of the scientific and technical workforce. A typical research experience available to CURE interns is our remote ground-based observations of Jovian planets project. Those selected for this program are immediately immersed in all aspects of data acquisition and analysis. The students are engaged in discussions related to the observations and involved in all aspects of research from data acquisition to presentations at scientific meetings such as Division of Planetary Sciences, JWSM, American Astronomical Society and Southern California Conference on Undergraduate Research (SCCUR). Recent observations were focused on the global upheaval on Jupiter and Saturn's closing rings as it approaches equinox. Projects of recent CURE interns involved with these observations are presented. The projects completed by the students are used as training materials for subsequent interns. The CURE REU site is unique among internship programs nationally in fostering long-term (up to three years) working relationships between students and JPL mentors. This allows JPLers to complete a wider range of research projects and help to nurture the next generation of scientists and engineers. As mentors, we are engaged in identifying different approaches to develop the potential of future astronomers
Revisiting the Need for Critical Research in Undergraduate Colombian English Language Teaching
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Carlo Granados-Beltrán
Full Text Available This article shares a reflection based on the relations found between the partial findings of two on-going projects in a BA program in bilingual education. The first study is named Critical Interculturality in Initial Language Teacher Education Programs whose partial data were obtained through interviews with four expert professors of Licensure programs across Colombia. The second project is Estado del Arte de los Trabajos de Grado 2009 - 2016, which involved an inventory of the theses done by students as graduation requirements for the BA program. Based on these data, the article urges a re-assessment of criticality in research at the undergraduate level by problematizing the hegemonization of action research, the instrumentalization of language and research, and the subalternity for those being researched.
Engaging Undergraduates in a Unique Neuroscience Research Opportunity: A Collaborative Research Experience Between a Primarily Undergraduate Institution (PUI) and a Major Research Institution.
Kreitzer, Matthew A; Malchow, Robert P
This report describes a unique undergraduate research and teaching collaboration between investigators at two institutions, one a relatively small, primarily undergraduate institution and the other a large, urban research-intensive university. The program incorporates three major facets. First, undergraduates participate in a weekly collaborative lab meeting involving instructors from both institutions and held via remote video. Student-led discussions and presentations dominate these meetings, and the unique format promotes novel interactions between students and instructors. Second, students carry out investigative studies centered on understanding the role extracellular pH dynamics play in regulating neuronal processing. Students carry out studies on isolated neurons and glia throughout the fall and spring semesters, and primarily use a noninvasive electrophysiological technique, termed self-referencing, for extracellular pH measurements. The technique is relatively simple and readily learned and employed by undergraduates, while still being powerful enough to provide novel and meaningful research results. The research component is expanded for several students each summer who are selected to participate in summer research with both PIs and graduate students at the major research institution. Finally results gathered during the year and over the summer are disseminated at institutional symposia, undergraduate neuroscience symposia, national society meetings, and in submitted journal manuscripts. Preliminary observations and findings over three years support the aim of this research experience; to create a productive environment that facilitates deep-level understanding of neurophysiological concepts at the undergraduate level and promotes intellectual development while cultivating an excitement for scientific inquiry in the present and future.
Engaging Undergraduates in a Unique Neuroscience Research Opportunity: A Collaborative Research Experience Between a Primarily Undergraduate Institution (PUI) and a Major Research Institution
Kreitzer, Matthew A.; Malchow, Robert P.
This report describes a unique undergraduate research and teaching collaboration between investigators at two institutions, one a relatively small, primarily undergraduate institution and the other a large, urban research-intensive university. The program incorporates three major facets. First, undergraduates participate in a weekly collaborative lab meeting involving instructors from both institutions and held via remote video. Student-led discussions and presentations dominate these meetings, and the unique format promotes novel interactions between students and instructors. Second, students carry out investigative studies centered on understanding the role extracellular pH dynamics play in regulating neuronal processing. Students carry out studies on isolated neurons and glia throughout the fall and spring semesters, and primarily use a noninvasive electrophysiological technique, termed self-referencing, for extracellular pH measurements. The technique is relatively simple and readily learned and employed by undergraduates, while still being powerful enough to provide novel and meaningful research results. The research component is expanded for several students each summer who are selected to participate in summer research with both PIs and graduate students at the major research institution. Finally results gathered during the year and over the summer are disseminated at institutional symposia, undergraduate neuroscience symposia, national society meetings, and in submitted journal manuscripts. Preliminary observations and findings over three years support the aim of this research experience; to create a productive environment that facilitates deep-level understanding of neurophysiological concepts at the undergraduate level and promotes intellectual development while cultivating an excitement for scientific inquiry in the present and future. PMID:24319396
Using Independent Research Projects to Foster Learning in the Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy Laboratory
Ghedotti, Michael J.; Fielitz, Christopher; Leonard, Daniel J.
This paper presents a teaching methodology involving an independent research project component for use in undergraduate Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy laboratory courses. The proposed project introduces cooperative, active learning in a research context to comparative vertebrate anatomy. This project involves pairs or groups of three students…
Designing and Implementing a Unique Website Design Project in an Undergraduate Course
Kontos, George
The following paper describes a distinctive collaborative service-learning project done in an undergraduate class on web design. In this project, students in a web design class contacted local community non-profit organizations to create websites (collections of web pages) to benefit these organizations. The two phases of creating a website,…
Campus Eco Tours: An Integrative & Interactive Field Project for Undergraduate Biology Students
Boes, Katie E.
Outdoor areas within or near college campuses offer an opportunity for biology students to observe the natural world and apply concepts from class. Here, I describe an engaging and integrative project where undergraduate non-major biology students work in teams to develop and present professional "eco tours." This project takes place over multiple…
Development and Evaluation of an Undergraduate Multidisciplinary Project Activity in Engineering and Design
Smith, David R.; Cole, Joanne
The School of Engineering and Design Multidisciplinary Project (MDP) at Brunel University is a one week long project based activity involving first year undergraduate students from across the School subject areas of Electronic and Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering and Design. This paper describes the main aims of the…
A New Project-Based Lab for Undergraduate Environmental and Analytical Chemistry
Adami, Gianpiero
A new project-based lab was developed for third year undergraduate chemistry students based on real world applications. The experience suggests that the total analytical procedure (TAP) project offers a stimulating alternative for delivering science skills and developing a greater interest for analytical chemistry and environmental sciences and…
A program for undergraduate research into the mechanisms of sensory coding and memory decay
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Calin-Jageman, R J
This is the final technical report for this DOE project, entitltled "A program for undergraduate research into the mechanisms of sensory coding and memory decay". The report summarizes progress on the three research aims: 1) to identify phyisological and genetic correlates of long-term habituation, 2) to understand mechanisms of olfactory coding, and 3) to foster a world-class undergraduate neuroscience program. Progress on the first aim has enabled comparison of learning-regulated transcripts across closely related learning paradigms and species, and results suggest that only a small core of transcripts serve truly general roles in long-term memory. Progress on the second aim has enabled testing of several mutant phenotypes for olfactory behaviors, and results show that responses are not fully consistent with the combinitoral coding hypothesis. Finally, 14 undergraduate students participated in this research, the neuroscience program attracted extramural funding, and we completed a successful summer program to enhance transitions for community-college students into 4-year colleges to persue STEM fields.
The Undergraduate–Postgraduate–Faculty Triad: Unique Functions and Tensions Associated with Undergraduate Research Experiences at Research Universities
Johnson, Deborah
We present an exploratory study of how undergraduates' involvement in research influences postgraduates (i.e., graduate and postdoctoral researchers) and faculty. We used a qualitative approach to examine the relationships among undergraduates, postgraduates, and the faculty head in a research group. In this group, undergraduates viewed postgraduates as more approachable than the faculty head both literally and figuratively. Mentorship by postgraduates presented unique challenges for undergraduates, including unrealistic expectations and varying abilities to mentor. The postgraduates and faculty head concurred that undergraduates contributed to the group's success and served as a source of frustration. Postgraduates appreciated the opportunity to observe multiple approaches to mentoring as they saw the faculty head and other postgraduates interact with undergraduates. The faculty head viewed undergraduate research as important for propagating the research community and for gaining insights into undergraduates and their postgraduate mentors. These results highlight how the involvement of undergraduates and postgraduates in research can limit and enhance the research experiences of members of the undergraduate–postgraduate–faculty triad. A number of tensions emerge that we hypothesize are intrinsic to undergraduate research experiences at research universities. Future studies can focus on determining the generalizability of these findings to other groups and disciplines. PMID:21123701
The Peer Assisted Teaching Model for Undergraduate Research at a HBCU
Wu, Liyun; Lewis, Marilyn W.
Despite wide application of research skills in higher education, undergraduate students reported research and computer anxiety, and low association between research and their professional goals. This study aims to assess whether peer-assisted mentoring programs would promote positive changes in undergraduates' attitudes toward research. Using a…
Why Work with Undergraduate Researchers? Differences in Research Advisors' Motivations and Outcomes by Career Stage
Hayward, Charles N.; Laursen, Sandra L.; Thiry, Heather
Undergraduate research is often hailed as a solution to increasing the number and quality of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics graduates needed to fill the high-tech jobs of the future. Student benefits of research are well documented but the emerging literature on advisors' perspectives is incomplete: only a few studies have…
Fostering Undergraduate Research Experiences in Management Information Systems through the "Research Group" Framework
Bartkus, Ken; Mills, Robert; Olsen, David
The purpose of this paper is to propose an innovative approach to engaged learning. Founded on the principles of a scholarly think-tank and administered along the lines of a consulting organization, the proposed "Research Group" framework is designed to facilitate effective and efficient undergraduate research experiences in Management…
Attitudes of Saudi Arabian Undergraduate Medical Students towards Health Research
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Sara M. Al-Hilali
Full Text Available Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate attitudes, perceptions and perceived barriers towards health research among Saudi Arabian undergraduate medical students. Methods: This cross-sectional study took place between August and October 2014 and included 520 students from five medical schools across Saudi Arabia. An anonymous online survey with 21 close-ended questions was designed to assess students' attitudes towards research, contribution to research-related activities, awareness of the importance of research, perception of available resources/opportunities for research, appreciation of medical students' research contributions and perceived barriers to research. Responses were scored on a 5-point Likert scale. Results: A total of 401 students participated in the study (response rate: 77.1%. Of these, 278 (69.3% were female. A positive attitude towards research was reported by 43.9% of the students. No statistically significant differences were observed between genders with regards to attitudes towards and available resources for research (P = 0.500 and 0.200, respectively. Clinical students had a significantly more positive attitude towards research compared to preclinical students (P = 0.007. Only 26.4% of the respondents believed that they had adequate resources/opportunities for research. According to the students, perceived barriers to undertaking research included time constraints (n = 200; 49.9%, lack of research mentors (n = 95; 23.7%, lack of formal research methodology training (n = 170; 42.4% and difficulties in conducting literature searches (n = 145; 36.2%. Conclusion: Less than half of the surveyed Saudi Arabian medical students had a positive attitude towards health research. Medical education policies should aim to counteract the barriers identified in this study.
IT Tools for Teachers and Scientists, Created by Undergraduate Researchers
Millar, A. Z.; Perry, S.
Interns in the Southern California Earthquake Center/Undergraduate Studies in Earthquake Information Technology (SCEC/UseIT) program conduct computer science research for the benefit of earthquake scientists and have created products in growing use within the SCEC education and research communities. SCEC/UseIT comprises some twenty undergraduates who combine their varied talents and academic backgrounds to achieve a Grand Challenge that is formulated around needs of SCEC scientists and educators and that reflects the value SCEC places on the integration of computer science and the geosciences. In meeting the challenge, students learn to work on multidisciplinary teams and to tackle complex problems with no guaranteed solutions. Meantime, their efforts bring fresh perspectives and insight to the professionals with whom they collaborate, and consistently produces innovative, useful tools for research and education. The 2007 Grand Challenge was to design and prototype serious games to communicate important earthquake science concepts. Interns broke themselves into four game teams, the Educational Game, the Training Game, the Mitigation Game and the Decision-Making Game, and created four diverse games with topics from elementary plate tectonics to earthquake risk mitigation, with intended players ranging from elementary students to city planners. The games were designed to be versatile, to accommodate variation in the knowledge base of the player; and extensible, to accommodate future additions. The games are played on a web browser or from within SCEC-VDO (Virtual Display of Objects). SCEC-VDO, also engineered by UseIT interns, is a 4D, interactive, visualization software that enables integration and exploration of datasets and models such as faults, earthquake hypocenters and ruptures, digital elevation models, satellite imagery, global isochrons, and earthquake prediction schemes. SCEC-VDO enables the user to create animated movies during a session, and is now part
Use of Social Media in Facilitating Health Care Research Among Nursing and Allied Health Undergraduates in Sri Lanka.
Silva, S N
A mentoring program was designed to promote conduction, completion and dissemination of undergraduate research among Nursing and Allied Health students in Sri Lanka. Several social media platforms were used; mainly the Facebook, YouTube and Google Hangouts. Knowledge sharing, interaction and collaboration were promoted. Student motivation was also done. Research presentation skills and applying for conferences was also facilitated. Over 90% of the participated 262 students completed a research project and close to 50% presented them both locally and internationally.
Math Fact Strategies Research Project
Boso, Annie
An action research project was conducted in order to determine effective math fact strategies for first graders. The traditional way of teaching math facts included using timed tests and flashcards, with most students counting on their fingers or a number line. Six new research-based strategies were taught and analyzed to decide which methods…
Experimental plasma research project summaries
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The experimental plasma Research Branch has responsibility for developing a broad range of experimental data and new experimental techniques that are required for operating and interpreting present large-scale confinement experiments, and for designing future deuterium-tritium burining facilities. The Branch pursued these objectives by supporting research in DOE laboratories, other Federal laboratories, other Federal laboratories, universities, and private industry. Initiation and renewal of research projects are primarily through submission of unsolicited proposals by these institutions to DOE. Summaries of these projects are given
Undergraduate Research in Geoscience with Students from Two-year Colleges: SAGE 2YC Resources
McDaris, J. R.; Hodder, J.; Macdonald, H.; Baer, E. M.; Blodgett, R. H.
provides resources on effective strategies for developing REU programs for community college students, examples of successful multi-year programs, links to other projects working on undergraduate research in the first two years, and references for further reading. serc.carleton.edu/sage2yc/studentsuccess/ug-research/
Linking research and education: an undergraduate research apprenticeship focusing on geologic and ecological impacts of the Elwha River Restoration
Ogston, A. S.; Eidam, E.; Webster, K. L.; Hale, R. P.
Experiential learning is becoming well-rooted in undergraduate curriculum as a means of stimulating interest in STEM fields, and of preparing students for future careers in scientific research and communication. To further these goals in coastal sciences, an intensive, research-focused course was developed at the UW Friday Harbor Labs. The course revolved around an active NSF-funded research project concerning the highly publicized Elwha River Restoration project. Between 2008 and 2014, four groups of research "apprentices" spent their academic quarter in residence at a small, coastal marine lab in a learning environment that integrated interdisciplinary lectures, workshops on data analysis and laboratory methods, and the research process from proposal to oceanographic research cruise to publication. This environment helped students gain important skills in fieldwork planning and execution, laboratory and digital data analyses, and manuscript preparation from start to finish—all while elevating their knowledge of integrated earth science topics related to a coastal restoration project. Students developed their own research proposals and pursued their individual interests within the overall research topic, thereby expanding the overall breadth of the NSF-funded research program. The topics of student interest were often beyond the researcher's expertise, which ultimately led to more interdisciplinary findings beyond the quarter-long class. This also provided opportunities for student creativity and leadership, and for collaboration with fellow course participants and with students from many other disciplines in residence at the marine lab. Tracking the outcomes of the diverse student group undertaking this program indicates that these undergraduate (and post-bac) students are generally attending graduate school at a high rate, and launching careers in education, coastal management, and other STEM fields.
Undergraduate research internships: veterinary students' experiences and the relation with internship quality
Jaarsma, Debbie A. D. C.; Muijtjens, Arno M. M.; Dolmans, Diana H. J. M.; Schuurmans, Eva M.; van Beukelen, Peter; Scherpbier, Albert J. J. A.
The learning environment of undergraduate research internships has received little attention, compared to postgraduate research training. This study investigates students' experiences with research internships, particularly the quality of supervision, development of research skills, the intellectual
Undergraduate research internships : Veterinary students' experiences and the relation with internship quality
Jaarsma, Debbie A D C; Muijtjens, Arno M M; Dolmans, Diana H J M; Schuurmans, Eva M; Van Beukelen, Peter; Scherpbier, Albert J J A
UNLABELLED: The learning environment of undergraduate research internships has received little attention, compared to postgraduate research training. This study investigates students' experiences with research internships, particularly the quality of supervision, development of research skills, the
Understanding the Scope of Undergraduate Research: A Framework for Curricular and Pedagogical Decision-Making
Brew, Angela
This article critically examines existing models and different ways of understanding undergraduate research to argue that there is a need for a coherent framework for student research that can contribute to curricular and pedagogical decision-making. A framework derived from analysing and integrating models of undergraduate research within the…
Undergraduate Student Teachers' Views and Experiences of a Compulsory Course in Research Methods
Lombard, B. J. J.
In comparison to attention given to research methods for education students at postgraduate level, the offering of research methods for education students at undergraduate level is less often considered. Yet, it is agreed that research methods for undergraduate level students is important for shaping student attitudes, learning and achievement in…
Undergraduate Students' Development of Social, Cultural, and Human Capital in a Networked Research Experience
Thompson, Jennifer Jo; Conaway, Evan; Dolan, Erin L.
Recent calls for reform in undergraduate biology education have emphasized integrating research experiences into the learning experiences of all undergraduates. Contemporary science research increasingly demands collaboration across disciplines and institutions to investigate complex research questions, providing new contexts and models for…
20% Research & Design Science Project
Spear, Beth A.
A project allowing employees to use 15 % of their time on independent projects was established at 3M in the 1950's. The result of this project included products like post it notes and masking tape. Google allows its employees to use 20% of their time on independently pursued projects. The company values creativity and innovation. Employees are allowed to explore projects of interest to them one day out of the week, 20 % of their work week. Products like AdSense, Gmail, Google Transit, Google News, and Google Talk are the result of this 20 % program. My school is implementing the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) as part of our regularly scheduled curriculum review. These new standards focus on the process of learning by doing and designing. The NGSS are very hands on and active. The new standards emphasize learning how to define, understand and solve problems in science and technology. In today's society everyone needs to be familiar with science and technology. This project allows students to develop and practice skills to help them be more comfortable and confident with science and technology while exploring something of interest to them. This project includes three major parts: research, design, and presentation. Students will spend approximately 2-4 weeks defining a project proposal and educating themselves by researching a science and technology topic that is of interest to them. In the next phase, 2-4 weeks, students design a product or plan to collect data for something related to their topic. The time spent on research and design will be dependant on the topic students select. Projects should be ambitious enough to encompass about six weeks. Lastly a presentation or demonstration incorporating the research and design of the project is created, peer reviewed and presented to the class. There are some problems anticipated or already experienced with this project. It is difficult for all students to choose a unique topic when you have large class sizes
Integration of a NASA faculty fellowship project within an undergraduate engineering capstone design class
Carmen, C.
The United States (US) National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD) provides university faculty fellowships that prepare the faculty to implement engineering design class projects that possess the potential to contribute to NASA ESMD objectives. The goal of the ESMD is to develop new capabilities, support technologies and research that will enable sustained and affordable human and robotic space exploration. In order to create a workforce that will have the desire and skills necessary to achieve these goals, the NASA ESMD faculty fellowship program enables university faculty to work on specific projects at a NASA field center and then implement the project within their capstone engineering design class. This allows the senior - or final year - undergraduate engineering design students, the opportunity to develop critical design experience using methods and design tools specified within NASA's Systems Engineering (SE) Handbook. The faculty fellowship projects focus upon four specific areas critical to the future of space exploration: spacecraft, propulsion, lunar and planetary surface systems and ground operations. As the result of a 2010 fellowship, whereby faculty research was conducted at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Alabama (AL), senior design students in the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) department at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) had the opportunity to complete senior design projects that pertained to current work conducted to support ESMD objectives. Specifically, the UAH MAE students utilized X-TOOLSS (eXploration Toolset for the Optimization Of Launch and Space Systems), an Evolutionary Computing (EC) design optimization software, as well as design, analyze, fabricate and test a lunar regolith burrowing device - referred to as the Lunar Wormbot (LW) - that is aimed at exploring and retrieving samples of lunar regolith. These two projects were
Partnerships for building strong internship and research experiences for undergraduates
Goehring, L.; Haacker-Santos, R.; Dutilly, E.
REU and internship site directors often operate in geographic and institutional isolation from each other, unable to share best practices or resources. When collaboration is possible, benefits for both the students and leaders of these programs can be achieved. In 2013, the SOARS REU program, hosted at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), supported the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) in creating a new internship program aimed at engaging undergraduate science and engineering students in NEON's work. Both student programs share the objective of reaching underrepresented groups in STEM. The year long collaboration allowed NEON to learn best practices in recruitment and support of students, mentor training, and program development, and to customize its internship according to its organization i.e., a science/engineering observatory under construction. Both programs shared several elements: students were housed together so that interns could tap into a larger cohort of supportive peers; students participated in a joint leadership training to strengthen cross program mentoring; and students met weekly for a scientific communications workshop. Having multiple science disciplines represented enhanced the workshop as students learned about writing styles and cultures of each other's fields, fostering an appreciation of different scientific disciplines and interdisciplinary thinking. Finally, at the end of the summer, students presented their findings in a joint poster session. We found that collaboration between programs led to increased recruitment of students from diverse backgrounds and support of students through stronger cohorts, shared trainings, and enhanced program content. In this presentation we share findings of our programs' evaluations and make recommendations on building collaborative partnerships for internships and research experiences for undergraduates.
Enhancing Astronomy Major Learning Through Group Research Projects
McGraw, Allison M.; Hardegree-Ullman, K.; Turner, J.; Shirley, Y. L.; Walker-Lafollette, A.; Scott, A.; Guvenen, B.; Raphael, B.; Sanford, B.; Smart, B.; Nguyen, C.; Jones, C.; Smith, C.; Cates, I.; Romine, J.; Cook, K.; Pearson, K.; Biddle, L.; Small, L.; Donnels, M.; Nieberding, M.; Kwon, M.; Thompson, R.; De La Rosa, R.; Hofmann, R.; Tombleson, R.; Smith, T.; Towner, A. P.; Wallace, S.
The University of Arizona Astronomy Club has been using group research projects to enhance the learning experience of undergraduates in astronomy and related fields. Students work on two projects that employ a peer-mentoring system so they can learn crucial skills and concepts necessary in research environments. Students work on a transiting exoplanet project using the 1.55-meter Kuiper Telescope on Mt. Bigelow in Southern Arizona to collect near-UV and optical wavelength data. The goal of the project is to refine planetary parameters and to attempt to detect exoplanet magnetic fields by searching for near-UV light curve asymmetries. The other project is a survey that utilizes the 12-meter Arizona Radio Observatory on Kitt Peak to search for the spectroscopic signature of infall in nearby starless cores. These are unique projects because students are involved throughout the entire research process, including writing proposals for telescope time, observing at the telescopes, data reduction and analysis, writing papers for publication in journals, and presenting research at scientific conferences. Exoplanet project members are able to receive independent study credit for participating in the research, which helps keep the project on track. Both projects allow students to work on professional research and prepare for several astronomy courses early in their academic career. They also encourage teamwork and mentor-style peer teaching, and can help students identify their own research projects as they expand their knowledge.
Research, development, and preliminary testing of interactive engagements for teaching quantum mechanics to undergraduate physics majors
Axmann, Waldemar Jay
The Advanced Visual Quantum Mechanics project was conceived to provide computer-centered, activities-based instructional materials to upper-level undergraduate physics majors. This study implements one curriculum development cycle of research, development, and classroom testing for a single unit, The Shape and Behavior of the Wave Function, of these materials. It is designed to be a proof of concept pilot study for the project. The cycle began with an extensive review of existing research drawing on results from the general fields of cognitive science and educational research as well as more specific research regarding the use of computers in instruction and the teaching and learning of quantum mechanics. It continued with the development of written materials, a computer program, and assessment instruments all extensively based on this research. It concluded with a field test garnering an outcome of positive student and instructor attitudes and perceptions of learning gains as well as actual gains similar or superior to traditional instruction---even in the face of usage that diverged widely from that intended. Based on these results, we recommend the continuation of the Advanced Visual Quantum Mechanics project. This work would include further testing and revision of these materials, similar development and classroom testing of further materials, and new research within the context of that testing. Consideration should also be given to similar projects that address other physics subject areas.
Explorations: A Research-Based Program Introducing Undergraduates to Diverse Biology Research Topics Taught by Grad Students and Postdocs
Brownell, Sara E.; Khalfan, Waheeda; Bergmann, Dominique; Simoni, Robert
Undergraduate biology majors are often overwhelmed by and underinformed about the diversity and complexity of biological research that is conducted on research-intensive campuses. We present a program that introduces undergraduates to the diversity and scope of biological research and also provides unique teaching opportunities for graduate…
URSSA, the Undergraduate Research Student Self-Assessment: A Tool for Assessing Student Outcomes of Undergraduate Research
Laursen, S. L.; Hunter, A.; Weston, T.; Thiry, H.
Evidence-based thinking is essential both to science and to the development of effective educational programs. Thus assessment of student learning—gathering evidence about the nature and depth of students' learning gains, and about how they arise—is a centerpiece of any effective undergraduate research (UR) program. Assessment data can be used to monitor progress, to diagnose problems, to strengthen program designs, and to report both good outcomes and strategies to improve them to institutional and financial stakeholders in UR programs. While the positive impact of UR on students' educational, personal and professional development has long been a matter of faith, only recently have researchers and evaluators developed an empirical basis by which to identify and explain these outcomes. Based on this growing body of evidence, URSSA, the Undergraduate Research Student Self-Assessment, is a survey tool that departments and programs can use to assess student outcomes of UR. URSSA focuses on what students learn from their UR experience, rather than whether they liked it. Both multiple-choice and open-ended items focus on students' gains from UR, including: (1) skills such as lab work and communication; (2) conceptual knowledge and linkages among ideas in their field and with other fields; (3) deepened understanding of the intellectual and practical work of science; (4) growth in confidence and adoption of the identity of scientist; (5) preparation for a career or graduate school in science; and (6) greater clarity in understanding what career or educational path they might wish to pursue. Other items probe students' participation in important activities that have been shown to lead to these gains; and a set of optional items can be included to probe specific program features that may supplement UR (e.g. field trips, career seminars, housing arrangements). The poster will describe URSSA's content, development, validation, and use. For more information about
Independent Study: The Culture of Mentored Undergraduate Research at The College of Wooster (Invited)
Pollock, M.; Judge, S.; Wiles, G. C.; Wilson, M. A.
The foundation of a Wooster education is the Independent Study (I.S.) program. Established in 1947, the I.S. program is widely recognized as an exemplary undergraduate research experience (AAC&U; US News and World Report; College that Change Lives by Loren Pope). I.S. requires every Wooster student to complete an original research project. This presentation describes the details of the Wooster I.S. and, based on our experiences, gives strategies for a successful mentored undergraduate research program. Overall, the I.S. process resembles a graduate research project. Students typically begin their work in the spring of their junior year when they review the literature, learn techniques, and write a proposal for their Senior I.S. research. Many students conduct field and lab work over the following summer, although this is not a requirement of the program. In their senior year, students work one-on-one with faculty members and sometimes in small (~4 person) research groups to drive their projects forward with an increasing sense of independence. I.S. culminates in a written thesis and oral defense. Most of our students present their work at national meetings and many projects are published in peer-reviewed journals. The success of the I.S. program is largely the result of two key components: (1) the integration of undergraduate research into the curriculum, and (2) the focus on student mentoring. We have thoughtfully structured our courses so that, as students move toward I.S., they progress from concrete to abstract concepts, and from simple to complex skills. The College also recognizes the value of I.S by assigning it credit; Students earn a full course credit for each semester of I.S. (3 courses total) and there is some credit in the faculty teaching load for I.S. advising. Advisors are really mentors who are invested in their students' academic and scholarly success. As mentors, we emphasize collaboration, provide guidance and support, and hold students
Undergraduate physiotherapy research training in south africa: the Medunsa experience
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
D. J. Mothabeng
Full Text Available Background and Purpose: Research interest has increased in physiotherapy in the past two decades. During this period, the physiotherapy department at the Medical University of Southern Africa(MEDUNSA started its degree programme. The first undergraduateresearch projects (UGRP were produced in 1985. The purpose of this study was to analyze the UGRPs conducted between 1985 and 1999 in terms of methodological trends (qualitative versus quantitative and subject content.Methods: A retrospective analysis of the 114 UGRPs carried out in the department was conducted. The projects were read and analyzed according to methodology, research context and topic categories. The 15-year period was analyzed in three 5-year phases (1985 - 1989; 1990 - 1994 and 1995 - 1999, using descriptive statistics. Results: There was a gradual increase in the number of UGRPs during the study period in keeping with the increase in student numbers, with the last five years recording the highest number of projects. An interesting finding was a decline in experimental and clinical research, which was lowest in the last five years. Conclusion: The findings are paradoxical, given the need for experimental research to validate current clinical practice. Non-experimental qualitative research is however important in the view of the national health plan. A balance between qualitative and quantitative research is therefore important and must be emphasized in student training. Student research projects need to be maximally utilized to improve departmental research output.
Implementation of a Collaborative Series of Classroom-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences Spanning Chemical Biology, Biochemistry, and Neurobiology
Kowalski, Jennifer R.; Hoops, Geoffrey C.; Johnson, R. Jeremy
Classroom undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) provide students access to the measurable benefits of undergraduate research experiences (UREs). Herein, we describe the implementation and assessment of a novel model for cohesive CUREs focused on central research themes involving faculty research collaboration across departments. Specifically, we implemented three collaborative CUREs spanning chemical biology, biochemistry, and neurobiology that incorporated faculty members' research interests and revolved around the central theme of visualizing biological processes like Mycobacterium tuberculosis enzyme activity and neural signaling using fluorescent molecules. Each CURE laboratory involved multiple experimental phases and culminated in novel, open-ended, and reiterative student-driven research projects. Course assessments showed CURE participation increased students' experimental design skills, attitudes and confidence about research, perceived understanding of the scientific process, and interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines. More than 75% of CURE students also engaged in independent scientific research projects, and faculty CURE contributors saw substantial increases in research productivity, including increased undergraduate student involvement and academic outputs. Our collaborative CUREs demonstrate the advantages of multicourse CUREs for achieving increased faculty research productivity and traditional CURE-associated student learning and attitude gains. Our collaborative CURE design represents a novel CURE model for ongoing laboratory reform that benefits both faculty and students. PMID:27810870
National Genome Research Initiative: A New Paradigm For Teaching Research To Undergraduates In South America
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Rafael Ovalle
Full Text Available Introduction: From 2007 to 2011, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI recruited professors across the US to test a new paradigm in undergraduate education: the National Genome Research Initiative (NGRI. Undergraduates were taught to isolate bacteriophages, characterize their findings, and report to the scientific community.Objective: The educational goal of the NGRI program was to expose science undergraduates to an authentic research experience to increase graduation rates. The scientific goal was to isolate mycobacteriophages to be used as therapeutic agents against disease-causing mycobacteria.Materials and Methods: In a one-semester lab course undergraduates are taught to find, grow, and purify bacteriophages. In the second semester, students use bioinformatic software to annotate sequences of their bacteriophages.Results: Ahead of data on student graduation rates, the NGRI program has generated expanded productivity for US undergraduates. Over a four year period, thousands of participants were taught to collect bacteriophages, annotate sequences, and present their findings. Those undergraduates will have isolated 2300+ phages, annotated 250+ sequences, presented hundreds of posters at conferences across the US, and are co-authors on papers published by labs participating in the NGRI program.Discussion: Many professors in the US academic community are convinced that the NGRI program will have lasting impact on the US educational system. Several professors have banded together to form the Phage Galaxy Consortium to continue HHMI's goal of implementation of the NGRI program at all US colleges.Conclusions: HHMI's paradigm is ready for distribution to Central and South America.
Impact of Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Research in Mathematics and Biology on the Development of a New Course Integrating Five STEM Disciplines
Caudill, Lester; Hill, April; Hoke, Kathy; Lipan, Ovidiu
Funded by innovative programs at the National Science Foundation and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Richmond faculty in biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics, and computer science teamed up to offer first- and second-year students the opportunity to contribute to vibrant, interdisciplinary research projects. The result was not only good science but also good science that motivated and informed course development. Here, we describe four recent undergraduate research proj...
Do fazer ao compreender ciências: reflexões sobre o aprendizado de alunos de iniciação científica em química From making to understand science: reflexions on students' learning through undergraduate research projects in chemistry
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Salete Linhares Queiroz
Full Text Available O artigo toma por base investigações realizadas sobre as atividades desenvolvidas por alunas de graduação, enquanto estudantes de iniciação científica, em laboratório de pesquisa na área de química. O principal objetivo do estudo foi investigar o entendimento das alunas no que diz respeito à natureza da ciência, quando submetidas a esse tipo de instrução acadêmica. Os dados obtidos por meio de entrevistas com docentes e estudantes foram analisados segundo estudos em sociologia da ciência realizados por LATOUR e WOOLGAR.The paper is based on a study of the laboratory work of undergraduate chemistry students during the time they were involved in undergraduate research projects. The aim of the study was to gain insight into what students learn about the nature of science from this approach to science instruction. The data were gathered through students' and professors' interviews and were analyzed using LATOUR and WOOLGAR'S concepts of sociology of science.
Biological Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences: An Examination of an Introductory Level Implementation
Knoth, Kenneth Charles
Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) provide authentic research benefits to an entire laboratory course population. CURE experiences are proposed to enhance research skills, critical thinking, productivity, and retention in science. CURE curriculum developers face numerous obstacles, such as the logistics and time commitment involved in bringing a CURE to larger student populations. In addition, an ideal CURE topic requires affordable resources, lab techniques that can be quickly mastered, time for multiple iterations within one semester, and the opportunity to generate new data. This study identifies some of the CURE activities that lead to proposed participant outcomes. Introductory Biology I CURE lab students at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville completed research related to the process of converting storage lipids in microalgae into biodiesel. Data collected from CURE and traditional lab student participants indicate increased CURE student reports of project ownership, scientific self-efficacy, identification as a scientist, and sense of belonging to a science community. Study limitations and unanticipated benefits are discussed.
Introducing Ethics to Chemistry Students in a "Research Experiences for Undergraduates" (REU) Program
Hanson, Mark J.
A three-day ethics seminar introduced ethics to undergraduate environmental chemistry students in the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program. The seminar helped students become sensitive to and understand the ethical and values dimensions of their work as researchers. It utilized a variety of resources to supplement lectures and…
Faculty Motivation to Mentor Students through Undergraduate Research Programs: A Study of Enabling and Constraining Factors
Morales, Danielle X.; Grineski, Sara E.; Collins, Timothy W.
Undergraduate research experiences are a "high impact" educational practice that confer benefits to students. However, little attention has been paid to understanding faculty motivation to mentor undergraduate students through research training programs, even as the number of programs has grown, requiring increasing numbers of faculty…
Demonstrating Successful Undergraduate Research Experiences across the Disciplines: The Physical Education Teacher Education Perspective
Culp, Brian; Urtel, Mark
This article describes the faculty-sponsored approach to undergraduate research (UGR) at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis. In this approach, individual or small groups of faculty organize or sponsor the research and recruit undergraduate students to get involved. This approach to UGR is opportunistic in that university faculty…
Insights for Academic Developers from Three International Undergraduate Research Program Resources
Allison, Meredith; Miller, Paul
Undergraduate research is recognized as a high-impact educational practice (Kuh & O'Donnell, 2013), and increasingly it occurs world-wide in higher education, in particular in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia. In each of these countries, undergraduate research is delivered through a variety of pedagogical approaches that…
Learning by Doing: The Challenge of Engaging Undergraduates in Economics Research
Brunnermeier, Smita
This article describes strategies developed at Princeton University to foster and promote research by all undergraduate students majoring in economics. It describes core features of the undergraduate research program and provides tangible recommendations for addressing resource constraints, and for incentivizing faculty advisors and students to…
Ideas and Approaches for Teaching Undergraduate Research Methods in the Health Sciences
Peachey, Andrew A.; Baller, Stephanie L.
Training in research methodology is becoming more commonly expected within undergraduate curricula designed to prepare students for entry into graduate allied health programs. Little information is currently available about pedagogical strategies to promote undergraduate students' learning of research methods, and less yet is available discussing…
The Contribution of Qualitative Research Towards the Issues Affecting Female Undergraduate Engineering Students
Duggan, Louise Maria
This article explores the use of qualitative research methods towards our understanding of the issues affecting female undergraduate engineers. As outlined in this article female engineering students face many challenges during their undergraduate studies. Qualitative research methods provide an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the…
The C-MORE Scholars Program: Engaging minority students in STEM through undergraduate research
Gibson, B. A.; Bruno, B. C.
There have been several studies that show how undergraduate research experiences (REU) have a positive impact on a student's academic studies and career path, including being a positive influence toward improving the student's lab skills and ability to work independently. Moreover, minority students appear to relate to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) concepts better when they are linked with (1) a service learning component, and (2) STEM courses that include a cultural and social aspect that engages the student in a way that does not distract from the student's technical learning. It is also known that a "place-based" approach that incorporates traditional (indigenous) knowledge can help engage underrepresented minority groups in STEM disciplines and increase science literacy. Based on the methods and best practices used by other minority serving programs and described in the literature, the Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education (C-MORE) has successfully developed an academic-year REU to engage and train the next generation of scientists. The C-MORE Scholars Program provides undergraduate students majoring in an ocean or earth science-related field, especially underrepresented students such as Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, the opportunity to participate in unique and cutting edge hands-on research experiences. The program appoints awardees at one of three levels based on previous research and academic experience, and students can progress through the various tiers as their skills and STEM content knowledge develop. All awardees receive guidance on a research project from a mentor who is a scientist at the university and/or industry. A key component of the program is the inclusion of professional development activities to help the student continue towards post graduation education or prepare for career opportunities after they receive their undergraduate STEM degree.
Software Assurance Curriculum Project Volume 2: Undergraduate Course Outlines
acquisition through methods including service-oriented architecture ( SOA ), cloud computing, and virtualization. Systems often aggregate combinations of...presentations, team projects, and exams . Projects and exams should be weighted heavily. Depending on the degree program, this course could be slanted to
Research Projects in Industrial Technology.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
United States. Bonneville Power Administration. Industrial Technology Section.
The purpose of this booklet is to briefly describe ongoing and completed projects being carried out by Bonneville Power Administration's (BPA) Industrial Technology Section. In the Pacific Northwest, the industrial sector is the largest of the four consuming sectors. It accounted for thirty-nine percent of the total firm demand in the region in 1987. It is not easy to asses the conservation potential in the industrial sector. Recognizing this, the Northwest Power Planning Council established an objective to gain information on the size, cost, and availability of the conservation resource in the industrial sector, as well as other sectors, in its 1986 Power Plan. Specifically, the Council recommended that BPA operate a research and development program in conjunction with industry to determine the potential costs and savings from efficiency improvements in industrial processes which apply to a wide array of industrial firms.'' The section, composed of multidisciplinary engineers, provides technical support to the Industrial Programs Branch by designing and carrying out research relating to energy conservation in the industrial sector. The projects contained in this booklet are arranged by sector --industrial, utility, and agricultural -- and, within each sector, chronologically from ongoing to completed, with those projects completed most recently falling first. For each project the following information is given: its objective approach, key findings, cost, and contact person. Completed projects also include the date of completion, a report title, and report number.
Broadening participation in Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) programs: an evaluation of the team research model for undergraduate research experiences
Berthelote, A. R.; Geraghty Ward, E. M.; Dalbotten, D. M.
The REU site on sustainable land and water resources has a goal of broadening participation in the geosciences by underrepresented groups and particularly Native American students. We are evaluating modifications to the traditional REU model in order to better support these students. First, we review a team research model for REU students, where students are placed on teams and work together in peer groups supported by a team of mentors. Second, the REU takes place in locations that have high populations of Native American students to remove barriers to participation for non-traditional students. Finally, the teams do research on issues related to local concerns with cultural focus. Traditional REU models (1 faculty to 1 student/on campus) have been shown to be effective in supporting student movement into graduate programs but often fail to attract a diverse group of candidates. In addition, they rely for success on the relationship between faculty and student, which can often be undermined by unrealistic expectations on the part of the student about the mentor relationship, and can be exacerbated by cultural misunderstanding, conflicting discourse, or students' personal or family issues. At this REU site, peer mentorship and support plays a large role. Students work together to select their research question, follow the project to completion and present the results. Students from both native and non-native backgrounds learn about the culture of the partner reservations and work on a project that is of immediate local concern. The REU also teaches students protocols for working on Native American lands that support good relations between reservation and University. Analysis of participant data gathered from surveys and interview over the course of our 3-year program indicates that the team approach is successful. Students noted that collaborating with other teams was rewarding and mentors reported positively about their roles in providing guidance for the student
Analysis of final year DVM research projects submitted to the Faculty ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
This study analyzed the intellectual output of the undergraduate final year students. research projects submitted to the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, from 1994 to 2004. The findings of the study show that a total of 194 research projects were produced within the period under study.
Analysis of final year DVM research projects submitted to the Faculty ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Central Research Laboratory
This study analyzed the intellectual output of the undergraduate final year students" research projects submitted to the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, from 1994 to 2004. The findings of the study show that a total of 194 research projects were produced within the period under study.
Undergraduate ESL Students' Difficulties in Writing the Introduction for Research Reports
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Mirrah Diyana Binti Maznun
Full Text Available This study was conducted to investigate the difficulties encountered by undergraduate ESL students in writing the introduction section of their project reports. Five introduction sections of bachelor of arts students, majoring in English language, were analyzed and a lecturer was interviewed regarding the areas of the students' weaknesses. Swales' create-a-research-space (cars model was used as the analytical framework of the study. The results revealed that students confronted problems in writing their introduction for each move especially for move 2, which consists of counter claiming, indicating research gap, raising questions from previous research and continuing tradition. It was also found that the students had difficulty in writing the background of the study, theoretical framework, and statement of the problem which indicated their unawareness of the appropriate rhetorical structure of the introduction section.
An Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program to Prepare Nursing Students for Future Workforce Roles
Slattery, Mary Jo; Logan, Bridget; Mudge, Bridget; Secore, Karen; Von Reyn, LInda J.; Maue, Robert A.
It is important for nurses today and for those joining the workforce in the future to have familiarity and training with respect to interprofessional research, evidence-based practice, and quality improvement. In an effort to address this need, we describe a 10-week summer research program that immerses undergraduate nursing students in a broad spectrum of clinical and translational research projects as part of their exposure to advanced nursing roles. In doing so, the program increases the ability of the students to participate in research, effectively interact with academic medical center researchers, and incorporate elements of evidence-based practice into future nursing interventions. Their mentors are nurses practicing in roles as nurse researcher, advanced practice nurses involved in evidence-based practice or quality improvement, and clinical trials research nurses. Each student is matched with 3 of these mentors and involved in 3 different projects. Through this exposure, the students benefit from observing multiple nursing roles, taking an active role in research-related activities participating in interdisciplinary learning experiences. Overall, the program provides benefits to the students, who demonstrate measured improvement with respect to the program objectives, and to their mentors and each of the participating organizations. PMID:27964811
Revamping the Classroom Research Project
Werner-Burke, Nanci
Too often, students don't feel engaged in their research projects. The problem begins as early as the topic-creation stage, when students may choose from a list of teacher-selected topics that don't interest them or struggle to select a single fruitful topic on their own. Nanci Werner-Burke describes how two students in an English…
Research projects and capacity building
CSIR Research Space (South Africa)
Breen, CM
Full Text Available - knowledged as necessary and urgent, but is this sufficient? Are ?head counts? and/or ?degree counts? of individuals from marginalised sectors, including gender, participating in research projects appro- priate measures for capacity building? Much depends... numbers of people (including race and gender) gaining higher degrees and papers published in peer-reviewed journals may provide some measure of capacity building, they do not measure the extent to which fundamental enabling conditions have been fostered...
Coordinated research projects (CRP). Coordinated research project (CRP)
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Takagi, Hidekazu; Koike, Fumihiro; Nakamura, Nobuyuki
In the present paper, the contribution of Japanese scientists in coordinated research projects on thermonuclear fusion. Representative subjects taken in seven projects are the precise computation of theoretical data on electron-molecule collisions in the peripheral plasma, the computation of spectroscopic data of multi-charged tungsten ions, the spectroscopic measurement of multi-charged tungsten ions using an ion trap device, the development of collisional-radiative model for plasmas including hydrogen and helium, the computational and theoretical studies on the behavior of tungsten and beryllium in the plasma-wall interaction, the study on the property of dusts generated in fusion devices. These subjects are those of most important issues in ITER. (author)
Vibration isolation/suppression: research experience for undergraduates in mechatronics and smart structures
Fonda, James; Rao, Vittal S.; Sana, Sridhar
This paper provides an account of a student research project conducted under the sponsoring of the National Science Foundation (NSF) program on Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) in Mechatronics and Smart Strictures in the summer of 2000. The objective of the research is to design and test a stand-alone controller for a vibration isolation/suppression system. The design specification for the control system is to suppress the vibrations induced by the external disturbances by at least fiver times and hence to achieve vibration isolation. Piezo-electric sensors and actuators are utilized for suppression of unwanted vibrations. Various steps such as modeling of the system, controller design, simulation, closed-loop testing using d- Space rapid prototyping system, and analog control implementation are discussed in the paper. Procedures for data collection, the trade-offs carried out in the design, and analog controller implementation issues are also presented in the paper. The performances of various controllers are compared. The experiences of an undergraduate student are summarized in the conclusion of the paper.
Global research engagement by undergraduates and its impact: Laser metal deposition studies in us - South Africa collaboration
CSIR Research Space (South Africa)
Kumpaty, S
Full Text Available This paper presents the follow-up work of research conducted by Milwaukee School of Engineering senior undergraduate students in South Africa under the second year of the Research Experiences for Undergraduates grant EEC-1460183 sponsored...
Conscientious Consumerism Project in an Undergraduate Quality Management Class
Helms, Marilyn M.
This article describes a "conscientious consumerism" project that involves the student as the consumer to either commend or complain to a company about a recent product or service experience. This activity and presentation helps students develop an understanding of the commendation/complaint management process within organizations while…
Predicting Flu Season Requirements: An Undergraduate Modeling Project
Kramlich, Gary R., II; Braunstein Fierson, Janet L.; Wright, J. Adam
This project was designed to be used in a freshman calculus class whose students had already been introduced to logistic functions and basic data modeling techniques. It need not be limited to such an audience, however; it has also been implemented in a topics in mathematics class for college upperclassmen. Originally intended to be presented in…
Crossing over: An undergraduate service learning project that connects to biotechnology education in secondary schools.
Hark, Amy T
The importance of engaging students in science and helping them to become informed citizens has been highlighted by many groups invested in science education. This report describes a project that furthers both academic and civic goals through the integration of a service learning component into an undergraduate course. This nonmajors class covers the biology underlying the use of genetic information in today's society and provides students with the opportunity to discuss related ethical and political issues. The service learning project itself involved the creation of instructional materials dealing with the above topics and issues for use in local secondary school classrooms. Students developed materials in a digital media format to allow for revision in response to peer and community feedback. Outcomes of this pilot project suggest benefits to undergraduates as well as high school educators and students. Interdisciplinary collaborations and local educational partnerships have also been developed and strengthened through this work. Copyright © 2008 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.
Spirituality and humanization according to nursing undergraduates: an action research
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Gisele Coscrato
Full Text Available Objective. To know the conceptions of undergraduates from the Teaching Diploma Program with Bachelor degree in Nursing at a public state-owned higher education institution in an interior city in the State of São Paulo about spirituality and humanization, as well as to propose educative action in that sense. Methodoly. A qualitative study was undertaken, using the action research method. The data were collected in the second semester of 2012 through participant observation, registered in a field diary, and interviews with the help of questionnaires. For the interpretative data analysis, categorization was used. Results. The implicit predominance of the technical-procedure care discourse was observed, to the detriment of the educational care discourse, as complementary constructs, according to the participant' statements. Nevertheless, the educational action permitted constructivism and the problematization of knowledge. Conclusion. Although the results may not reflect the reality at the investigated institution, it is concluded that the academic education of nurse educators is a moment of possibilities to include spirituality and humanization, regarding the development of competences that grant individual support to patients and families, in health promotion and coping with disease situations.
Spirituality and humanization according to nursing undergraduates: an action research.
Coscrato, Gisele; Villela Bueno, Sonia Maria
To know the conceptions of undergraduates from the Teaching Diploma Program with Bachelor degree in Nursing at a public state-owned higher education institution in an interior city in the State of São Paulo about spirituality and humanization, as well as to propose educative action in that sense. Methodoly. A qualitative study was undertaken, using the action research method. The data were collected in the second semester of 2012 through participant observation, registered in a field diary, and interviews with the help of questionnaires. For the interpretative data analysis, categorization was used. The implicit predominance of the technical-procedure care discourse was observed, to the detriment of the educational care discourse, as complementary constructs, according to the participant' statements. Nevertheless, the educational action permitted constructivism and the problematization of knowledge. Although the results may not reflect the reality at the investigated institution, it is concluded that the academic education of nurse educators is a moment of possibilities to include spirituality and humanization, regarding the development of competences that grant individual support to patients and families, in health promotion and coping with disease situations.
Race and Research Methods Anxiety in an Undergraduate Sample: The Potential Effects of Self-Perception
Eckberg, Deborah A.
This study explores race as a potential predictor of research methods anxiety among a sample of undergraduates. While differences in academic achievement based on race and ethnicity have been well documented, few studies have examined racial differences in anxiety with regard to specific subject matter in undergraduate curricula. This exploratory…
An Undergraduate Course to Bridge the Gap between Textbooks and Scientific Research
Wiegant, Fred; Scager, Karin; Boonstra, Johannes
This article reports on a one-semester Advanced Cell Biology course that endeavors to bridge the gap between gaining basic textbook knowledge about cell biology and learning to think and work as a researcher. The key elements of this course are 1) learning to work with primary articles in order to get acquainted with the field of choice, to learn scientific reasoning, and to identify gaps in our current knowledge that represent opportunities for further research; 2) formulating a research project with fellow students; 3) gaining thorough knowledge of relevant methodology and technologies used within the field of cell biology; 4) developing cooperation and leadership skills; and 5) presenting and defending research projects before a jury of experts. The course activities were student centered and focused on designing a genuine research program. Our 5-yr experience with this course demonstrates that 1) undergraduate students are capable of delivering high-quality research designs that meet professional standards, and 2) the authenticity of the learning environment in this course strongly engages students to become self-directed and critical thinkers. We hope to provide colleagues with an example of a course that encourages and stimulates students to develop essential research thinking skills. PMID:21364103
Undergraduate Research Experiences in Geosciences for Physical Science and Engineering Students
Bililign, S.; Schimmel, K.; Lin, Y. L.; Germuth, A.
The recruitment of undergraduate students, especially minorities, into geoscience career paths continues to be a challenge. An REU program that focused on recruiting students majoring in physical sciences and engineering from HBCU's within North Carolina started in 2012. The program offers an academic year REU for North Carolina A&T State University (NCA&T) students (8 students), summer research for non-NCA&T students (18 students), and field experiences in national labs for selected students. In this REU, the design of projects involves several faculty members (at least two from different disciplines) that expose students to interdisciplinary research approaches. The outcomes of this program, challenges, opportunities and lessons learned will be presented.
Critical Components of a Successful Undergraduate Research Experience in the Geosciences for Minority Students
Liou-Mark, J.; Blake, R.; Chukuigwe, C.
For the past five years, the New York City College of Technology has administered a successful National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program. The program provides rich, substantive, academic and life-transformative STEM educational experiences for students who would otherwise not pursue STEM education altogether or would not pursue STEM education through to the graduate school level. The REU Scholars are provided with an opportunity to conduct intensive satellite and ground-based remote sensing research at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Cooperative Remote Sensing Science and Technology Center (NOAA-CREST). Candidates for the program are recruited from the City University of New York's twenty-three separate campuses. These students engage in a research experience that spans the summer and the fall and spring semesters. Eighty-four percent (84%) of the program participants are underrepresented minorities in STEM, and they are involved in a plethora of undergraduate research best practice activities that include: training courses in MATLAB programming, Geographic Information Systems, and Remote Sensing; workshops in Research Ethics, Scientific Writing, and Oral and Poster Research Presentations; national, regional, and local conference presentations; graduate school support; and geoscience exposure events at national laboratories, agencies, and research facilities. To enhance their success in the program, the REU Scholars are also provided with a comprehensive series of safety nets that include a multi-tiered mentoring design specifically to address critical issues faced by this diverse population. Since the inception of the REU program in 2008, a total of 61 undergraduate students have finished or are continuing with their research or are pursuing their STEM endeavors. All the REU Scholars conducted individual satellite and ground-based remote sensing research projects that ranged from the study of
Desegregating undergraduate mathematics and biology--interdisciplinary instruction with emphasis on ongoing biomedical research.
Robeva, Raina
The remarkable advances in the field of biology in the last decade, specifically in the areas of biochemistry, genetics, genomics, proteomics, and systems biology, have demonstrated how critically important mathematical models and methods are in addressing questions of vital importance for these disciplines. There is little doubt that the need for utilizing and developing mathematical methods for biology research will only grow in the future. The rapidly increasing demand for scientists with appropriate interdisciplinary skills and knowledge, however, is not being reflected in the way undergraduate mathematics and biology courses are structured and taught in most colleges and universities nationwide. While a number of institutions have stepped forward and addressed this need by creating and offering interdisciplinary courses at the juncture of mathematics and biology, there are still many others at which there is little, if any, interdisciplinary interaction between the curricula. This chapter describes an interdisciplinary course and a textbook in mathematical biology developed collaboratively by faculty from Sweet Briar College and the University of Virginia School of Medicine. The course and textbook are designed to provide a bridge between the mathematical and biological sciences at the lower undergraduate level. The course is developed for and is being taught in a liberal arts setting at Sweet Briar College, Virginia, but some of the advanced modules are used in a course at the University of Virginia for advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students. The individual modules are relatively independent and can be used as stand-alone projects in conventional mathematics and biology courses. Except for the introductory material, the course and textbook topics are based on current biomedical research.
An Undergraduate-Built Prototype Altitude Determination System (PADS) for High Altitude Research Balloons.
Verner, E.; Bruhweiler, F. C.; Abot, J.; Casarotto, V.; Dichoso, J.; Doody, E.; Esteves, F.; Morsch Filho, E.; Gonteski, D.; Lamos, M.; Leo, A.; Mulder, N.; Matubara, F.; Schramm, P.; Silva, R.; Quisberth, J.; Uritsky, G.; Kogut, A.; Lowe, L.; Mirel, P.; Lazear, J.
In this project a multi-disciplinary undergraduate team from CUA, comprising majors in Physics, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Biology, design, build, test, fly, and analyze the data from a prototype attitude determination system (PADS). The goal of the experiment is to determine if an inexpensive attitude determination system could be built for high altitude research balloons using MEMS gyros. PADS is a NASA funded project, built by students with the cooperation of CUA faculty, Verner, Bruhweiler, and Abot, along with the contributed expertise of researchers and engineers at NASA/GSFC, Kogut, Lowe, Mirel, and Lazear. The project was initiated through a course taught in CUA's School of Engineering, which was followed by a devoted effort by students during the summer of 2014. The project is an experiment to use 18 MEMS gyros, similar to those used in many smartphones, to produce an averaged positional error signal that could be compared with the motion of the fixed optical system as recorded through a string of optical images of stellar fields to be stored on a hard drive flown with the experiment. The optical system, camera microprocessor, and hard drive are enclosed in a pressure vessel, which maintains approximately atmospheric pressure throughout the balloon flight. The experiment uses multiple microprocessors to control the camera exposures, record gyro data, and provide thermal control. CUA students also participated in NASA-led design reviews. Four students traveled to NASA's Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility in Palestine, Texas to integrate PADS into a large balloon gondola containing other experiments, before being shipped, then launched in mid-August at Ft. Sumner, New Mexico. The payload is to fly at a float altitude of 40-45,000 m, and the flight last approximately 15 hours. The payload is to return to earth by parachute and the retrieved data are to be analyzed by CUA undergraduates. A description of the instrument is presented
Culturally Diverse Undergraduate Researchers' Academic Outcomes and Perceptions of Their Research Mentoring Relationships
Byars-Winston, Angela M.; Branchaw, Janet; Pfund, Christine; Leverett, Patrice; Newton, Joseph
Few studies have empirically investigated the specific factors in mentoring relationships between undergraduate researchers (mentees) and their mentors in the biological and life sciences that account for mentees' positive academic and career outcomes. Using archival evaluation data from more than 400 mentees gathered over a multi-year period (2005-2011) from several undergraduate biology research programs at a large, Midwestern research university, we validated existing evaluation measures of the mentored research experience and the mentor-mentee relationship. We used a subset of data from mentees (77% underrepresented racial/ethnic minorities) to test a hypothesized social cognitive career theory model of associations between mentees' academic outcomes and perceptions of their research mentoring relationships. Results from path analysis indicate that perceived mentor effectiveness indirectly predicted post-baccalaureate outcomes via research self-efficacy beliefs. Findings are discussed with implications for developing new and refining existing tools to measure this impact, programmatic interventions to increase the success of culturally diverse research mentees and future directions for research.
The Student-Centered Active Learning Environment for Undergraduate Programs (SCALE-UP) Project
Beichner, Robert J.
How do you keep a classroom of 100 undergraduates actively learning? Can students practice communication and teamwork skills in a large class? How do you boost the performance of underrepresented groups? The Student-Centered Active Learning Environment for Undergraduate Programs (SCALE-UP) Project has addressed these concerns. Because of their inclusion in a leading introductory physics textbook, project materials are used by more than 1/3 of all science, math, and engineering majors nationwide. The room design and pedagogy have been adopted at more than 100 leading institutions across the country. Physics, chemistry, math, astronomy, biology, engineering, earth sciences, and even literature classes are currently being taught this way. Educational research indicates that students should collaborate on interesting tasks and be deeply involved with the material they are studying. We promote active learning in a redesigned classroom for 100 students or more. (Of course, smaller classes can also benefit.) Class time is spent primarily on "tangibles" and "ponderables"--hands-on activities, simulations, and interesting questions. Nine students sit in three teams at round tables. Instructors circulate and engage in Socratic dialogues. The setting looks like a banquet hall, with lively interactions nearly all the time. Hundreds of hours of classroom video and audio recordings, transcripts of numerous interviews and focus groups, data from conceptual learning assessments (using widely-recognized instruments in a pretest/posttest protocol), and collected portfolios of student work are part of our rigorous assessment effort. Our findings (based on data from over 16,000 students collected over five years as well as replications at adopting sites) can be summarized as the following: 1) Female failure rate is 1/5 of previous levels, even though more is demanded of students. 2) Minority failure rate is 1/4 that seen in traditionally taught courses. 3) At-risk students are more
Walking robot: A design project for undergraduate students
The objective of the University of Maryland walking robot project was to design, analyze, assemble, and test an intelligent, mobile, and terrain-adaptive system. The robot incorporates existing technologies in novel ways. The legs emulate the walking path of a human by an innovative modification of a crank-and-rocker mechanism. The body consists of two tripod frames connected by a turning mechanism. The two sets of three legs are mounted so as to allow the robot to walk with stability in its own footsteps. The computer uses a modular hardware design and distributed processing. Dual-port RAM is used to allow communication between a supervisory personal computer and seven microcontrollers. The microcontrollers provide low-level control for the motors and relieve the processing burden on the PC.
Pharmacy students' anxiety towards research during their undergraduate degree; How to reduce it?
Tam, Ai May; Chaw, Siew Ling; Ang, May Jing; Yong, Mei Wan
Objective To measure pharmacy students' anxiety towards research and how academic support, academic effort, attitude and self-efficacy influence their research anxiety. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted with undergraduate final year students of pharmacy using a convenient sampling method. A validated self-administered questionnaire was used. Results Response rate for this study was 85.9% (128 students from a population of 149). The participants agreed that they read literature to understand research, but did not attend research-related coursework. Most participants (91.4%) felt that they were under stress while doing research. Almost all participants (97.6%) felt that they were doing very badly during their data analysis or they may fail their research projects. The majority of participants agreed that help from the lecturers' and friends in research give emotional support for their research activities. Conclusion Academic support for pharmacy students, along with their additional academic effort will improve the students' self-efficacy and reduce research anxiety. PMID:28419167
Melding Research on the Navajo Volcanic Field into Undergraduate Curriculum to Promote Scientific Literacy
Gonzales, D. A.
This presentation highlights the curricular design and preliminary outcomes of undergraduate research in the Department of Geosciences at Fort Lewis College (FLC), supported by an NSF-RUI project on the Navajo volcanic field (NVF). A prime impact of this project was to support the education and career development of undergraduate students by further developing basic knowledge and skills in the context of authentic inquiry on petrologic-based research topics. Integrating research into the curriculum promoted scientific habits of mind by engaging students as "active agents" in discovery, and the creative development and testing of ideas. It also gave students a sense of ownership in the scientific process and knowledge construction. The initial phase of this project was conducted in Igneous Petrology at FLC in 2010. Eleven students were enrolled in this course which allowed them to work as a team in collaboration with the PI, and engage in all aspects of research to further develop and hone their skills in scientific inquiry. This course involved a small component of traditional lecture in which selected topics were discussed to provide students with a foundation to understand magmatic processes. This was complemented by a comprehensive review of the literature in which students read and discussed a spectrum of articles on Tertiary magmatism in the western United States and the NVF. Invited lectures by leading-scientists in geology provided opportunities for discussions and interaction with professional geologists. All of the students in the class engaged in the active collection of petrologic data in the field and laboratory sessions, and were introduced to the use of state-of-the art analytical tools as part of their experiences. Four students were recruited from the course to design, develop, and conduct long-term research projects on selected petrologic topics in the NVF. This research allowed these students to engage in the "messy" process of testing existing
A Social Capital Perspective on the Mentoring of Undergraduate Life Science Researchers: An Empirical Study of Undergraduate-Postgraduate-Faculty Triads.
Aikens, Melissa L; Sadselia, Sona; Watkins, Keiana; Evans, Mara; Eby, Lillian T; Dolan, Erin L
Undergraduate researchers at research universities are often mentored by graduate students or postdoctoral researchers (referred to collectively as "postgraduates") and faculty, creating a mentoring triad structure. Triads differ based on whether the undergraduate, postgraduate, and faculty member interact with one another about the undergraduate's research. Using a social capital theory framework, we hypothesized that different triad structures provide undergraduates with varying resources (e.g., information, advice, psychosocial support) from the postgraduates and/or faculty, which would affect the undergraduates' research outcomes. To test this, we collected data from a national sample of undergraduate life science researchers about their mentoring triad structure and a range of outcomes associated with research experiences, such as perceived gains in their abilities to think and work like scientists, science identity, and intentions to enroll in a PhD program. Undergraduates mentored by postgraduates alone reported positive outcomes, indicating that postgraduates can be effective mentors. However, undergraduates who interacted directly with faculty realized greater outcomes, suggesting that faculty interaction is important for undergraduates to realize the full benefits of research. The "closed triad," in which undergraduates, postgraduates, and faculty all interact directly, appeared to be uniquely beneficial; these undergraduates reported the highest gains in thinking and working like a scientist. © 2016 M. L. Aikens et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2016 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).
An Approach for Group, Undergraduate Research Experiences in Courses Across the Geology Curriculum
Lord, M.; Kinner, D. A.
At Western Carolina University, a past NSF CCLI grant helped embed project-based learning throughout the geology curriculum, including a senior capstone seminar in which groups of students conduct authentic undergraduate research (UR). These curricular changes showed many high-level educational benefits to the group senior capstone research and the benefits of complex, technical projects at all levels of the curriculum if project goals and guidance for students is appropriate for their level, skills, and experiences. A current NSF TUES grant, now in its 3rd year, is formally assessing the impact of students participating in group UR experiences embedded in traditional courses at all curricular levels to determine if they have similar benefits to students conducting individually-mentored research. An ancillary goal is to develop a transferable, sustainable model for this approach, so UR experiences can formally broaden to more students at more levels. At this time, we have taught about 100 students in five research-based courses at all levels of the curriculum. Student's perceived strong benefits of their UR experience, and have been evaluated with quantitative (URSSA) and qualitative (focus groups) data. Benefits of their experiences are high related to personal growth and the scientific process and relatively low in research skills. Qualitative data shows students value 1) the open-ended nature of the authentic research questions, 2) group collaboration, and 3) hands-on learning. Similarity of student results across different courses reflect a now stable approach we have developed for courses with group UR experiences. Key elements to our approach are 1) an ongoing, broad research program (in our case, an on-campus hydrologic research station), 2) strategically assigned student groups (no. 3-6), group responsibilities that include a mix of individual and group assignments, and peer assessments, 3) student research fellows that help run the research station and
Research project at Nagoya University
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Furukawa, M.; Nakai, N.; Nakano, E.
We will have a dedicated facility from General Ionex Corporation at the Radioisotope Center of Nagoya Univeriy in 1981 FY. The building to install the machine was already completed in March 1981. We have held meetings of potential users of the facility and various research proposals have been presented by the participants from many departments of the university. The present research project at Nagoya is mainly devoted to the development of radiocarbon dating by the accelerator mass spectrometry, in which most of the users are interested. There are many archeological and geological samples in Japan which have too little carbon compounds for analysis by conventional radioactivity measurements. Concentrations of 14 C in these samples can be determined by the new technique. Some of the proposals connected with radiocarbon measurements are discussed
Combining Project-Based Learning and Community-Based Research in a Research Methodology Course: The Lessons Learned
Arantes do Amaral, João Alberto; Lino dos Santos, Rebeca Júlia Rodrigues
In this article, we present our findings regarding the course "Research Methodology," offered to 22 first-year undergraduate students studying Administration at the Federal University of São Paulo, Osasco, Brazil. The course, which combined community-based research and project-based learning, was developed during the second semester of…
Research-Based Learning for Undergraduate Students in Soil and Water Sciences: A Case Study of Hydropedology in an Arid-Zone Environment
Al-Maktoumi, Ali; Al-Ismaily, Said; Kacimov, Anvar
This article reports the efficacy of a research-based learning (RBL) exercise on hydropedology of arid zones, with guided and open research projects (OPR) carried out by teams of undergraduate students in Oman. A range of activities and assessments was used to support student learning during the three-month course. Assessment included monitoring…
The ATLAS project: The effects of a constructionist digital laboratory project on undergraduate laboratory performance.
Shoepe, Todd C; Cavedon, Dana K; Derian, Joseph M; Levy, Celine S; Morales, Amy
Anatomical education is a dynamic field where developments in the implementation of constructive, situated-learning show promise in improving student achievement. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of an individualized, technology heavy project in promoting student performance in a combined anatomy and physiology laboratory course. Mixed-methods research was used to compare two cohorts of anatomy laboratories separated by the adoption of a new laboratory atlas project, which were defined as preceding (PRE) and following the adoption of the Anatomical Teaching and Learning Assessment Study (ATLAS; POST). The ATLAS project required the creation of a student-generated, photographic atlas via acquisition of specimen images taken with tablet technology and digital microscope cameras throughout the semester. Images were transferred to laptops, digitally labeled and photo edited weekly, and compiled into a digital book using Internet publishing freeware for final project submission. An analysis of covariance confirmed that student final examination scores were improved (P project (PRE, n = 75; POST, n = 90; means ± SE; 74.9 ± 0.9 versus 78.1 ± 0.8, respectively) after controlling for cumulative student grade point average. Analysis of questionnaires collected (n = 68) from the post group suggested students identified with atlas objectives, appreciated the comprehensive value in final examination preparation, and the constructionism involved, but recommended alterations in assignment logistics and the format of the final version. Constructionist, comprehensive term-projects utilizing student-preferred technologies could be used to improve performance toward student learning outcomes. © 2014 American Association of Anatomists.
Astrobiology Research Experience for Undergraduates: An Interdisciplinary REU Program at the SETI Institute
Phillips, C. B.; Devore, E. K.
The SETI Institute hosts a summer Astrobiology Research Experience for Undergraduates program for highly motivated students interested in astrobiology research. Students work with scientists at the SETI Institute and at the nearby NASA Ames Research Center on projects spanning the field of astrobiology from microbiology to planetary geology to astronomy and astrophysics. Each student is mentored by a scientist for his/her summer research project. As astrobiology is interdisciplinary, the first week includes a seminar series to provide a broad foundation in the field as the students begin their research projects. The 10-week program includes a week-long field trip to the SETI Institute's Allen Telescope Array, located at the Hat Creek Radio Astronomy Observatory in Northern California, as well as a field experience at hydrothermal systems at nearby Lassen Volcanic National Park. Students also participate in local field trips to places like the California Academy of Sciences and other nearby locations of scientific interest, and attend seminars, lectures, and discussions on astrobiology. Students are also invited to attend events at nearby NASA Ames Research Center, which offers the opportunity to interact with other undergraduate and graduate students participating in NASA summer programs. At the end of the program, students write up and present their research projects, and mentors recommend some projects for submission to a national scientific conference, which the selected students will be funded to attend. The Astrobiology REU program emphasizes three main areas, which are listed in the table along with typical project themes. Each year, specific student research projects are described on the website, and students are asked to select the three that most interest them as a part of their applications. Applications are due in early February. Typically, 10 students apply for each available position. Students have been selected from colleges and universities
Big Physics at Small Places: The Mongol Horde Model of Undergraduate Research
Voss, Philip J.; Finck, Joseph E.; Howes, Ruth H.; Brown, James; Baumann, Thomas; Schiller, Andreas; Thoennessen, Michael; DeYoung, Paul A.; Peaslee, Graham F.; Hinnefeld, Jerry; Luther, Bryan; Pancella, Paul V.; Rogers, Warren F.
A model for engaging undergraduates in cutting-edge experimental nuclear physics research at a national user facility is discussed. Methods to involve students and examples of their success are presented. (Contains 2 figures and 3 tables.)
University of New Mexico Undergraduate Breast Cancer Training Program: Pathway to Research Careers
National Research Council Canada - National Science Library
Griffith, Jeffrey
We have established a three-phase training program to motivate talented undergraduate students, especially students from under-represented Southwestern minorIties, to pursue careers in breast cancer research...
University of New Mexico Undergraduate Breast Cancer Training Program: Pathway to Research Careers
National Research Council Canada - National Science Library
Griffith, Jeffrey
We have established a three-phase training program to motivate talented undergraduate students, especially students from under-represented southwester minorities, to pursue careers in breast cancer research...
University of New Mexico Undergraduate Breast Cancer Training Program: Pathway to Research Careers
National Research Council Canada - National Science Library
Griffith, Jeffrey K
We have established a three-phase training program to motivate talented undergraduate students, especially students from under-represented Southwestern minorities, to pursue careers in breast cancer research...
Biotechnology by Design: An Introductory Level, Project-Based, Synthetic Biology Laboratory Program for Undergraduate Students
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Dale L. Beach
Full Text Available Synthetic biology offers an ideal opportunity to promote undergraduate laboratory courses with research-style projects, immersing students in an inquiry-based program that enhances the experience of the scientific process. We designed a semester-long, project-based laboratory curriculum using synthetic biology principles to develop a novel sensory device. Students develop subject matter knowledge of molecular genetics and practical skills relevant to molecular biology, recombinant DNA techniques, and information literacy. During the spring semesters of 2014 and 2015, the Synthetic Biology Laboratory Project was delivered to sophomore genetics courses. Using a cloning strategy based on standardized BioBrick genetic "parts," students construct a "reporter plasmid" expressing a reporter gene (GFP controlled by a hybrid promoter regulated by the lac-repressor protein (lacI. In combination with a "sensor plasmid," the production of the reporter phenotype is inhibited in the presence of a target environmental agent, arabinose. When arabinose is absent, constitutive GFP expression makes cells glow green. But the presence of arabinose activates a second promoter (pBAD to produce a lac-repressor protein that will inhibit GFP production. Student learning was assessed relative to five learning objectives, using a student survey administered at the beginning (pre-survey and end (post-survey of the course, and an additional 15 open-ended questions from five graded Progress Report assignments collected throughout the course. Students demonstrated significant learning gains (p < 0.05 for all learning outcomes. Ninety percent of students indicated that the Synthetic Biology Laboratory Project enhanced their understanding of molecular genetics. The laboratory project is highly adaptable for both introductory and advanced courses. Editor's Note:The ASM advocates that students must successfully demonstrate the ability to explain and practice safe
NanoJapan: international research experience for undergraduates program: fostering U.S.-Japan research collaborations in terahertz science and technology of nanostructures
Phillips, Sarah R.; Matherly, Cheryl A.; Kono, Junichiro
The international nature of science and engineering research demands that students have the skillsets necessary to collaborate internationally. However, limited options exist for science and engineering undergraduates who want to pursue research abroad. The NanoJapan International Research Experience for Undergraduates Program is an innovative response to this need. Developed to foster research and international engagement among young undergraduate students, it is funded by a National Science Foundation Partnerships for International Research and Education (PIRE) grant. Each summer, NanoJapan sends 12 U.S. students to Japan to conduct research internships with world leaders in terahertz (THz) spectroscopy, nanophotonics, and ultrafast optics. The students participate in cutting-edge research projects managed within the framework of the U.S-Japan NSF-PIRE collaboration. One of our focus topics is THz science and technology of nanosystems (or `TeraNano'), which investigates the physics and applications of THz dynamics of carriers and phonons in nanostructures and nanomaterials. In this article, we will introduce the program model, with specific emphasis on designing high-quality international student research experiences. We will specifically address the program curriculum that introduces students to THz research, Japanese language, and intercultural communications, in preparation for work in their labs. Ultimately, the program aims to increase the number of U.S. students who choose to pursue graduate study in this field, while cultivating a generation of globally aware engineers and scientists who are prepared for international research collaboration.
Maximizing Undergraduate Success By Combining Research Experiences with Outreach, Peer Mentoring and Professional Development
Bruno, B. C.
The C-MORE Scholars Program provides hands-on, closely mentored research experiences to University of Hawaii (UH) undergraduates during the academic year. Students majoring in the geosciences, especially underrepresented students, from all campuses are encouraged to apply. The academic-year research is complemented by outreach, professional development and summer internships. Combined, these experiences help students develop the skills, confidence and passion that are essential to success in a geoscience career. Research. All students enter the program as trainees, where they learn lab and field research methods, computer skills and science principles. After one year, they are encouraged to reapply as interns, where they work on their own research project. Students who have successfully completed their intern year can reapply as fellows, where they conduct an independent research project such as an honors thesis. Students present their research at a Symposium through posters (trainees) or talks (interns and fellows). Interns and fellows help organize program activities and serve as peer mentors to trainees.Multi-tiered programs that build a pathway toward graduation have been shown to increase student retention and graduation success. Outreach. Undergraduate researchers rarely feel like experts when working with graduate students and faculty. For students to develop their identity as scientists, it is essential that they be given the opportunity to assume the role as expert. Engaging students in outreach is a win-win situation. Students gain valuable skills and confidence in sharing their research with their local community, and the public gets to learn about exciting research happening at UH. Professional Development. Each month, the Scholars meet to develop their professional skills on a particular topic, such as outreach, scientific presentations, interviewing, networking, and preparing application materials for jobs, scholarships and summer REUs. Students are
What They Learned: Using Multimedia to Engage Undergraduates in Research
Artello, Kristine
Today's employers seek high levels of creativity, communication, and critical thinking, which are considered essential skills in the workplace. Engaging undergraduate students in critical thinking is especially challenging in introductory courses. The advent of YouTube, inexpensive video cameras, and easy-to-use video editors provides…
Research on the Undergraduate Financial Engineering Education in China
Ma, Haiyong; Zhang, Weiwei
The rapid development of modern economy has put forward higher requirements for financial engineering education. This paper analyzes the status and problems in undergraduate financial engineering education in china, such as indistinct training objective, rigid curriculum structure, and superficial teaching methods, etc. and puts forward…
Australia's replacement research reactor project
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Harris, K.J.
HIFAR, a 10 MW tank type DIDO Class reactor has operated at the Lucas Heights Science and Technology Centre for 43 years. HIFAR and the 10 kW Argonaut reactor 'Moata' which is in the Care and Maintenance phase of decommissioning are Australia's only nuclear reactors. The initial purpose for HIFAR was for materials testing to support a nuclear power program. Changing community attitude through the 1970's and a Government decision not to proceed with a planned nuclear power reactor resulted in a reduction of materials testing activities and a greater emphasis being placed on neutron beam research and the production of radioisotopes, particularly for medical purposes. HIFAR is not fully capable of satisfying the expected increase in demand for medical radiopharmaceuticals beyond the next 5 years and the radial configuration of the beam tubes severely restricts the scope and efficiency of neutron beam research. In 1997 the Australian Government decided that a replacement research reactor should be built by the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation at Lucas Heights subject to favourable results of an Environmental Impact Study. The Ei identified no reasons on the grounds of safety, health, hazard or risk to prevent construction on the preferred site and it was decided in May 1999 that there were no environmental reasons why construction of the facility should not proceed. In recent years ANSTO has been reviewing the operation of HIFAR and observing international developments in reactor technology. Limitations in the flexibility and efficiency achievable in operation of a tank type reactor and the higher intrinsic safety sought in fundamental design resulted in an early decision that the replacement reactor must be a pool type having cleaner and higher intensity tangential neutron beams of wider energy range than those available from HIFAR. ANSTO has chosen to use it's own resources supported by specialised external knowledge and experience to identify
Connecting self-efficacy and views about the nature of science in undergraduate research experiences
Quan, Gina M.; Elby, Andrew
Undergraduate research can support students' more central participation in physics. We analyze markers of two coupled shifts in participation: changes in students' views about the nature of science coupled to shifts in self-efficacy toward physics research. Students in the study worked with faculty and graduate student mentors on research projects while also participating in a seminar where they learned about research and reflected on their experiences. In classroom discussions and in clinical interviews, students described gaining more nuanced views about the nature of science, specifically related to who can participate in research and what participation in research looks like. This shift was coupled to gains in self-efficacy toward their ability to contribute to research; they felt like their contributions as novices mattered. We present two case studies of students who experienced coupled shifts in self-efficacy and views about nature-of-science shifts, and a case study of a student for whom we did not see either shift, to illustrate both the existence of the coupling and the different ways it can play out. After making the case that this coupling occurs, we discuss some potential underlying mechanisms. Finally, we use these results to argue for more nuanced interpretations of self-efficacy measurements.
Using Student Learning and Development Outcomes to Evaluate a First-Year Undergraduate Group Video Project
Jensen, Murray; Mattheis, Allison; Johnson, Brady
Students in an interdisciplinary undergraduate introductory course were required to complete a group video project focused on nutrition and healthy eating. A mixed-methods approach to data collection involved observing and rating video footage of group work sessions and individual and focus group interviews. These data were analyzed and used to evaluate the effectiveness of the assignment in light of two student learning outcomes and two student development outcomes at the University of Minnesota. Positive results support the continued inclusion of the project within the course, and recommend the assignment to other programs as a viable means of promoting both content learning and affective behavioral objectives. PMID:22383619
The Undergraduate Student Instrument Project (USIP) - building the STEM workforce by providing exciting, multi-disciplinary, student-led suborbital flight projects.
Dingwall, B. J.
NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) recognizes that suborbital carriers play a vital role in training our country's future science and technology leaders. SMD created the Undergraduate Student Instrument Project (USIP) to offer students the opportunity to design, build, and fly instruments on NASA's unique suborbital research platforms. This paper explores the projects, the impact, and the lessons learned of USIP. USIP required undergraduate teams to design, build, and fly a scientific instrument in 18 months or less. Students were required to form collaborative multidisciplinary teams to design, develop and build their instrument. Teams quickly learned that success required skills often overlooked in an academic environment. Teams quickly learned to share technical information in a clear and concise manner that could be understood by other disciplines. The aggressive schedule required team members to hold each other accountable for progress while maintaining team unity. Unanticipated problems and technical issues led students to a deeper understanding of the need for schedule and cost reserves. Students exited the program with a far deeper understanding of project management and team dynamics. Through the process of designing and building an instrument that will enable new research transforms students from textbook learners to developers of new knowledge. The initial USIP project funded 10 undergraduate teams that flew a broad range of scientific instruments on scientific balloons, sounding rockets, commercial rockets and aircraft. Students were required to prepare for and conduct the major reviews that are an integral part of systems development. Each project conducted a Preliminary Design Review, Critical Design Review and Mission Readiness review for NASA officials and flight platform providers. By preparing and presenting their designs to technical experts, the students developed a deeper understanding of the technical and programmatic project pieces that
Formative evaluation of traditional instruction and cooperative inquiry projects in undergraduate chemistry laboratory courses
Panichas, Michael A.
Reform agendas for practice in undergraduate chemistry are moving curriculum beyond traditional behaviorist teaching strategies to include constructivist approaches, for extending student learning beyond simple mastery of chemistry content (Bunce & Robinson, 1997; Lagowski, 1998; Herron & Nurrenburn, 1999). Yet implementing new strategies requires assessment of their benefit to learning. This study was undertaken to provide a formal and formative evaluation of the curricula in General and Organic chemistry laboratory courses, which are structured with both Traditional expository lab exercises, and a cooperative inquiry exercise called the Open Ended Project. Using a mixed-methodological case study framework, the primary goal of the research was to determine how the inclusion of these teaching strategies impacts student learning in the areas of Academic Achievement and Affective Learning from the perspective of the students enrolled in these lab classes. The findings suggest that the current curriculum structure of including both Traditional Instruction and the Open Ended Project does address students' Academic Achievement and Affective Learning. However, students perceived that these curriculum components each contributed differently to their learning. For Academic Achievement, Traditional Experiments and the Project had a positive impact on students' operational skills, such as how to use and choose lab techniques for performing or designing experiments, as well as their conceptual learning, such as understanding concepts, and relating those concepts during data analysis. Yet for Affective Learning, such as students' sense of confidence, accomplishment, and engagement, the Project, which has a cooperative learning element, had a positive impact on student learning, while Traditional Experiments, which do not have a cooperative learning element, had a moderate negative impact. The findings point to Cooperative Learning as the key element, which makes the positive
Faculty Motivation to Mentor Students Through Undergraduate Research Programs: A Study of Enabling and Constraining Factors.
Morales, Danielle X; Grineski, Sara E; Collins, Timothy W
Undergraduate research experiences are a "high impact" educational practice that confer benefits to students. However, little attention has been paid to understanding faculty motivation to mentor undergraduate students through research training programs, even as the number of programs has grown, requiring increasing numbers of faculty mentors. To address this, we introduce a conceptual model for understanding faculty motivation to mentor and test it by using empirical data to identify factors that enable and constrain faculty engagement in an undergraduate research program. Using cross-sectional survey data collected in 2013, we employed generalized linear modeling to analyze data from 536 faculty across 13 research institutions to examine how expected costs/benefits, dispositional factors, situational factors, previous experience, and demographic factors predicted faculty motivation to mentor. Results show that faculty who placed greater value on the opportunity to increase diversity in the academy through mentorship of underrepresented minorities were more likely to be interested in serving as mentors. Faculty who agreed more strongly that mentoring undergraduate students was time consuming and their institution's reward structures were at odds with mentoring, or who had more constrained access to undergraduate students were less likely to be interested in serving as mentors. Mid-career faculty were more likely than late-career faculty to be interested in serving as mentors. Findings have implications for improving undergraduate research experiences, since the success of training programs hinges on engaging highly motivated faculty members as mentors.
A cyber-linked undergraduate research experience in computational biomolecular structure prediction and design.
Alford, Rebecca F; Leaver-Fay, Andrew; Gonzales, Lynda; Dolan, Erin L; Gray, Jeffrey J
Computational biology is an interdisciplinary field, and many computational biology research projects involve distributed teams of scientists. To accomplish their work, these teams must overcome both disciplinary and geographic barriers. Introducing new training paradigms is one way to facilitate research progress in computational biology. Here, we describe a new undergraduate program in biomolecular structure prediction and design in which students conduct research at labs located at geographically-distributed institutions while remaining connected through an online community. This 10-week summer program begins with one week of training on computational biology methods development, transitions to eight weeks of research, and culminates in one week at the Rosetta annual conference. To date, two cohorts of students have participated, tackling research topics including vaccine design, enzyme design, protein-based materials, glycoprotein modeling, crowd-sourced science, RNA processing, hydrogen bond networks, and amyloid formation. Students in the program report outcomes comparable to students who participate in similar in-person programs. These outcomes include the development of a sense of community and increases in their scientific self-efficacy, scientific identity, and science values, all predictors of continuing in a science research career. Furthermore, the program attracted students from diverse backgrounds, which demonstrates the potential of this approach to broaden the participation of young scientists from backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in computational biology.
A cyber-linked undergraduate research experience in computational biomolecular structure prediction and design.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Rebecca F Alford
Full Text Available Computational biology is an interdisciplinary field, and many computational biology research projects involve distributed teams of scientists. To accomplish their work, these teams must overcome both disciplinary and geographic barriers. Introducing new training paradigms is one way to facilitate research progress in computational biology. Here, we describe a new undergraduate program in biomolecular structure prediction and design in which students conduct research at labs located at geographically-distributed institutions while remaining connected through an online community. This 10-week summer program begins with one week of training on computational biology methods development, transitions to eight weeks of research, and culminates in one week at the Rosetta annual conference. To date, two cohorts of students have participated, tackling research topics including vaccine design, enzyme design, protein-based materials, glycoprotein modeling, crowd-sourced science, RNA processing, hydrogen bond networks, and amyloid formation. Students in the program report outcomes comparable to students who participate in similar in-person programs. These outcomes include the development of a sense of community and increases in their scientific self-efficacy, scientific identity, and science values, all predictors of continuing in a science research career. Furthermore, the program attracted students from diverse backgrounds, which demonstrates the potential of this approach to broaden the participation of young scientists from backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in computational biology.
Starting them Early: Incorporating Communication Training into Undergraduate Research Internships
Bartel, B. A.; Morris, A. R.; Charlevoix, D.
In order to truly broaden the impact of our scientific community, effective communication should be taught alongside research skills to developing scientists. In the summer of 2014, we incorporated an informal communications course into the 10th year of UNAVCO's Research Experiences in Solid Earth Science for Students (RESESS), a year-long internship program centered around an 11-week intensive summer research experience. The goals of the newly designed course included giving students the tools they need to make a broader impact with their science, starting now; improving the students' confidence in public speaking and using social media for outreach; and giving students the tools they need to apply for jobs or graduate school. Specifically, the course included teaching of professional communication skills, such as e-mail and phone etiquette, resume and CV tailoring, and interview techniques, and public communications skills, such as crafting and simplifying messages, visual communication for the public, and public speaking. Student interns were encouraged to step back from the details of their research projects to put their work into a big-picture context relevant to the public and to policy makers. The course benefited from input and/or participation from UNAVCO Education and Community Engagement staff, engineering and managerial staff, and graduate student interns outside the RESESS program, and University of Colorado research and communications mentors already involved in RESESS. As the summer program is already packed with research and skill development, one major challenge was fitting in teaching these communications skills amongst many other obligations: a GRE course, a peer-focused scientific communications course, a computing course, and, of course, research. Can we do it all? This presentation will provide an overview of the course planning, articulation of course goals, and execution challenges and successes. We will present our lessons learned from
Implementation of a Collaborative Series of Classroom-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences Spanning Chemical Biology, Biochemistry, and Neurobiology.
Kowalski, Jennifer R; Hoops, Geoffrey C; Johnson, R Jeremy
Classroom undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) provide students access to the measurable benefits of undergraduate research experiences (UREs). Herein, we describe the implementation and assessment of a novel model for cohesive CUREs focused on central research themes involving faculty research collaboration across departments. Specifically, we implemented three collaborative CUREs spanning chemical biology, biochemistry, and neurobiology that incorporated faculty members' research interests and revolved around the central theme of visualizing biological processes like Mycobacterium tuberculosis enzyme activity and neural signaling using fluorescent molecules. Each CURE laboratory involved multiple experimental phases and culminated in novel, open-ended, and reiterative student-driven research projects. Course assessments showed CURE participation increased students' experimental design skills, attitudes and confidence about research, perceived understanding of the scientific process, and interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines. More than 75% of CURE students also engaged in independent scientific research projects, and faculty CURE contributors saw substantial increases in research productivity, including increased undergraduate student involvement and academic outputs. Our collaborative CUREs demonstrate the advantages of multicourse CUREs for achieving increased faculty research productivity and traditional CURE-associated student learning and attitude gains. Our collaborative CURE design represents a novel CURE model for ongoing laboratory reform that benefits both faculty and students. © 2016 J. R. Kowalski et al. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). Two months after publication it is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).
Team Research at the Biology-Mathematics Interface: Project Management Perspectives
Milton, John G.; Radunskaya, Ami E.; Lee, Arthur H.; de Pillis, Lisette G.; Bartlett, Diana F.
The success of interdisciplinary research teams depends largely upon skills related to team performance. We evaluated student and team performance for undergraduate biology and mathematics students who participated in summer research projects conducted in off-campus laboratories. The student teams were composed of a student with a mathematics…
Teaching Research Methodology Using a Project-Based Three Course Sequence Critical Reflections on Practice
Braguglia, Kay H.; Jackson, Kanata A.
This article presents a reflective analysis of teaching research methodology through a three course sequence using a project-based approach. The authors reflect critically on their experiences in teaching research methods courses in an undergraduate business management program. The introduction of a range of specific techniques including student…
Ethics education in research involving human beings in undergraduate medicine curriculum in Brazil.
Novaes, Maria Rita Garbi; Guilhem, Dirce; Barragan, Elena; Mennin, Stewart
The Brazilian national curriculum guidelines for undergraduate medicine courses inspired and influenced the groundwork for knowledge acquisition, skills development and the perception of ethical values in the context of professional conduct. The evaluation of ethics education in research involving human beings in undergraduate medicine curriculum in Brazil, both in courses with active learning processes and in those with traditional lecture learning methodologies. Curricula and teaching projects of 175 Brazilian medical schools were analyzed using a retrospective historical and descriptive exploratory cohort study. Thirty one medical schools were excluded from the study because of incomplete information or a refusal to participate. Active research for information from institutional sites and documents was guided by terms based on 69 DeCS/MeSH descriptors. Curriculum information was correlated with educational models of learning such as active learning methodologies, tutorial discussions with integrated curriculum into core modules, and traditional lecture learning methodologies for large classes organized by disciplines and reviewed by occurrence frequency of ethical themes and average hourly load per semester. Ninety-five medical schools used traditional learning methodologies. The ten most frequent ethical themes were: 1--ethics in research (26); 2--ethical procedures and advanced technology (46); 3--ethic-professional conduct (413). Over 80% of schools using active learning methodologies had between 50 and 100 hours of scheduled curriculum time devoted to ethical themes whereas more than 60% of traditional learning methodology schools devoted less than 50 hours in curriculum time to ethical themes. The data indicates that medical schools that employ more active learning methodologies provide more attention and time to ethical themes than schools with traditional discipline-based methodologies. Given the importance of ethical issues in contemporary medical
Method to Increase Undergraduate Laboratory Student Confidence in Performing Independent Research
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Colton E. Kempton
Full Text Available The goal of an undergraduate laboratory course should be not only to introduce the students to biology methodologies and techniques, but also to teach them independent analytical thinking skills and proper experiment design. This is especially true for advanced biology laboratory courses that undergraduate students typically take as a junior or senior in college. Many courses achieve the goal of teaching techniques, but fail to approach the larger goal of teaching critical thinking, experimental design, and student independence. Here we describe a study examining the application of the scaffolding instructional philosophy in which students are taught molecular techniques with decreasing guidance to force the development of analytical thinking skills and prepare undergraduate students for independent laboratory research. This method was applied to our advanced molecular biology laboratory class and resulted in an increase of confidence among the undergraduate students in their abilities to perform independent research.
[Curriculum reform and research in dentistry at the undergraduate level: history under construction].
Maltagliati, Luciana Avila; Goldenberg, Paulete
Approaching from the perspective of curriculum organization, the article examines the development of undergraduate research in dentistry. Based on Brazilian and international printed or electronic publications, the authors examine the institutionalization of higher education in dentistry, university reform, and the enactment of Curriculum Guidelines. From the earliest days of higher education in dentistry, there has been a concern with research. But Brazil's university reform assigned research to graduate studies and scientific instruction to undergraduate studies. In recent years, Curriculum Guidelines have reconsidered the position of research and have recommended changes that allow research to be viewed as an educational principle.
Dental undergraduate students' participation in research in China: current state and directions.
Ping, W
It is not until the recent 10 years, when an increasing number of dental undergraduate students in China have gradually participated in scientific research. However, few studies have analysed the current status of this new wave. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate dental undergraduate students' participation in research and to explore possible options for refining or reforming the existing teaching and research system in dentistry. The authors constructed a questionnaire that was completed by a sample of students from a high-ranking dental school in China. The data were processed with SPSS software. Of all the 250 questionnaires distributed, 191 were returned, 186 of which were complete and suitable for analysis. Over a half of the respondents had participated in research programmes. There were diversified motives for undergraduate participation in scientific research. These findings have led us to speculate on the current state of undergraduate participation in scientific research and the underlying problems. This preliminary investigation yielded intriguing findings: (i) the distribution of scientific resources influences scientific production. (ii) lack of interest in science has a negative impact on the reserve of the future scientific workforce. (iii) diverse motives for participation in undergraduate research reveal lack of understanding of the essence of science. It is proposed that the current education and research system in dental higher education should be systemically reformed. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Adapting Project Management Practices to Research-Based Projects
Bahr, P.; Baker, T.; Corbin, B.; Keith, L.; Loerch, L.; Mullenax, C.; Myers, R.; Rhodes, B.; Skytland, N.
From dealing with the inherent uncertainties in outcomes of scientific research to the lack of applicability of current NASA Procedural Requirements guidance documentation, research-based projects present challenges that require unique application of classical project management techniques. If additionally challenged by the creation of a new program transitioning from basic to applied research in a technical environment often unfamiliar with the cost and schedule constraints addressed by project management practices, such projects can find themselves struggling throughout their life cycles. Finally, supplying deliverables to a prime vehicle customer, also in the formative stage, adds further complexity to the development and management of research-based projects. The Biomedical Research and Countermeasures Projects Branch at NASA Johnson Space Center encompasses several diverse applied research-based or research-enabling projects within the newly-formed Human Research Program. This presentation will provide a brief overview of the organizational structure and environment in which these projects operate and how the projects coordinate to address and manage technical requirements. We will identify several of the challenges (cost, technical, schedule, and personnel) encountered by projects across the Branch, present case reports of actions taken and techniques implemented to deal with these challenges, and then close the session with an open forum discussion of remaining challenges and potential mitigations.
The Nyanza Project: Interdisciplinary Research Training In Tropical Lakes
Cohen, A. S.; Lezzar, K. E.; Michel, E.; O'Reilly, C. M.; Russell, J. M.; Nkotagu, H.; Kimirei, I.
The Nyanza Project is a research training program for American and African students, run annually at Lake Tanganyika (LT), Tanzania. The Project`s objective is to provide undergraduates, graduate students and secondary school teachers with the skills to plan and conduct interdisciplinary research on various aspects of tropical lake studiees. At a time of rapid global change there is a pressing need for young scientists trained to investigate environmental processes in an interdisciplinary framework. Training students to understand long-term changes in water availability, water quality and the relationship of aquatic ecosystems to rapid climate change represents a critical element of this societal need. Waterbodies in the tropics are particularly useful proving grounds for training future researchers on the impacts of global change on natural waters, as they are very sensitive to environmental and climatic change. Moreover, they are likely to provide instructive bellwethers of changes to come in U.S. inland waters. Each year 17-22 undergraduates, 3-4 graduate students and one secondary school teacher are selected for the program from the US and Africa. To date (1998-2005), 89 undergraduate students, 24 graduate students, and 8 secondary school teachers from the US have participated through the Project`s NSF support and 58 African students (from Tanzania, Burundi, Zambia, Congo, Kenya, and Burkina Faso) have been funded to participate in the Nyanza Project through supporting grants from our non-NSF funding sources. The 7-week program comprises an initial two week intensive short course on all aspects of the LT system and project preparation period, followed by 5 weeks of directed research, written report preparation, and scientific meeting-styled presentations. Focal topics for Nyanza Project research include: 1) investigating East African paleoclimates using sediment cores and reflection seismic profiling, 2) mapping & interpreting the geologic structure and
Overview of research in the ADVANTAGE project
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Angjelichinoski, Marko; Cosovic, Mirsad; Kalalas, Charalampos
The European Marie Curie Project ADVANTAGE (Advanced Communications and Information processing in smart grid systems) was launched in 2014. It represents a major inter-disciplinary research project into the topic of Smart Grid technology. A key aspect of the project is to bring together and train...... in the project. The major research focus of the ADVANTAGE project is on advancing technologies for the smart grid, providing architectural solutions and developing innovative information and communications technology (ICT) solutions to support its operation....
Modeling course-based undergraduate research experiences: an agenda for future research and evaluation.
Corwin, Lisa A; Graham, Mark J; Dolan, Erin L
Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) are being championed as scalable ways of involving undergraduates in science research. Studies of CUREs have shown that participating students achieve many of the same outcomes as students who complete research internships. However, CUREs vary widely in their design and implementation, and aspects of CUREs that are necessary and sufficient to achieve desired student outcomes have not been elucidated. To guide future research aimed at understanding the causal mechanisms underlying CURE efficacy, we used a systems approach to generate pathway models representing hypotheses of how CURE outcomes are achieved. We started by reviewing studies of CUREs and research internships to generate a comprehensive set of outcomes of research experiences, determining the level of evidence supporting each outcome. We then used this body of research and drew from learning theory to hypothesize connections between what students do during CUREs and the outcomes that have the best empirical support. We offer these models as hypotheses for the CURE community to test, revise, elaborate, or refute. We also cite instruments that are ready to use in CURE assessment and note gaps for which instruments need to be developed. © 2015 L. A. Corwin et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2015 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).
Space Station Biological Research Project
Johnson, Catherine C.; Hargens, Alan R.; Wade, Charles E.
NASA Ames Research Center is responsible for the development of the Space Station Biological Research Project (SSBRP) which will support non-human life sciences research on the International Space Station Alpha (ISSA). The SSBRP is designed to support both basic research to understand the effect of altered gravity fields on biological systems and applied research to investigate the effects of space flight on biological systems. The SSBRP will provide the necessary habitats to support avian and reptile eggs, cells and tissues, plants and rodents. In addition a habitat to support aquatic specimens will be provided by our international partners. Habitats will be mounted in ISSA compatible racks at u-g and will also be mounted on a 2.5 m diameter centrifuge except for the egg incubator which has an internal centrifuge. The 2.5 m centrifuge will provide artificial gravity levels over the range of 0.01 G to 2 G. The current schedule is to launch the first rack in 1999, the Life Sciences glovebox and a second rack early in 2001, a 4 habitat 2.5 in centrifuge later the same year in its own module, and to upgrade the centrifuge to 8 habitats in 2004. The rodent habitats will be derived from the Advanced Animal Habitat currently under development for the Shuttle program and will be capable of housing either rats or mice individually or in groups (6 rats/group and at least 12 mice/group). The egg incubator will be an upgraded Avian Development Facility also developed for the Shuttle program through a Small Business and Innovative Research grant. The Space Tissue Loss cell culture apparatus, developed by Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, is being considered for the cell and tissue culture habitat. The Life Sciences Glovebox is crucial to all life sciences experiments for specimen manipulation and performance of science procedures. It will provide two levels of containment between the work volume and the crew through the use of seals and negative pressure. The glovebox
Lessons Learned from Client Projects in an Undergraduate Project Management Course
Pollard, Carol E.
This work proposes that a subtle combination of three learning methods offering "just in time" project management knowledge, coupled with hands-on project management experience can be particularly effective in producing project management students with employable skills. Students were required to apply formal project management knowledge to gain…
The New Mexico EPSCoR Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program: A Successful Summer Research Program for Community College and PUI College Students
Pullin, M. J.
The statewide NSF New Mexico EPSCoR Program (Climate Change and Water in New Mexico) sponsored a summer undergraduate research program from 2009 to 2013. This program was open to undergraduates attending the state's community colleges and primarily undergraduate institutions (PUIs). Participants who are chosen for the program attend a week of workshops on climate change, hydrology, water quality and professional development. Following that, they spend eight weeks working with an EPSCoR-funded scientist at a research intensive university or related field site. Participants are paired during their research project. This strategy has been shown to be a key factor in the success and comfort level of the participants. The program concludes with a research conference and many of the participants later present their work at national and regional conferences. The program has shown to be effective at introducing students from non-research institutions to authentic research in the Earth and Environmental Sciences and improving their confidence in future success at higher degree levels. The program is also successful at recruiting underrepresented minority students, mainly from Hispanic and Native American populations. We will also present data on participant degree completions, transfers to four year colleges, STEM career attainment, and graduate school admissions.
A Preliminary Theoretical Analysis of a Research Experience for Undergraduates Community Model
Castillo-Garsow, Carlos; Castillo-Chavez, Carlos; Woodley, Sherry
The Mathematical and Theoretical Biology Institute (MTBI) is a successful summer research experience for undergraduates, with a strong record of mentoring Ph.D. graduates, particularly, underrepresented minority students. However, the MTBI program was designed for education in research, not for research in education, and the mechanisms of the…
A Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience Investigating p300 Bromodomain Mutations
Shanle, Erin K.; Tsun, Ian K.; Strahl, Brian D.
Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) provide an opportunity for students to engage in experiments with outcomes that are unknown to both the instructor and students. These experiences allow students and instructors to collaboratively bridge the research laboratory and classroom, and provide research experiences for a large…
Bioengineering and Bioinformatics Summer Institutes: Meeting Modern Challenges in Undergraduate Summer Research
Butler, Peter J.; Dong, Cheng; Snyder, Alan J.; Jones, A. Daniel; Sheets, Erin D.
Summer undergraduate research programs in science and engineering facilitate research progress for faculty and provide a close-ended research experience for students, which can prepare them for careers in industry, medicine, and academia. However, ensuring these outcomes is a challenge when the students arrive ill-prepared for substantive research…
Academics' Perceptions of the Challenges and Barriers to Implementing Research-Based Experiences for Undergraduates
Brew, Angela; Mantai, Lilia
How can universities ensure that strategic aims to integrate research and teaching through engaging students in research-based experiences be effectively realised within institutions? This paper reports on the findings of a qualitative study exploring academics' perceptions of the challenges and barriers to implementing undergraduate research.…
Students' Reflective Essays as Insights into Student Centred-Pedagogies within the Undergraduate Research Methods Curriculum
Hosein, Anesa; Rao, Namrata
In higher education, despite the emphasis on student-centred pedagogical approaches, undergraduate research methods pedagogy remains surprisingly teacher-directed. Consequently, it may lead to research methods students assuming that becoming a researcher involves gathering information rather than it being a continuous developmental process. To…
Connecting Self-Efficacy and Views about the Nature of Science in Undergraduate Research Experiences
Quan, Gina M.; Elby, Andrew
Undergraduate research can support students' more central participation in physics. We analyze markers of two coupled shifts in participation: changes in students' views about the nature of science coupled to shifts in self-efficacy toward physics research. Students in the study worked with faculty and graduate student mentors on research projects…
Entry Points When Undergraduate Research Mentors Reflect on Their Role: A Qualitative Case Study
Wallin, Patric; Adawi, Tom
Graduate students and postdoctoral researchers are increasingly taking on mentoring roles in undergraduate research (UR). There is, however, a paucity of research focusing on how they conceptualize their mentoring role. In this qualitative interview study, we identified three entry points that mentors reflect on to define their role: (1) What are…
Using Zebrafish to Implement a Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience to Study Teratogenesis in Two Biology Laboratory Courses
Chism, Grady W.; Vaughan, Martin A.; Muralidharan, Pooja; Marrs, Jim A.
Abstract A course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) spanning three semesters was introduced into freshman and sophomore biology classes, with the hypothesis that participation in a CURE affects skills in research, communication, and collaboration, which may help students persist in science. Student research projects were centered on the hypothesis that nicotine and caffeine exposure during early development affects gastrulation and heart development in zebrafish. First, freshmen generated original data showing distinct effects of embryonic nicotine and caffeine exposure on zebrafish heart development and function. Next, Cell Biology laboratory students continued the CURE studies and identified novel teratogenic effects of nicotine and caffeine during gastrulation. Finally, new freshmen continued the CURE research, examining additional toxicant effects on development. Students designed new protocols, made measurements, presented results, and generated high-quality preliminary data that were studied in successive semesters. By implementing this project, the CURE extended faculty research and provided a scalable model to address national goals to involve more undergraduates in authentic scientific research. In addition, student survey results support the hypothesis that CUREs provide significant gains in student ability to (1) design experiments, (2) analyze data, and (3) make scientific presentations, translating into high student satisfaction and enhanced learning. PMID:26829498
NanTroSEIZE in 3-D: Creating a Virtual Research Experience in Undergraduate Geoscience Courses
Reed, D. L.; Bangs, N. L.; Moore, G. F.; Tobin, H.
Marine research programs, both large and small, have increasingly added a web-based component to facilitate outreach to K-12 and the public, in general. These efforts have included, among other activities, information-rich websites, ship-to-shore communication with scientists during expeditions, blogs at sea, clips on YouTube, and information about daily shipboard activities. Our objective was to leverage a portion of the vast collection of data acquired through the NSF-MARGINS program to create a learning tool with a long lifespan for use in undergraduate geoscience courses. We have developed a web-based virtual expedition, NanTroSEIZE in 3-D, based on a seismic survey associated with the NanTroSEIZE program of NSF-MARGINS and IODP to study the properties of the plate boundary fault system in the upper limit of the seismogenic zone off Japan. The virtual voyage can be used in undergraduate classes at anytime, since it is not directly tied to the finite duration of a specific seagoing project. The website combines text, graphics, audio and video to place learning in an experiential framework as students participate on the expedition and carry out research. Students learn about the scientific background of the program, especially the critical role of international collaboration, and meet the chief scientists before joining the sea-going expedition. Students are presented with the principles of 3-D seismic imaging, data processing and interpretation while mapping and identifying the active faults that were the likely sources of devastating earthquakes and tsunamis in Japan in 1944 and 1948. They also learn about IODP drilling that began in 2007 and will extend through much of the next decade. The website is being tested in undergraduate classes in fall 2009 and will be distributed through the NSF-MARGINS website (http://www.nsf-margins.org/) and the MARGINS Mini-lesson section of the Science Education Resource Center (SERC) (http
The 2013 Summer Undergraduate Research Internship Program at the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute
Castelaz, Michael W.; Cline, J. D.; Whitworth, C.; Clavier, D.; Barker, T.
Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI) offers summer undergraduate research internships. PARI has received support for the internships from the EMC Corporation, private donations, private foundations, and through a collaboration with the Pisgah Astronomical Research and Education Center of the University of North Carolina - Asheville. The internship program began in 2001 with 4 students. This year 10 funded students participated. Mentors for the interns include PARI's Directors of Science, Education, and Information Technology and visiting faculty who are members of the PARI Research Faculty Affiliate program. Students work with mentors on radio and optical astronomy research, electrical engineering for robotic control of instruments, software development for instrument control and and science education by developing curricula and multimedia and teaching high school students in summer programs at PARI. At the end of the summer interns write a paper about their research which is published in the PARI Summer Student Proceedings. Students are encouraged to present their research at AAS Meetings. We will present a summary of specific research conducted by the students with their mentors.
Advanced Energy Projects FY 1990 research summaries
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
This report serves as a guide to prepare proposals and provides summaries of the research projects active in FY 1990, sponsored by the Office of Basic Energy Sciences Division of Advanced Energy Projects, Department of Energy. (JF)
Effects of a research-infused botanical curriculum on undergraduates' content knowledge, STEM competencies, and attitudes toward plant sciences.
Ward, Jennifer Rhode; Clarke, H David; Horton, Jonathan L
In response to the American Association for the Advancement of Science's Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education initiative, we infused authentic, plant-based research into majors' courses at a public liberal arts university. Faculty members designed a financially sustainable pedagogical approach, utilizing vertically integrated curricular modules based on undergraduate researchers' field and laboratory projects. Our goals were to 1) teach botanical concepts, from cells to ecosystems; 2) strengthen competencies in statistical analysis and scientific writing; 3) pique plant science interest; and 4) allow all undergraduates to contribute to genuine research. Our series of inquiry-centered exercises mitigated potential faculty barriers to adopting research-rich curricula, facilitating teaching/research balance by gathering publishable scholarly data during laboratory class periods. Student competencies were assessed with pre- and postcourse quizzes and rubric-graded papers, and attitudes were evaluated with pre- and postcourse surveys. Our revised curriculum increased students' knowledge and awareness of plant science topics, improved scientific writing, enhanced statistical knowledge, and boosted interest in conducting research. More than 300 classroom students have participated in our program, and data generated from these modules' assessment allowed faculty and students to present 28 contributed talks or posters and publish three papers in 4 yr. Future steps include analyzing the effects of repeated module exposure on student learning and creating a regional consortium to increase our project's pedagogical impact. © 2014 J. R. Ward et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2014 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http
Implementation of a Collaborative Series of Classroom-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences Spanning Chemical Biology, Biochemistry, and Neurobiology
Kowalski, Jennifer R.; Hoops, Geoffrey C.; Johnson, R. Jeremy
Classroom undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) provide students access to the measurable benefits of undergraduate research experiences (UREs). Herein, we describe the implementation and assessment of a novel model for cohesive CUREs focused on central research themes involving faculty research collaboration across departments. Specifically,…
Evaluation of a Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program in ChE Indicates Benefit from a Collaborative Model
Follmer, D. Jake; Gomez, Esther; Zappe, Sarah; Kumar, Manish
This study examined how a collaborative research environment in a structured research experience impacts undergraduate student outcomes. Students demonstrated significant gains in research skills and provided positive appraisals of their collaborative experiences. Emphasis on collaboration among students in an undergraduate research program…
Innovative finance : strategic research project.
Its time to rethink how we fund transportation infrastructure because most transportation : experts agree: theres a transportation funding and financing crisis looming. : Projected revenues from current sources of transportation funding will am...
Results from a model of course-based undergraduate research in the first- and second-year chemistry curriculum
Weaver, Gabriela
The Center for Authentic Science Practice in Education (CASPiE) is a project funded by the URC program of the NSF Chemistry Division. The purpose of CASPiE was to provide students in first and second year laboratory courses with authentic research experiences as a gateway to more traditional forms of undergraduate research. Each research experience is a 6- to 8-week laboratory project based on and contributing to the research work of the experiment's author through data or preparation of samples. The CASPiE program has resulted in a model for engaging students in undergraduate research early in their college careers. To date, CASPiE has provided that experience to over 6000 students at 17 different institutions. Evaluation data collected has included student surveys, interviews and longitudinal analysis of performance. We have found that students' perceptions of their understanding of the material and the discipline increase over the course of the semester, whereas they are seen to decrease in the control courses. Students demonstrate a greater ability to explain the meaning and purpose of their experimental procedures and results and provide extensions to the experimental design, compared not only to control courses but also compared to inquiry-based courses. Longitudinal analysis of grades indicates a possible benefit to performance in courses related to the discipline two and three years later. A similar implementation in biology courses has demonstrated an increase in critical thinking scores. Work supported by the National Science Foundation, Division of Chemistry.
Research oriented projects on design themese
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Tollestrup, Christian; Eriksen, Kaare; Ovesen, Nis
How can design students do research-oriented projects about design themes? At the 3rd semester at the Industrial Design Master Program at Aalborg University this is done by taking research oriented learning objectives on design theories and methods and combining them with experimental case studies...... the setup including the experiment or case that they will be carrying out. This approach shares characteristics of a regular research project, but the extent and level of complexity is much lower and the experiment and case is larger part of the project. At the other end of the project the analysis...... and discussion of the project is also significantly less in extent and complexity. This paper will use four case projects to demonstrate the variety and range of projects carried out under this research-oriented semester called "Research & Strategy". Even with a variety in extent, context and structure they all...
Enriching the Research Experiences for Undergraduates in Geoscience Through Student Feedback
Sears, R. F.; Bank, C. G.
Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) allow students to work alongside professionals while they conduct scientific research and offer excellent opportunities to expose students to the practical components of their university education. Indeed, anecdotal evidence shows that a well-planned REU builds teamwork skills, provides a deeper understanding of the science learned in the classroom, and allows students to experience the various stages of science and thus consider wider career options. However, such evidence is difficult to measure. In this presentation we will present preliminary results from a survey of 2nd and 3rd year students who have been engaged in separate interdisciplinary projects (a geophysical survey in South Africa to assist archaeologists, and a forensic study in collaboration with the provincial police). Our before and after surveys address criteria such as students' understanding of scientific methodology, familiarity with the topic and tools for the research, expectations of the study and of themselves, and logistics of doing science. It is our hope that the student voices we present will help REU program coordinators to address limitations and establish best practices to provide the richest possible learning experience.
The Transformative Impact of Undergraduate Research Mentoring on Students and the Role of the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) in Supporting Faculty Mentors
Fox, L. K.; Singer, J.
Undergraduate Research (UR) is broadly accepted as a high impact educational practice. Student participation in UR contributes to measurable gains in content knowledge and skills/methodology, oral and written communication skills, problem solving and critical thinking, self-confidence, autonomy, among others. First-generation college students and students from underrepresented minorities that participate in UR are more likely to remain in STEM majors, persist to graduation, and pursue graduate degrees. While engagement in the research process contributes to these outcomes, the impact of the interaction with the faculty mentor is critical. A number of studies provide evidence that it is the relationship that forms with the faculty mentor that is most valued by students and strongly contributes to their career development. Faculty mentors play an important role in student development and the relationship between mentor and student evolves from teacher to coach to colleague. Effective mentoring is not an inherent skill and is generally not taught in graduate school and generally differs from mentoring of graduate students. Each UR mentoring relationship is unique and there are many effective mentoring models and practices documented in the literature. The Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) has a long history of supporting faculty who engage in research with undergraduates and offers resources for establishing UR programs at individual, departmental, and institutional levels. The Geosciences Division of CUR leads faculty development workshops at professional meetings and provides extensive resources to support geosciences faculty as UR mentors (http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/undergraduate_research/index.html). Examples of effective mentoring strategies are highlighted, including a model developed by SUNY- Buffalo State that integrates mentoring directly into the evaluation of UR.
Project based education as motivation factor in undergraduate program in Electronics at Copenhagen University College of Engineering
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Friesel, Anna
This paper summarizes the contents of our experience with project based courses and team work in the undergraduate program in Electronics. The main points of our program are described in this paper, where the leading idea is to combine theory with practical engineering projects. Our students work...
A unique large-scale undergraduate research experience in molecular systems biology for non-mathematics majors.
Kappler, Ulrike; Rowland, Susan L; Pedwell, Rhianna K
Systems biology is frequently taught with an emphasis on mathematical modeling approaches. This focus effectively excludes most biology, biochemistry, and molecular biology students, who are not mathematics majors. The mathematical focus can also present a misleading picture of systems biology, which is a multi-disciplinary pursuit requiring collaboration between biochemists, bioinformaticians, and mathematicians. This article describes an authentic large-scale undergraduate research experience (ALURE) in systems biology that incorporates proteomics, bacterial genomics, and bioinformatics in the one exercise. This project is designed to engage students who have a basic grounding in protein chemistry and metabolism and no mathematical modeling skills. The pedagogy around the research experience is designed to help students attack complex datasets and use their emergent metabolic knowledge to make meaning from large amounts of raw data. On completing the ALURE, participants reported a significant increase in their confidence around analyzing large datasets, while the majority of the cohort reported good or great gains in a variety of skills including "analysing data for patterns" and "conducting database or internet searches." An environmental scan shows that this ALURE is the only undergraduate-level system-biology research project offered on a large-scale in Australia; this speaks to the perceived difficulty of implementing such an opportunity for students. We argue however, that based on the student feedback, allowing undergraduate students to complete a systems-biology project is both feasible and desirable, even if the students are not maths and computing majors. © 2016 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 45(3):235-248, 2017. © 2016 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
An O-"fish"-ial Research Project
Newman, James; Krustchinsky, Rick; Vanek, Karen; Nguyen, Kim-Thoa
In this "O-"fish"-ial" research project, third-grade students use multiple resources to research several fish species, write a research paper and develop a PowerPoint presentation to communicate their findings. In addition, students actually examine these species up close with samples from the local market, and then conclude the project with a…
Life in the Universe - Astronomy and Planetary Science Research Experience for Undergraduates at the SETI Institute
Chiar, J.; Phillips, C. B.; Rudolph, A.; Bonaccorsi, R.; Tarter, J.; Harp, G.; Caldwell, D. A.; DeVore, E. K.
The SETI Institute hosts an Astrobiology Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program. Beginning in 2013, we partnered with the Physics and Astronomy Dept. at Cal Poly Pomona, a Hispanic-serving university, to recruit underserved students. Over 11 years, we have served 155 students. We focus on Astrobiology since the Institute's mission is to explore, understand and explain the origin, nature and prevalence of life in the universe. Our REU students work with mentors at the Institute - a non-profit organization located in California's Silicon Valley-and at the nearby NASA Ames Research Center. Projects span research on survival of microbes under extreme conditions, planetary geology, astronomy, the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI), extrasolar planets and more. The REU program begins with an introductory lectures by Institute scientists covering the diverse astrobiology subfields. A week-long field trip to the SETI Institute's Allen Telescope Array (Hat Creek Radio Astronomy Observatory in Northern California) and field experiences at hydrothermal systems at nearby Lassen Volcanic National Park immerses students in radio astronomy and SETI, and extremophile environments that are research sites for astrobiologists. Field trips expose students to diverse environments and allow them to investigate planetary analogs as our scientists do. Students also participate in local trips to the California Academy of Sciences and other nearby locations of scientific interest, and attend the weekly scientific colloquium hosted by the SETI Institute at Microsoft, other seminars and lectures at SETI Institute and NASA Ames. The students meet and present at a weekly journal club where they hone their presentation skills, as well as share their research progress. At the end of the summer, the REU interns present their research projects at a session of the Institute's colloquium. As a final project, students prepare a 2-page formal abstract and 15-minute
Team research at the biology-mathematics interface: project management perspectives.
Milton, John G; Radunskaya, Ami E; Lee, Arthur H; de Pillis, Lisette G; Bartlett, Diana F
The success of interdisciplinary research teams depends largely upon skills related to team performance. We evaluated student and team performance for undergraduate biology and mathematics students who participated in summer research projects conducted in off-campus laboratories. The student teams were composed of a student with a mathematics background and an experimentally oriented biology student. The team mentors typically ranked the students' performance very good to excellent over a range of attributes that included creativity and ability to conduct independent research. However, the research teams experienced problems meeting prespecified deadlines due to poor time and project management skills. Because time and project management skills can be readily taught and moreover typically reflect good research practices, simple modifications should be made to undergraduate curricula so that the promise of initiatives, such as MATH-BIO 2010, can be implemented.
Developing Research Paper Writing Programs for EFL/ESL Undergraduate Students Using Process Genre Approach
Tuyen, Kim Thanh; Bin Osman, Shuki; Dan, Thai Cong; Ahmad, Nor Shafrin Binti
Research Paper Writing (RPW) plays a key role in completing all research work. Poor writing could lead to the postponement of publications. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a program of (RPW) to improve RPW ability for EFL/ESL writers, especially for undergraduate students in Higher Education (HE) institutions, which has caught less attention…
The Electronic Academic Library: Undergraduate Research Behavior in a Library Without Books
Van Scoyoc, Anna M.; Cason, Caroline
This study examines undergraduate students' research habits in a strictly electronic library environment at a large public university. Unlike most information commons, the campus' electronic library is not housed within a traditional library space and provides access to electronic research materials exclusively. This study finds that undergraduate…
Involving Undergraduates in Aging Research at a University in Transition: An AREA Award
Wood, Stacey
Involving students in research with older adults at a university in transition has its unique challenges. The goal of this paper is to discuss some of the rewards and lessons learned in undertaking a research program involving undergraduates at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs (UC-CS). UC-CS is a regional university in transition from…
Authentic Science Research Opportunities: How Do Undergraduate Students Begin Integration into a Science Community of Practice?
Gardner, Grant E.; Forrester, Jennifer H.; Jeffrey, Penny Shumaker; Ferzli, Miriam; Shea, Damian
The goal of the study described was to understand the process and degree to which an undergraduate science research program for rising college freshmen achieved its stated objectives to integrate participants into a community of practice and to develop students' research identities.
Integrating Opportunities: Applied Interdisciplinary Research in Undergraduate Geography and Geology Education
Viertel, David C.; Burns, Diane M.
Unique integrative learning approaches represent a fundamental opportunity for undergraduate students and faculty alike to combine interdisciplinary methods with applied spatial research. Geography and geoscience-related disciplines are particularly well-suited to adapt multiple methods within a holistic and reflective mentored research paradigm.…
Undergraduates and Their Use of Social Media: Assessing Influence on Research Skills
Nwangwa, Kanelechi C. K.; Yonlonfoun, Ebun; Omotere, Tope
This research investigates the influence of social media usage on research skills of undergraduates offering Educational Management at six different universities randomly selected from the six geo-political zones in Nigeria. Various studies on the effects of social media on students have concentrated mainly on academic performance (Kirschner &…
VoiceThread as a Peer Review and Dissemination Tool for Undergraduate Research
Guertin, L. A.
VoiceThread has been utilized in an undergraduate research methods course for peer review and final research project dissemination. VoiceThread (http://www.voicethread.com) can be considered a social media tool, as it is a web-based technology with the capacity to enable interactive dialogue. VoiceThread is an application that allows a user to place a media collection online containing images, audio, videos, documents, and/or presentations in an interface that facilitates asynchronous communication. Participants in a VoiceThread can be passive viewers of the online content or engaged commenters via text, audio, video, with slide annotations via a doodle tool. The VoiceThread, which runs across browsers and operating systems, can be public or private for viewing and commenting and can be embedded into any website. Although few university students are aware of the VoiceThread platform (only 10% of the students surveyed by Ng (2012)), the 2009 K-12 edition of The Horizon Report (Johnson et al., 2009) lists VoiceThread as a tool to watch because of the opportunities it provides as a collaborative learning environment. In Fall 2011, eleven students enrolled in an undergraduate research methods course at Penn State Brandywine each conducted their own small-scale research project. Upon conclusion of the projects, students were required to create a poster summarizing their work for peer review. To facilitate the peer review process outside of class, each student-created PowerPoint file was placed in a VoiceThread with private access to only the class members and instructor. Each student was assigned to peer review five different student posters (i.e., VoiceThread images) with the audio and doodle tools to comment on formatting, clarity of content, etc. After the peer reviews were complete, the students were allowed to edit their PowerPoint poster files for a new VoiceThread. In the new VoiceThread, students were required to video record themselves describing their research
A survey on faculty perspectives on the transition to a biochemistry course-based undergraduate research experience laboratory.
Craig, Paul A
It will always remain a goal of an undergraduate biochemistry laboratory course to engage students hands-on in a wide range of biochemistry laboratory experiences. In 2006, our research group initiated a project for in silico prediction of enzyme function based only on the 3D coordinates of the more than 3800 proteins "of unknown function" in the Protein Data Bank, many of which resulted from the Protein Structure Initiative. Students have used the ProMOL plugin to the PyMOL molecular graphics environment along with BLAST, Pfam, and Dali to predict protein functions. As young scientists, these undergraduate research students wanted to see if their predictions were correct and so they developed an approach for in vitro testing of predicted enzyme function that included literature exploration, selection of a suitable assay and the search for commercially available substrates. Over the past two years, a team of faculty members from seven different campuses (California Polytechnic San Luis Obispo, Hope College, Oral Roberts University, Rochester Institute of Technology, St. Mary's University, Ursinus College, and Purdue University) have transferred this approach to the undergraduate biochemistry teaching laboratory as a Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience. A series of ten course modules and eight instructional videos have been created (www.promol.org/home/basil-modules-1) and the group is now expanding these resources, creating assessments and evaluating how this approach helps student to grow as scientists. The focus of this manuscript will be the logistical implications of this transition on campuses that have different cultures, expectations, schedules, and student populations. © 2017 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 45(5):426-436, 2017. © 2017 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
Projective techniques in consumer research
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Various projective techniques for personality assess- ment and psychoanalytic treatment in clinical psychol- .... Some social conventions or barriers may constrain the expression of feelings and reporting of behav- .... ject-stipulated characteristic. Brand mapping may be used in new product development and as a way to.
Impact of Undergraduate Research Mentorship Affects on Student Desire, Confidence and Motivation to Continue Work in Science
Salm, Ann E.
The quantitative Undergraduate Research Questionnaire (URQ) is used to assess the impact of undergraduate research mentorship affects, such as informal conversations, supportive faculty and/or peer interactions, on student confidence and motivation to continue working, learning or researching in the sciences (Taraban & Logue, 2012). Research…
The Conundrum of Social Class: Disparities in Publishing among STEM Students in Undergraduate Research Programs at a Hispanic Majority Institution
Grineski, Sara; Daniels, Heather; Collins, Timothy; Morales, Danielle X.; Frederick, Angela; Garcia, Marilyn
Research on the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) student development pipeline has largely ignored social class and instead examined inequalities based on gender and race. We investigate the role of social class in undergraduate student research publications. Data come from a sample of 213 undergraduate research participants…
Development of Undergraduate Research Skill: Critical Issue in Evidence-Based Dentistry
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Hedaiat Moradpoor
Full Text Available Evidence-based dentistry (EBD is an approach to oral health care which helps to decision making in clinical practice. EBD is an integration of systematic assessments of clinically relevant scientific evidence, relating to the patient's oral and medical condition and history (1. It is a new model for dental education which is designed to increase current research into student education and practice and also help practitioners provide the best care for their patients (2. As part of the future of dental school education in many schools, it is an ideal way of preparing graduates for Evidence-based dentistry and subsequent independent practice (3.To better focus on clinical issues, dental guidelines should be assessed initially. Systematic reviews should be considered to serve as a basis for development of evidence-based guidelines. In order to provide the best present evidence, systematic reviews should be rigorous. The overall quality of evidence in coordinate with other factors (balance between treatment outcomes and side effects, patients' variables, and cost-effectiveness of treatment should be reassessed to determine the strength of new recommendations. This approach is supposed to lead in proper clinical guidelines and improved dental treatments (4. To achieve this goal one of the pivotal item is developing research skill of undergraduate students and particularly teachers and dental schools officials have an important role in curriculum development. Education should be initiated to discuss, develop, and implement a core curriculum for research development. Although research in medical education has a practical aspect, but it is of great significance to rely on fund a mental theories otherwise research outcomes will be superficial and uninteresting. Considering this point is necessary for researches with a problem oriented approach (5. If research in dental education continues to be a free service in dental schools it may promote student
Geothermal Reservoir Technology Research Program: Abstracts of selected research projects
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Reed, M.J. (ed.)
Research projects are described in the following areas: geothermal exploration, mapping reservoir properties and reservoir monitoring, and well testing, simulation, and predicting reservoir performance. The objectives, technical approach, and project status of each project are presented. The background, research results, and future plans for each project are discussed. The names, addresses, and telephone and telefax numbers are given for the DOE program manager and the principal investigators. (MHR)
Advanced Energy Projects: FY 1993, Research summaries
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
AEP has been supporting research on novel materials for energy technology, renewable and biodegradable materials, new uses for scientific discoveries, alternate pathways to energy efficiency, alternative energy sources, innovative approaches to waste treatment and reduction, etc. The summaries are grouped according to projects active in FY 1993, Phase I SBIR projects, and Phase II SBIR projects. Investigator and institutional indexes are included.
Basic Project Management Methodologies for Survey Researchers.
Beach, Robert H.
To be effective, project management requires a heavy dependence on the document, list, and computational capability of a computerized environment. Now that microcomputers are readily available, only the rediscovery of classic project management methodology is required for improved resource allocation in small research projects. This paper provides…
Advanced Energy Projects: FY 1993, Research summaries
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
AEP has been supporting research on novel materials for energy technology, renewable and biodegradable materials, new uses for scientific discoveries, alternate pathways to energy efficiency, alternative energy sources, innovative approaches to waste treatment and reduction, etc. The summaries are grouped according to projects active in FY 1993, Phase I SBIR projects, and Phase II SBIR projects. Investigator and institutional indexes are included
Practicing biology: Undergraduate laboratory research, persistence in science, and the impact of self-efficacy beliefs
Berkes, Elizabeth
As undergraduate laboratory research internships become more popular and universities devote considerable resources towards promoting them, it is important to clarify what students specifically gain through involvement in these experiences and it is important to understand their impact on the science pipeline. By examining recent findings describing the primary benefits of undergraduate research participation, along with self-efficacy theory, this study aims to provide more explanatory power to the anecdotal and descriptive accounts regarding the relationship between undergraduate research experiences and interest in continuing in science. Furthermore, this study characterizes practices that foster students' confidence in doing scientific work with detailed description and analysis of the interactions of researchers in a laboratory. Phase 1 of the study, a survey of undergraduate biology majors (n=71) at a major research university, investigates the relationships among participation in biology laboratory research internships, biology laboratory self-efficacy strength, and interest in persisting in science. Phase 2 of the study, a two-year investigation of a university biology research laboratory, investigates how scientific communities of practice develop self-efficacy beliefs. The findings suggest that participation in lab internships results in increased interest in continuing in life science/biology graduate school and careers. They also suggest that a significant proportion of that interest is related to the students' biology laboratory self-efficacy. The findings of this study point to two primary ways that undergraduate research participation might work to raise self-efficacy strength. First, university research laboratory communities can provide students with a variety of resources that scaffold them into biology laboratory mastery experiences. Second, university research laboratory communities can provide students with coping and mastery Discourse models
Teacher research projects in computing
Sentance, Sue; Sinclair, Jane; Simmons, Carl; Csizmadia, Andrew
The introduction of computer science (CS) to the National Curriculum for schools in England has led to a situation where teachers must develop both subject knowledge and pedagogical expertise in parallel, which presents a significant challenge. Professional development to address this may be most effective when situated in the teachers' own working practices. This paper describes a project to support CS teachers in developing pedagogical skills by planning, designing and implementing their ow...
A primer for undergraduate research from groups and tiles to frames and vaccines
Peterson, Valerie; Lee, Christopher
This highly readable book aims to ease the many challenges of starting undergraduate research. It accomplishes this by presenting a diverse series of self-contained, accessible articles which include specific open problems and prepare the reader to tackle them with ample background material and references. Each article also contains a carefully selected bibliography for further reading. The content spans the breadth of mathematics, including many topics that are not normally addressed by the undergraduate curriculum (such as matroid theory, mathematical biology, and operations research), yet have few enough prerequisites that the interested student can start exploring them under the guidance of a faculty member. Whether trying to start an undergraduate thesis, embarking on a summer REU, or preparing for graduate school, this book is appropriate for a variety of students and the faculty who guide them. .
Student-Designed Service-Learning Projects in an Undergraduate Neurobiology Course
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Katharine V. Northcutt
Full Text Available One of the challenges in teaching a service-learning course is obtaining student buy-in from all students in the course. To circumvent this problem, I have let students in my undergraduate Neurobiology course design their own service-learning projects at the beginning of the semester. Although this can be chaotic because it requires last-minute planning, I have made it successful through facilitating student communication in the classroom, requiring thorough project proposals, meeting with students regularly, and monitoring group progress through written reflection papers. Most of my students have strong opinions about the types of projects that they want to carry out, and many students have used connections that they have already made with local organizations. Almost all projects that students have designed to this point involve teaching basic concepts of neurobiology to children of various ages while simultaneously sparking their interest in science. Through taking ownership of the project and designing it such that it works well with their strengths, interests, and weekly schedule, students have become more engaged in service learning and view it as a valuable experience. Despite some class time being shifted away from more traditional assignments, students have performed equally well in the course, and they are more eager to talk with others about course concepts. Furthermore, the feedback that I have received from community partners has been excellent, and some students have maintained their work with the organizations.
Symbiosis – Undergraduate Research Mentoring and Faculty Scholarship in Nursing
Wheeler, Erlinda C.; Hardie, Thomas; Schell, Kathleen; Plowfield, Lisa
While teaching is the major focus of academia, research and professional publications frequently determine faculty eligibility for promotion and tenure. In universities where funded research is scarce, faculty need creative means to accomplish research goals. Research is an essential part of baccalaureate nursing education. The goal of research education at the baccalaureate level is to prepare knowledgeable consumers of nursing research. The purpose of this article is to describe an undergra...
United States Naval Academy Polar Science Program; Undergraduate Research and Outreach in Polar Environments
Woods, J. E.
The United States Naval Academy (USNA) Polar Science Program (PSP), has been very active completing its own field campaign out of Barrow, AK, sent students to the South Pole, participated in STEM activities and educated over 100 future Naval Officers about the Polar Regions. Each activity is uniquely different, but has the similar undertone of sharing the recent rapid changes in the Cryosphere to a wide range of audiences. There is further room for development and growth through future field campaigns and new collaborations. The Naval Academy Ice Experiment (NAICEX) 2013 was based out of the old Naval Arctic Research Laboratory (NARL) in Barrow, AK. In joint collaboration with the University of Delaware, University of Washington, and Naval Research Laboratory we successfully took multiple measurements for over a week on the fast ice just offshore. Five undergraduate students from USNA, as well as 3 graduate students from University of Delaware participated, as well as multiple professors and instructors from each institution. Data collected during the experiment will be used in capstone courses and thesis research. There was also an outreach component to the experiment, where local students from Barrow H.S. have been assigned to the USNA ice observations project for their own high school course work. Local students will be analyzing data that will contribute into the larger research effort at USNA through coordinated remote efforts and participation in future field experiments. The USNA STEM office is one of the most robust in the entire country. The USNA PSP is active within this program by developing polar specific modules that are integrated varying length outreach opportunities from a few hours to week long camps. USNA PSP also engages in educator training that is held at the Naval Academy each summer. Through this program of educating the educators, the far reaching levels of awareness are multiplied exponentially. Also, the USNA Oceanography Department has
Image-Seeking Preferences Among Undergraduate Novice Researchers
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Laurie M. Bridges
Full Text Available Objective – This study investigated the image-seeking preferences of university freshmen to gain a better understanding of how they search for pictures for assignments.Methods – A survey was emailed to a random sample of 1,000 freshmen enrolled at Oregon State University in the fall of 2009. A total of 63 surveys were returned.Results – The majority of students indicated they would use Google to find a picture. Nineteen respondents said they would use a library, librarians, and/or archives.Conclusions – The results indicate the majority of students in our study would use Google to find an image for coursework purposes; yet the students who suggested they would use Google did not mention evaluating the images they might find or have concerns about copyright issues. Undergraduate students would benefit from having visual literacy integrated into standard information literacy instruction to help them locate, evaluate, and legally use the images they find online. In addition, libraries, librarians, archivists, and library computer programmers should work to raise the rankings of library digital photo collections in online search engines like Google.
Research projects in the collaborative antwerp psychiatric research institute.
Sabbe, Bernard; Dom, Geert; Glazemakers, Inge; Goethals, Kris; Janssens, Astrid; Morrens, Manuel; Schrijvers, Didier; Van Den Eede, Filip; Van Hecke, Jan; Deboutte, Dirk; Van West, Dirk
In the following article CAPRI presents its current research projects. The team leaders were asked to present and summarize the project they had been working on. The fields in which research was conducted are: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Cognitive and Psychomotor Dysfunctions in Schizophrenia, fMRI in Schizophrenia, Cognitive and Psychomotor Dysfunctions in Major Depressive Disorder, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Addiction Medicine and Forensic Psychiatry. An overview of recent and ongoing research projects is provided and the main results are summarized.
Advanced energy projects FY 1992 research summaries
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The Division of Advanced Energy Projects (AEP) provides support to explore the feasibility of novel, energy-related concepts that evolve from advances in basic research. These concepts are typically at an early stage of scientific definition and, therefore, are beyond the scope of ongoing applied research or technology development programs. The Division provides a mechanism for converting basic research findings to applications that eventually could impact the Nation's energy economy. Technical topics include physical, chemical, materials, engineering, and biotechnologies. Projects can involve interdisciplinary approaches to solve energy-related problems. Projects are supported for a finite period of time, which is typically three years. Annual funding levels for projects are usually about $300,000 but can vary from approximately $50,000 to $500,000. It is expected that, following AEP support, each concept will be sufficiently developed and promising to attract further funding from other sources in order to realize its full potential. There were 39 research projects in the Division of Advanced Energy Projects during Fiscal Year 1992 (October 1, 1991 -- September 30, 1992). The abstracts of those projects are provided to introduce the overall program in Advanced Energy Projects. Further information on a specific project may be obtained by contacting the principal investigator, who is listed below the project title. Projects completed during FY 1992 are indicated
Developing Learning Strategies Based on Research Projects
Ampuero-Canellas, Olga; Gonzalez-Del-Rio, Jimena; Jorda-Albinana, Begona; Rojas-Sola, Jose Ignacio
Research projects are a very important part of any professor life sheet. Through these projects, they use their knowledge to solve real problems within professional area. Besides being an advance in research area, they can essentially contribute to improving teaching process. This work originates from the idea that the experienced gotten from…
Yale Artificial Intelligence Project (Research in Progress)
Collins, Gregg
The Yale Artificial Intelligence Project, under the direction of Professor Roger C. Schank, supports a number of research projects. Most of this research is in the02-02 area of attempting to model the processes involved in human understanding, with a current emphasis on memory models and the processes involved in learning.
Modeling Research Project Risks with Fuzzy Maps
Bodea, Constanta Nicoleta; Dascalu, Mariana Iuliana
The authors propose a risks evaluation model for research projects. The model is based on fuzzy inference. The knowledge base for fuzzy process is built with a causal and cognitive map of risks. The map was especially developed for research projects, taken into account their typical lifecycle. The model was applied to an e-testing research…
Children's Literature in the Undergraduate Course on Communication Research Methods
Brown, Daniel S.
Objective: Students will develop positive attitudes toward communication research by linking new values and principles with the familiar values and principles contained in children's literature. Course: Communication Research Methods.
Using Qualitative Methods in Teaching Undergraduate Students Research.
Bull, Margaret J.
An applied clinical research course helped nursing students acquire an understanding of research and its relationship to clinical practice. The course contrasted qualitative and quantitative methods, addressed ethical issues, and involved students in interviewing older adults about health behavior. (SK)
Online Protocol Annotation: A Method to Enhance Undergraduate Laboratory Research Skills
Ruble, Julie E.; Lom, Barbara
A well-constructed, step-by-step protocol is a critical starting point for teaching undergraduates new techniques, an important record of a lab's standard procedures, and a useful mechanism for sharing techniques between labs. Many research labs use websites to archive and share their protocols for these purposes. Here we describe our experiences…
Analysis of Scientific Research Related Anxiety Levels of Undergraduate Students'
Yildirim, Sefa; Hasiloglu, Mehmet Akif
In this study, it was aimed to identify the scientific research-related anxiety levels of the undergraduate students studying in the department of faculty of science and letters and faculty of education to analyse these anxiety levels in terms of various variables (students' gender, using web based information sources, going to the library,…
Assessing the Unassessable: Making Learning Visible in Undergraduates' Experiences of Scientific Research
Wilson, Anna; Howitt, Susan; Higgins, Denise
We suggest that academics involved in the provision of research experiences to undergraduate science students may benefit by reconceptualising these experiences as work-based learning. In particular, drawing on the widespread use of reflective practice in work-based learning allows for a more effective focus on process-related learning. We…
Transitioning from Expository Laboratory Experiments to Course-Based Undergraduate Research in General Chemistry
Clark, Ted M.; Ricciardo, Rebecca; Weaver, Tyler
General chemistry courses predominantly use expository experiments that shape student expectations of what a laboratory activity entails. Shifting within a semester to course-based undergraduate research activities that include greater decision-making, collaborative work, and "messy" real-world data necessitates a change in student…
Factors Influencing Achievement in Undergraduate Social Science Research Methods Courses: A Mixed Methods Analysis
Markle, Gail
Undergraduate social science research methods courses tend to have higher than average rates of failure and withdrawal. Lack of success in these courses impedes students' progression through their degree programs and negatively impacts institutional retention and graduation rates. Grounded in adult learning theory, this mixed methods study…
Hairy Root as a Model System for Undergraduate Laboratory Curriculum and Research
Keyes, Carol A.; Subramanian, Senthil; Yu, Oliver
Hairy root transformation has been widely adapted in plant laboratories to rapidly generate transgenic roots for biochemical and molecular analysis. We present hairy root transformations as a versatile and adaptable model system for a wide variety of undergraduate laboratory courses and research. This technique is easy, efficient, and fast making…
Measures to Combat Research Phobia among Undergraduates for Knowledge Creation in Imo State
Ihebereme, Chioma I.
The study examined the measures to combat research phobia among undergraduates in order to achieve knowledge creation. The study used Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education Owerri in Imo State as case study. An 11-item four point Likert-type scale of Agreed (A) = 4 points, Strongly Agreed (SA) = 3 points, Disagreed (D) = 2 points and Strongly…
Ten Salient Practices of Undergraduate Research Mentors: A Review of the Literature
Shanahan, Jenny Olin; Ackley-Holbrook, Elizabeth; Hall, Eric; Stewart, Kearsley; Walkington, Helen
This paper identifies salient practices of faculty mentors of undergraduate research (UR) as indicated in the extensive literature of the past two decades on UR. The well-established benefits for students involved in UR are dependent, first and foremost, on high-quality mentoring. Mentorship is a defining feature of UR. As more and different types…
"Mentoring Is Sharing the Excitement of Discovery": Faculty Perceptions of Undergraduate Research Mentoring
Vandermaas-Peeler, Maureen; Miller, Paul C.; Peeples, Tim
Although an increasing number of studies have examined students' participation in undergraduate research (UR), little is known about faculty perceptions of mentoring in this context. The purpose of this exploratory study was to investigate four aspects of mentoring UR, including how faculty define high-quality UR mentoring and operationalize it in…
Undergraduate Research-Methods Training in Political Science: A Comparative Perspective
Parker, Jonathan
Unlike other disciplines in the social sciences, there has been relatively little attention paid to the structure of the undergraduate political science curriculum. This article reports the results of a representative survey of 200 political science programs in the United States, examining requirements for quantitative methods, research methods,…
[Research-oriented experimental course of plant cell and gene engineering for undergraduates].
Xiaofei, Lin; Rong, Zheng; Morigen, Morigen
Research-oriented comprehensive experimental course for undergraduates is an important part for their training of innovation. We established an optional course of plant cell and gene engineering for undergraduates using our research platform. The course is designed to study the cellular and molecular basis and experimental techniques for plant tissue culture, isolation and culture of protoplast, genetic transformation, and screening and identification of transgenic plants. To develop undergraduates' ability in experimental design and operation, and inspire their interest in scientific research and innovation consciousness, we integrated experimental teaching and practice in plant genetic engineering on the tissue, cellular, and molecular levels. Students in the course practiced an experimental teaching model featured by two-week teaching of principles, independent experimental design and bench work, and ready-to-access laboratory. In this paper, we describe the contents, methods, evaluation system and a few issues to be solved in this course, as well as the general application and significance of the research-oriented experimental course in reforming undergraduates' teaching and training innovative talents.
Undergraduates' reasoning while solving integration tasks : discussion of a research framework
Aaten, Aaltje Berendina; Deprez, Johan; Roorda, Gerrit; Goedhart, Maarten; Dooley, T; Gueudet, G
In this paper we investigate the extent to which the research framework on reasoning developed by Lithner (2008) is adequate for characterizing undergraduate students' mathematical reasoning. We conducted a small number of individual task-based think-aloud interviews in which students solved
Millennial Undergraduate Research Strategies in Web and Library Information Retrieval Systems
Porter, Brandi
This article summarizes the author's dissertation regarding search strategies of millennial undergraduate students in Web and library online information retrieval systems. Millennials bring a unique set of search characteristics and strategies to their research since they have never known a world without the Web. Through the use of search engines,…
Prostate Cancer Research Training in Health Disparities for Minority Undergraduates
complete all program assignments. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Prostate cancer, Dietary risk factors, Lycopene, Genetic predisposition , African-Americans, Cancer...ABDULKADIR, S PCa Animal Model Study Project 1: (Ayesha Sease): Identification of Pten Inactivation in Genetically -Engineered Mouse Models...A. Ukoli2, MD., MPH. 1Fisk University, Nashville, TN., 2Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN. Identification of Pten Inactivation in Genetically
Cultivating Minority Scientists: Undergraduate Research Increases Self-Efficacy and Career Ambitions for Underrepresented Students in STEM
Carpi, Anthony; Ronan, Darcy M.; Falconer, Heather M.; Lents, Nathan H.
In this study, Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) is used to explore changes in the career intentions of students in an undergraduate research experience (URE) program at a large public minority-serving college. Our URE model addresses the challenges of establishing an undergraduate research program within an urban, commuter, underfunded,…
Embedding Undergraduate Research Experiences within the Curriculum: A Cross-Disciplinary Study of the Key Characteristics Guiding Implementation
Zimbardi, Kirsten; Myatt, Paula
Undergraduate research experiences provide students with opportunities to engage in high-impact experiential learning. Although prevalent in the sciences, there are now extensive banks of case studies demonstrating the use of undergraduate research as an educationally enriching activity across many disciplines. This study investigated the…
Two-Year Community: A 3+8 Model of Undergraduate Research for Community College STEM Majors
Leggett-Robinson, Pamela M.; Villa, Brandi C.; Mooring, Suazette Reid
This article describes the implementation of an innovative undergraduate research model for students attending a two-year institution. It gives students an opportunity to engage in undergraduate research at nearby four-year institutions, which provides a foundation that allows them to successfully make the transition to STEM programs at the…
Excursions in classical analysis pathways to advanced problem solving and undergraduate research
Chen, Hongwei
Excursions in Classical Analysis introduces undergraduate students to advanced problem solving and undergraduate research in two ways. Firstly, it provides a colourful tour of classical analysis which places a wide variety of problems in their historical context. Secondly, it helps students gain an understanding of mathematical discovery and proof. In demonstrating a variety of possible solutions to the same sample exercise, the reader will come to see how the connections between apparently inapplicable areas of mathematics can be exploited in problem-solving. This book will serve as excellent preparation for participation in mathematics competitions, as a valuable resource for undergraduate mathematics reading courses and seminars and as a supplement text in a course on analysis. It can also be used in independent study, since the chapters are free-standing.
Proceedings of the ninth national conference on undergraduate research, 1995. Volume 3
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Yearout, R.D. [ed.
The Ninth National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR 95) was held at Union College in Schenectady, New York. This annual celebration of undergraduate scholarly activity continues to elicit strong nation-wide support and enthusiasm among both students and faculty. Attendance was nearly 1,650, which included 1,213 student oral and poster presenters. For the second year in a row, many student papers had to be rejected for presentation at NCUR due to conference size limitations. Thus, submitted papers for presentation at NCUR 95 were put through a careful review process before acceptance. Those students who have been selected to have their paper appear in these Proceedings have been through yet a second review process. As a consequence, their work has been judged to represent an impressive level of achievement at the undergraduate level. Volume 3 contains papers related to Biological Sciences (46 papers); Chemical Sciences (21 papers); and Environmental Sciences (7 papers).
Proceedings of the ninth national conference on undergraduate research, 1995. Volume 1
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Yearout, R.D. [ed.
The Ninth National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR 95) was held at Union College in Schenectady, New York. This annual celebration of undergraduate scholarly activity continues to elicit strong nation-wide support and enthusiasm among both students and faculty. Attendance was nearly 1,650, which included 1,213 student oral and poster presenters. For the second year in a row, many student papers had to be rejected for presentation at NCUR due to conference size limitations. Thus, submitted papers for presentation at NCUR 95 were put through a careful review process before acceptance. Those students who have been selected to have their paper appear in these Proceedings have been through yet a second review process. As a consequence, their work has been judged to represent an impressive level of achievement at the undergraduate level. Volume 1 contains papers related to Arts and Humanities (52 papers), and Social and Behavioral Sciences (64 papers).
Proceedings of the ninth national conference on undergraduate research, 1995. Volume 2
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Yearout, R.D.
The Ninth National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR 95) was held at Union College in Schenectady, New York. This annual celebration of undergraduate scholarly activity continues to elicit strong nation-wide support and enthusiasm among both students and faculty. Attendance was nearly 1,650, which included 1,213 student oral and poster presenters. For the second year in a row, many student papers had to be rejected for presentation at NCUR due to conference size limitations. Thus, submitted papers for presentation at NCUR 95 were put through a careful review process before acceptance. Those students who have been selected to have their paper appear in these Proceedings have been through yet a second review process. As a consequence, their work has been judged to represent an impressive level of achievement at the undergraduate level. Volume 2 contains papers related to Engineering and Mathematics (41 papers) and Physical Science (18 papers).
Undergraduate Research and Training in Ion-Beam Analysis of Environmental Materials
Vineyard, Michael F.; Chalise, Sajju; Clark, Morgan L.; LaBrake, Scott M.; McCalmont, Andrew M.; McGuire, Brendan C.; Mendez, Iseinie I.; Watson, Heather C.; Yoskowitz, Joshua T.
We have an active undergraduate research program at the Union College Ion-Beam Analysis Laboratory (UCIBAL) focused on the study of environmental materials. Accelerator-based ion-beam analysis (IBA) is a powerful tool for the study of environmental pollution because it can provide information on a broad range of elements with high sensitivity and low detection limits, is non-destructive, and requires little or no sample preparation. It also provides excellent training for the next generation of environmental scientists. Beams of protons and alpha particles with energies of a few MeV from the 1.1-MV tandem Pelletron accelerator (NEC Model 3SDH) in the UCIBAL are used to characterize environmental samples using IBA techniques such as proton-induced X-ray emission, Rutherford back-scattering, and proton-induced gamma-ray emission. Recent projects include the characterization of atmospheric aerosols in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York, the study of heavy metal pollutants in river sediment, measurements of Pb diffusion in sulfide minerals to help constrain the determination of the age of iron meteorites, and the search for heavy metals and toxins in artificial turf.
Researching wicked problems in a construction project
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Jacobsen, Peter Holm
phases of a construction project – a process competition - to argue why I think it is important and valuable to reflect upon how researchers learn when she/he participate in social practices.My perspective on the researchers role is inspired by social practice theory such as theories of situated learning......Finding ones way through empirical research in a construction project can be a challenging affair. Reflections about the uncertainty that relates to the researchers work when he/she is collecting data and construction knowledge in empirical studies of construction projects, is an area that could...... to empirical research. I will argue that uncertainty is an important aspect of doing empirical research because the empirical research is a part of a situated learning process and that uncertain situations are a central part of conducting empirical research. I will use an example from my study of the early...
Manganese Research Health Project (MHRP)
MWM. Taken together, our data suggest that vulnerable ID populations exposed to high levels of Mn may indeed be at risk of potentially dangerous ...in inflammatory diseases and biomaterials . She also has experience of materials science gained within the internationally- renowned Microsystems and...had a varied research career to date with interests in inflammatory diseases and biomaterials . She also has experience of materials science gained
Research projects of STUK 2000-2002
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Salomaa, S.
The primary goal of STUK, the Finnish Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, is to prevent and limit the harmful effects of radiation. The research conducted by STUK yields new information related to the use, occurrence and effects of radiation. STUK research projects 2000 - 2002 summarises STUK's own research activities on radiation protection. In addition to these, STUK also supervises and funds research projects related to safety of nuclear energy and nuclear waste and materials that are carried out in other research institutes. Information on the research projects and related publications is also available on STUK's WWW pages at www.stuk.fi. STUK's research focuses on radiation protection and the health effects of radiation. During 2000 - 2002, the main emphasis will be on projects supporting the Finnish national environmental health action plan, the health risks of radiation, emergency preparedness and cooperation with neighbouring CEE areas. EU directives on radiation protection and medical exposure to radiation also influence the course taken by research carried out at STUK. New research priorities also include studies on non-ionising radiation, especially the effects of mobile phone frequency radiation. STUK's research activities are now more international than ever; the institute is involved in about 20 research projects funded by EC. Apart from the European Union and the Nordic countries, STUK's main partners are to be found in Russia, Estonia and the USA. (author)
Research projects of STUK 2000-2002
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Salomaa, S. [ed.
The primary goal of STUK, the Finnish Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, is to prevent and limit the harmful effects of radiation. The research conducted by STUK yields new information related to the use, occurrence and effects of radiation. STUK research projects 2000 - 2002 summarises STUK's own research activities on radiation protection. In addition to these, STUK also supervises and funds research projects related to safety of nuclear energy and nuclear waste and materials that are carried out in other research institutes. Information on the research projects and related publications is also available on STUK's WWW pages at www.stuk.fi. STUK's research focuses on radiation protection and the health effects of radiation. During 2000 - 2002, the main emphasis will be on projects supporting the Finnish national environmental health action plan, the health risks of radiation, emergency preparedness and cooperation with neighbouring CEE areas. EU directives on radiation protection and medical exposure to radiation also influence the course taken by research carried out at STUK. New research priorities also include studies on non-ionising radiation, especially the effects of mobile phone frequency radiation. STUK's research activities are now more international than ever; the institute is involved in about 20 research projects funded by EC. Apart from the European Union and the Nordic countries, STUK's main partners are to be found in Russia, Estonia and the USA. (author)
Integrating Informatics into the Undergraduate Curriculum: A Report on a Pilot Project.
Ingram, D; Murphy, J
Previous case reports in this series on Education and Training have looked at specialist courses for postgraduate students seeking an in-depth knowledge of informatics and a career in the field. By contrast, this review describes a project designed to pilot a series of learning opportunities for undergraduate medical students. Although some UK medical colleges have opted to introduce informatics into the curriculum as a discipline in its own right, the Informatics Department at St Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College chose a different approach. When a new curriculum was introduced at St Bartholomew's and at The London Hospital Medical College, the Head of the Informatics Department saw this as an ideal opportunity to explore ways of integrating informatics into the curriculum. The initiatives described in this paper were made possible as a result of an award from the UK government Department of Employment. Money from an Enterprise in Higher Education grant funded a range of programmes, one of which was designed to introduce students to selected aspects of informatics and to demonstrate what is feasible in the undergraduate curriculum. The work carried out over a period of three and a half years was intended to provide the basis for the next phase of curriculum development. However, in the wake of the restructuring which has taken place in London medical colleges, the Informatics Department at what was St Bartholomew's has relocated to University College London Medical School, and is now called The Centre for Health Informatics and Multiprofessional Education (CHIME). University College is designing a new medical curriculum and CHIME is drawing on the experience gained through the Enterprise Project to find the best way to integrate informatics into this curriculum.
Using Feature Films to Teach Observation in Undergraduate Research Methods
Tan, JooEan; Ko, Yiu-Chung
Observation is an important component of data collection that forms the basis of a great deal of qualitative research and is also a building block for theorizing in sociology. This dimension of social science research is perhaps the most difficult to teach because there are no fixed guidelines to follow that can enable one to become an effective…
A central support system can facilitate implementation and sustainability of a Classroom-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) in Genomics.
Lopatto, David; Hauser, Charles; Jones, Christopher J; Paetkau, Don; Chandrasekaran, Vidya; Dunbar, David; MacKinnon, Christy; Stamm, Joyce; Alvarez, Consuelo; Barnard, Daron; Bedard, James E J; Bednarski, April E; Bhalla, Satish; Braverman, John M; Burg, Martin; Chung, Hui-Min; DeJong, Randall J; DiAngelo, Justin R; Du, Chunguang; Eckdahl, Todd T; Emerson, Julia; Frary, Amy; Frohlich, Donald; Goodman, Anya L; Gosser, Yuying; Govind, Shubha; Haberman, Adam; Hark, Amy T; Hoogewerf, Arlene; Johnson, Diana; Kadlec, Lisa; Kaehler, Marian; Key, S Catherine Silver; Kokan, Nighat P; Kopp, Olga R; Kuleck, Gary A; Lopilato, Jane; Martinez-Cruzado, Juan C; McNeil, Gerard; Mel, Stephanie; Nagengast, Alexis; Overvoorde, Paul J; Parrish, Susan; Preuss, Mary L; Reed, Laura D; Regisford, E Gloria; Revie, Dennis; Robic, Srebrenka; Roecklien-Canfield, Jennifer A; Rosenwald, Anne G; Rubin, Michael R; Saville, Kenneth; Schroeder, Stephanie; Sharif, Karim A; Shaw, Mary; Skuse, Gary; Smith, Christopher D; Smith, Mary; Smith, Sheryl T; Spana, Eric P; Spratt, Mary; Sreenivasan, Aparna; Thompson, Jeffrey S; Wawersik, Matthew; Wolyniak, Michael J; Youngblom, James; Zhou, Leming; Buhler, Jeremy; Mardis, Elaine; Leung, Wilson; Shaffer, Christopher D; Threlfall, Jennifer; Elgin, Sarah C R
In their 2012 report, the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology advocated "replacing standard science laboratory courses with discovery-based research courses"-a challenging proposition that presents practical and pedagogical difficulties. In this paper, we describe our collective experiences working with the Genomics Education Partnership, a nationwide faculty consortium that aims to provide undergraduates with a research experience in genomics through a scheduled course (a classroom-based undergraduate research experience, or CURE). We examine the common barriers encountered in implementing a CURE, program elements of most value to faculty, ways in which a shared core support system can help, and the incentives for and rewards of establishing a CURE on our diverse campuses. While some of the barriers and rewards are specific to a research project utilizing a genomics approach, other lessons learned should be broadly applicable. We find that a central system that supports a shared investigation can mitigate some shortfalls in campus infrastructure (such as time for new curriculum development, availability of IT services) and provides collegial support for change. Our findings should be useful for designing similar supportive programs to facilitate change in the way we teach science for undergraduates. © 2014 D. Lopatto et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2014 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).
Internationalization Measures in Large Scale Research Projects
Soeding, Emanuel; Smith, Nancy
Internationalization measures in Large Scale Research Projects Large scale research projects (LSRP) often serve as flagships used by universities or research institutions to demonstrate their performance and capability to stakeholders and other interested parties. As the global competition among universities for the recruitment of the brightest brains has increased, effective internationalization measures have become hot topics for universities and LSRP alike. Nevertheless, most projects and universities are challenged with little experience on how to conduct these measures and make internationalization an cost efficient and useful activity. Furthermore, those undertakings permanently have to be justified with the Project PIs as important, valuable tools to improve the capacity of the project and the research location. There are a variety of measures, suited to support universities in international recruitment. These include e.g. institutional partnerships, research marketing, a welcome culture, support for science mobility and an effective alumni strategy. These activities, although often conducted by different university entities, are interlocked and can be very powerful measures if interfaced in an effective way. On this poster we display a number of internationalization measures for various target groups, identify interfaces between project management, university administration, researchers and international partners to work together, exchange information and improve processes in order to be able to recruit, support and keep the brightest heads to your project.
Advanced energy projects FY 1997 research summaries
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The mission of the Advanced Energy Projects (AEP) program is to explore the scientific feasibility of novel energy-related concepts that are high risk, in terms of scientific feasibility, yet have a realistic potential for a high technological payoff. The concepts supported by the AEP are typically at an early stage of scientific development. They often arise from advances in basic research and are premature for consideration by applied research or technology development programs. Some are based on discoveries of new scientific phenomena or involve exploratory ideas that span multiple scientific and technical disciplines which do not fit into an existing DOE program area. In all cases, the objective is to support evaluation of the scientific or technical feasibility of the novel concepts involved. Following AEP support, it is expected that each concept will be sufficiently developed to attract further funding from other sources to realize its full potential. Projects that involve evolutionary research or technology development and demonstration are not supported by AEP. Furthermore, research projects more appropriate for another existing DOE research program are not encouraged. There were 65 projects in the AEP research portfolio during Fiscal Year 1997. Eigheen projects were initiated during that fiscal year. This document consists of short summaries of projects active in FY 1997. Further information of a specific project may be obtained by contacting the principal investigator.
In the Field: Increasing Undergraduate Students' Awareness of Extension through a Blended Project-Based Multimedia Production Course
Loizzo, Jamie; Lillard, Patrick
Undergraduate students at land-grant institutions across the country are often unaware of the depth and breadth of Extension services and careers. Agricultural communication students collaborated with an Extension programmatic team in a blended and project-based course at Purdue University to develop online videos about small farm agricultural…
Preparation of (+)-α-terpineol from (+)-limonene: monoterpenes with pleasant odor in a project for undergraduate organic chemistry laboratory
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Baptistella, Lucia Helena Brito; Imamura, Paulo Mitsuo; Melo, Leandro Vilela de; Castello, Claudio
A synthesis of (+)-α-terpineol from (+)-limonene was proposed as a project for undergraduate organic laboratory course. Terpineol is a useful flavor and fragrance compound, and several aspects of this preparation are suited for experimental organic classes, including basic techniques for extraction and analyses of essential oils, different reaction types and the possibility of a high degree of student interest. (author)
Mississippi CaP HBCU Undergraduate Research Training Program
such as atherosclerosis , Wolman Disease, and cancers. This study is aimed to explore the association of cholesteryl esters with prostate cancer...scholars from TC and JSU, gained experience in performing PCa research at UMMC-CI. Two trainees are pursuing graduate studies in cancer biology; 10 of...about the research programs at UMMC, postgraduate studies alternatives, graduate school application process, and will be provided opportunities in
'Ethiopia-Netherlands AIDS research project'
Sanders, E. J.; Rinke de Wit, T. F.; Fontanet, A. L.; Goudsmit, J.; Miedema, F.; Coutinho, R. A.
The 'Ethiopia-Netherlands AIDS Research Project' (ENARP), started in 1994, is a long-term collaboration between AIDS researchers in Amsterdam and the Ethiopian Health and Nutrition Research Institute in Addis Ababa. The ENARP's primary objectives include conducting studies on HIV and AIDS in
Undergraduate Biocuration: Developing Tomorrow's Researchers While Mining Today's Data
Mitchell, Cassie S.; Cates, Ashlyn; Kim, Renaid B.; Hollinger, Sabrina K.
Biocuration is a time-intensive process that involves extraction, transcription, and organization of biological or clinical data from disjointed data sets into a user-friendly database. Curated data is subsequently used primarily for text mining or informatics analysis (bioinformatics, neuroinformatics, health informatics, etc.) and secondarily as a researcher resource. Biocuration is traditionally considered a Ph.D. level task, but a massive shortage of curators to consolidate the ever-mounting biomedical "big data" opens the possibility of utilizing biocuration as a means to mine today's data while teaching students skill sets they can utilize in any career. By developing a biocuration assembly line of simplified and compartmentalized tasks, we have enabled biocuration to be effectively performed by a hierarchy of undergraduate students. We summarize the necessary physical resources, process for establishing a data path, biocuration workflow, and undergraduate hierarchy of curation, technical, information technology (IT), quality control and managerial positions. We detail the undergraduate application and training processes and give detailed job descriptions for each position on the assembly line. We present case studies of neuropathology curation performed entirely by undergraduates, namely the construction of experimental databases of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) transgenic mouse models and clinical data from ALS patient records. Our results reveal undergraduate biocuration is scalable for a group of 8–50+ with relatively minimal required resources. Moreover, with average accuracy rates greater than 98.8%, undergraduate biocurators are equivalently accurate to their professional counterparts. Initial training to be completely proficient at the entry-level takes about five weeks with a minimal student time commitment of four hours/week. PMID:26557796
Teaching healthcare marketing via community research: the LifeFlight project.
Cellucci, Leigh W
Undergraduate students in Healthcare Administration programs may benefit from cooperative learning strategies such as participation in community research. Collaborating with local healthcare facilities on class projects also encourages more active engagement between the academic and practice communities. This purpose of this paper is to briefly describe one collaborative venture undertakenby undergraduates in a Marketing for Healthcare Organizations class and a LifeFlight program at a local hospital. The students carried out a survey of members in the program, conducted a SWOT analysis, and made relevant recommendations. Student evaluations of this experience were positive, as was the hospital's assessment.
The Undergraduate Medical Education for the 21st Century (UME-21) project: the Federal Government perspective.
Bazell, Carol; Davis, Howard; Glass, Jerilyn; Rodak, John; Bastacky, Stanford M
The Undergraduate Medical Education for the 21st Century (UME-21) project was implemented by the Division of Medicine, Bureau of Health Professions, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to encourage medical schools to collaborate with managed care organizations and others. The purpose of the collaboration was to ensure that medical students are prepared to provide quality patient care and manage that care in an integrated health care system in which the cost of care and use of empirically justified care are important elements. The UME-21 project represents a continuation of HRSA's interest in the managed care arena. The UME-21 project involved the collaboration of eight partner schools and 10 associate partner schools, together with 50 external partners, to develop innovative curricula that integrated UME-21 content from nine special areas as learning objectives. This project demonstrated that concerted efforts by the leadership in medical education can bring about innovative change in medical school curricula. It ís also demonstrated that faculty of the three primary care disciplines of family medicine, general internal medicine, and general pediatrics were able to cooperate to accomplish such change by working together to allocate clerkship time and content. An important lesson learned in this project was that significant innovations in medical school curricula could be accomplished with a broadbased commitment and involvement of both faculties across the three primary care disciplines and top administrative officials of the medical school. It is uncertain, however, if the innovations achieved will produce further changes or if those changes achieved can be sustained without continued funding.
A new model in teaching undergraduate research: A collaborative approach and learning cooperatives.
O'Neal, Pamela V; McClellan, Lynx Carlton; Jarosinski, Judith M
Forming new, innovative collaborative approaches and cooperative learning methods between universities and hospitals maximize learning for undergraduate nursing students in a research course and provide professional development for nurses on the unit. The purpose of this Collaborative Approach and Learning Cooperatives (CALC) Model is to foster working relations between faculty and hospital administrators, maximize small group learning of undergraduate nursing students, and promote onsite knowledge of evidence based care for unit nurses. A quality improvement study using the CALC Model was implemented in an undergraduate nursing research course at a southern university. Hospital administrators provided a list of clinical concerns based on national performance outcome measures. Undergraduate junior nursing student teams chose a clinical question, gathered evidence from the literature, synthesized results, demonstrated practice application, and developed practice recommendations. The student teams developed posters, which were evaluated by hospital administrators. The administrators selected several posters to display on hospital units for continuing education opportunity. This CALC Model is a systematic, calculated approach and an economically feasible plan to maximize personnel and financial resources to optimize collaboration and cooperative learning. Universities and hospital administrators, nurses, and students benefit from working together and learning from each other. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Leading Edge Aeronautics Research for NASA Project
National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The LEARN Project explores the creation of novel concepts and processes with the potential to create new capabilities in aeronautics research through awards to the...
Students' perspectives of undergraduate research methods education at three public medical schools in Uganda.
Munabi, Ian Guyton; Buwembo, William; Joseph, Ruberwa; Peter, Kawungezi; Bajunirwe, Francis; Mwaka, Erisa Sabakaki
In this study we used a model of adult learning to explore undergraduate students' views on how to improve the teaching of research methods and biostatistics. This was a secondary analysis of survey data of 600 undergraduate students from three medical schools in Uganda. The analysis looked at student's responses to an open ended section of a questionnaire on their views on undergraduate teaching of research methods and biostatistics. Qualitative phenomenological data analysis was done with a bias towards principles of adult learning. Students appreciated the importance of learning research methods and biostatistics as a way of understanding research problems; appropriately interpreting statistical concepts during their training and post-qualification practice; and translating the knowledge acquired. Stressful teaching environment and inadequate educational resource materials were identified as impediments to effective learning. Suggestions for improved learning included: early and continuous exposure to the course; more active and practical approach to teaching; and a need for mentorship. The current methods of teaching research methods and biostatistics leave most of the students in the dissonance phase of learning resulting in none or poor student engagement that results in a failure to comprehend and/or appreciate the principles governing the use of different research methods.
A Research-Based Development Economics Course for Undergraduates
Singh, Prakarsh; Guo, Hongye; Morales, Alvaro
The authors present details of a research-based course in development economics taught at a private liberal arts college. There were three key elements in this class: teaching of applied econometrics, group presentations reviewing published and working papers in development economics, and using concepts taught in class to write an original…
Scaffolding Assignments and Activities for Undergraduate Research Methods
Fisher, Sarah; Justwan, Florian
This article details assignments and lessons created for and tested in research methods courses at two different universities, a large state school and a small liberal arts college. Each assignment or activity utilized scaffolding. Students were asked to push beyond their comfort zone while utilizing concrete and/or creative examples,…
Agent-Based Phytoplankton Models of Cellular and Population Processes: Fostering Individual-Based Learning in Undergraduate Research
Berges, J. A.; Raphael, T.; Rafa Todd, C. S.; Bate, T. C.; Hellweger, F. L.
Engaging undergraduate students in research projects that require expertise in multiple disciplines (e.g. cell biology, population ecology, and mathematical modeling) can be challenging because they have often not developed the expertise that allows them to participate at a satisfying level. Use of agent-based modeling can allow exploration of concepts at more intuitive levels, and encourage experimentation that emphasizes processes over computational skills. Over the past several years, we have involved undergraduate students in projects examining both ecological and cell biological aspects of aquatic microbial biology, using the freely-downloadable, agent-based modeling environment NetLogo (https://ccl.northwestern.edu/netlogo/). In Netlogo, actions of large numbers of individuals can be simulated, leading to complex systems with emergent behavior. The interface features appealing graphics, monitors, and control structures. In one example, a group of sophomores in a BioMathematics program developed an agent-based model of phytoplankton population dynamics in a pond ecosystem, motivated by observed macroscopic changes in cell numbers (due to growth and death), and driven by responses to irradiance, temperature and a limiting nutrient. In a second example, junior and senior undergraduates conducting Independent Studies created a model of the intracellular processes governing stress and cell death for individual phytoplankton cells (based on parameters derived from experiments using single-cell culturing and flow cytometry), and then this model was embedded in the agents in the pond ecosystem model. In our experience, students with a range of mathematical abilities learned to code quickly and could use the software with varying degrees of sophistication, for example, creation of spatially-explicit two and three-dimensional models. Skills developed quickly and transferred readily to other platforms (e.g. Matlab).
Opportunities for Undergraduates to Engage in Research Using Seismic Data and Data Products
Taber, J. J.; Hubenthal, M.; Benoit, M. H.
Introductory Earth science classes can become more interactive through the use of a range of seismic data and models that are available online, which students can use to conduct simple research regarding earthquakes and earth structure. One way to introduce students to these data sets is via a new set of six intro-level classroom activities designed to introduce undergraduates to some of the grand challenges in seismology research. The activities all use real data sets and some require students to collect their own data, either using physical models or via Web sites and Web applications. While the activities are designed to step students through a learning sequence, several of the activities are open-ended and can be expanded to research topics. For example, collecting and analyzing data from a deceptively simple physical model of earthquake behavior can lead students to query a map-based seismicity catalog via the IRIS Earthquake Browser to study seismicity rates and the distribution of earthquake magnitudes, and make predictions about the earthquake hazards in regions of their choosing. In another activity, students can pose their own questions and reach conclusions regarding the correlation between hydraulic fracturing, waste water disposal, and earthquakes. Other data sources are available for students to engage in self-directed research projects. For students with an interest in instrumentation, they can conduct research relating to instrument calibration and sensitivity using a simple educational seismometer. More advanced students can explore tomographic models of seismic velocity structure, and examine research questions related to earth structure, such as the correlation of topography to crustal thickness, and the fate of subducted slabs. The type of faulting in a region can be explored using a map-based catalog of focal mechanisms, allowing students to analyze the spatial distribution of normal, thrust and strike-slip events in a subduction zone region
Development of research paper writing skills of poultry science undergraduate students studying food microbiology.
Howard, Z R; Donalson, L M; Kim, W K; Li, X; Zabala Díaz, I; Landers, K L; Maciorowski, K G; Ricke, S C
Because food and poultry industries are demanding an improvement in written communication skills among graduates, research paper writing should be an integral part of a senior undergraduate class. However, scientific writing assignments are often treated as secondary to developing the technical skills of the students. Scientific research paper writing has been emphasized in an undergraduate course on advanced food microbiology taught in the Poultry Science Department at Texas A& M University (College Station, TX). Students' opinions suggest that research paper writing as part of a senior course in Poultry Science provides students with scientific communication skills and useful training for their career, but more emphasis on reading and understanding scientific literature may be required.
Mentoring Undergraduate Students through the Space Shuttle Hitchhiker GoldHELOX Project
Moody, J. Ward; Barnes, Jonathan; Roming, Peter; Durfee, Dallin; Campbell, Branton; Turley, Steve; Eastman, Paul
In the late 1980s a team of four BYU undergraduate students designed a space-based telescope to image the sun in soft x-rays from 171-181 Angstroms to gain information on microflares and their relation to the corona-chromosphere transition region. The telescope used a near-normal incidence multi-layered mirror imaging onto film through a micro-channel plate. The system was capable of 1.0 sec time resolution and 2.5 arcsec spatial resolution. Aided by a NASA grant in 1991, a system was built and successfully tested in 1998 at Marshall Space Flight Center. Originally designed to be deployed from a Get-Away-Special (GAS) canister in the bay of a space shuttle, the good results of this test elevated GoldHelox to greater-priority Hitchhiker status. Even so technical and procedural difficulties delayed a launch until after 2003. Unfortunately after the Columbia re-entry break-up in February 2003, the Hitchhiker program was cancelled and the GoldHelox project ended.Well over 200 undergraduate students worked on GoldHelox. Many of these have since earned advanced degrees in a variety of technical fields. Several have gone on to work in the space industry, becoming NASA scientists and engineers with one becoming a PI on the Swift satellite. The broad range of talent on the team has included students majoring in physics, astronomy, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, manufacturing engineering, design engineering, business and even English majors who have written technical and public relations documents. We report on lessons learned and the pitfalls and successes of this unique mentoring experience.
Northeast Under/graduate Research Organization for Neuroscience (NEURON): Our Thirteenth Conference for Neuroscience Trainees and Educators
McLaughlin, Jay P.; Gomes, Stacey; Seliga, Angela; Goyette, Sharon Ramos; Morrison, Amy; Reich, Christian G.; Frye, Cheryl A.
The Northeast Under/Graduate Research Organization for Neuroscience (NEURON) was established 12 years ago in order to foster the training, education, and research of both undergraduate and graduate neuroscience students. NEURON hosts two annual conferences (Boston in the fall; New York City in the spring) to promote and support neuroscience training, education, and research. For 12 years, the organization has promoted neuroscience by exposing neuroscience trainees to research and educational ...
Researching wicked problems in a construction project
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Jacobsen, Peter Holm
Finding ones way through empirical research in a construction project can be a challenging affair. Reflections about the uncertainty that relates to the researchers work when he/she is collecting data and construction knowledge in empirical studies of construction projects, is an area that could...... phases of a construction project – a process competition - to argue why I think it is important and valuable to reflect upon how researchers learn when she/he participate in social practices.My perspective on the researchers role is inspired by social practice theory such as theories of situated learning...... be elaborated more upon (Pink et. al., 2010). Getting access, formulating strategies for analyses, finding concepts and selecting methods such as participant observations and interviews are often problematic aspects, that influences the knowledge that researchers produces in a number of ways that relates...
Cultural differences in Research project management
Barbier, Michele
Scientific Projects today have increased in complexity, requiring multidisciplinarity, and requiring a mix of diverse individuals from different countries who must be integrated into an effective project. Effective team building is one of the prime responsibilities of the project manager. When the project is supported by a funding, the integration and the implication of the different partners are quite easy. Particularly when partners are developing high-performing teams. However, management of research project requires further skills when the budget is not very high and/or when partners are from non-European countries and are not using the same vocabulary. The various cultures, values, beliefs and social usages, particularly with Mediterranean countries cause a special style of communication for an individual or group of individuals. This communication style participates in the success of the project and encompasses a lot of diplomatic skills which will be highlighted.
The benefits of multi-year research experiences: differences in novice and experienced students' reported gains from undergraduate research.
Thiry, Heather; Weston, Timothy J; Laursen, Sandra L; Hunter, Anne-Barrie
This mixed-methods study explores differences in novice and experienced undergraduate students' perceptions of their cognitive, personal, and professional gains from engaging in scientific research. The study was conducted in four different undergraduate research (UR) programs at two research-extensive universities; three of these programs had a focus on the biosciences. Seventy-three entry-level and experienced student researchers participated in in-depth, semi-structured interviews and completed the quantitative Undergraduate Research Student Self-Assessment (URSSA) instrument. Interviews and surveys assessed students' developmental outcomes from engaging in UR. Experienced students reported distinct personal, professional, and cognitive outcomes relative to their novice peers, including a more sophisticated understanding of the process of scientific research. Students also described the trajectories by which they developed not only the intellectual skills necessary to advance in science, but also the behaviors and temperament necessary to be a scientist. The findings suggest that students benefit from multi-year UR experiences. Implications for UR program design, advising practices, and funding structures are discussed.
The Benefits of Multi-Year Research Experiences: Differences in Novice and Experienced Students' Reported Gains from Undergraduate Research
Thiry, Heather; Weston, Timothy J.; Laursen, Sandra L.; Hunter, Anne-Barrie
This mixed-methods study explores differences in novice and experienced undergraduate students' perceptions of their cognitive, personal, and professional gains from engaging in scientific research. The study was conducted in four different undergraduate research (UR) programs at two research-extensive universities; three of these programs had a focus on the biosciences. Seventy-three entry-level and experienced student researchers participated in in-depth, semi-structured interviews and completed the quantitative Undergraduate Research Student Self-Assessment (URSSA) instrument. Interviews and surveys assessed students' developmental outcomes from engaging in UR. Experienced students reported distinct personal, professional, and cognitive outcomes relative to their novice peers, including a more sophisticated understanding of the process of scientific research. Students also described the trajectories by which they developed not only the intellectual skills necessary to advance in science, but also the behaviors and temperament necessary to be a scientist. The findings suggest that students benefit from multi-year UR experiences. Implications for UR program design, advising practices, and funding structures are discussed. PMID:22949423
The association between alexithymia and impoverishment of dreaming: an empirical research amongst undergraduate students
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Ivan Formica
Full Text Available Increasing evidence supports the hypothesis that people with alexithymia present, together with a lack of symbolic function, a dreaming component disorder. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the association between alexithymia and dreaming correlates amongst undergraduates. Data on alexithymia and dreaming component were collected from 100 undergraduates from the degree course in Psychology and 100 from the degree course in Economy and Trading using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20 and the Dreaming Questionnaire (DQ. Total score for alexithymia and the mean scores for the three factors of the two scales were calculated. We then compared the total alexithymia scores and the three subscales of the TAS-20 with those of the three factors of the DQ. Economy and Trading undergraduates obtained higher scores for alexithymia than Psychology undergraduates. We also found a significant correlation between the three subscales of the DQ and TAS-20 total scores. Significant correlations were also found between the three TAS-20 subscales and DQ subscales. Our results extend previous research by suggesting an association between alexithymia and altered dreaming content as expression of lack of affect regulation which emerges through conscious cognitive activity and dreams.
Embedding responsible conduct in learning and research into an Australian undergraduate curriculum.
Fernandes, Lynette B
Responsible conduct in learning and research (RCLR) was progressively introduced into the pharmacology curriculum for undergraduate science students at The University of Western Australia. In the second year of this undergraduate curriculum, a lecture introduces students to issues such as the use of animals in teaching and responsible conduct of research. Third year student groups deliver presentations on topics including scientific integrity and the use of human subjects in research. Academic and research staff attending these presentations provide feedback and participate in discussions. Students enrolled in an optional capstone Honours year complete an online course on the responsible conduct of research and participate in an interactive movie. Once RCLR became established in the curriculum, a survey of Likert-scaled and open-ended questions examined student and staff perceptions. Data were expressed as Approval (% of responses represented by Strongly Agree and Agree). RCLR was found to be relevant to the study of pharmacology (69-100% Approval), important for one's future career (62-100% Approval), and stimulated further interest in this area (32-75% Approval). Free entry comments demonstrated the value of RCLR and constructive suggestions for improvement have now been incorporated. RCLR modules were found to be a valuable addition to the pharmacology undergraduate curriculum. This approach may be used to incorporate ethics into any science undergraduate curriculum, with the use of discipline-specific topics. © 2016 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 45(1):53-59, 2017. © 2016 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
Students and Faculty Perceptions of an Undergraduate Nursing Research Internship Program.
O'Brien, Tara; Hathaway, Donna
Nursing students in baccalaureate programs report that research is not visible in practice, and faculty conducting research report rarely interacting with students in undergraduate nursing programs. We examined student and faculty perceptions of a research internship embedded in an existing evidence-based practice course. Students (n = 15) and faculty (n = 5) viewed the internship as a positive experience that provided meaningful hands-on skills while generating interest in a potential research career. The internship also provided faculty the opportunity to identify potential doctoral students.
Cross-disciplinary, authentic student research projects
Heck, A.; Uylings, P.; Kędzierska, E.; Ellermeijer, T.
In the Dutch secondary education system, students must carry out at the end of their school career a rather large research or design project to demonstrate their ability to apply acquired knowledge and skills while pursuing a research question or design goal in some depth. They are encouraged to
Annual review of research projects 1983
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
This progress report provides a brief outline of current laboratory research and development projects and their present status. Research fields covered are: uranium, radon and its daughters, radiation effects in solids and gases, thermoluminescence, x-rays and clinical dosimetry, measurement standards in radiation dosimetry, radiopharmaceuticals and nuclear medicine, radionuclide metrology, non-ionizing electromagnetic radiations, environmental radiochemistry and radiation monitoring
Research and Transfer: A Teaching Project
Stern, Catherine; Macheski, Cecilia
This paper reports on a project that grew out of observations and conversations undertaken by two faculty members at LaGuardia Community College/CUNY interested in exploring the connection between research skills and transfer knowledge. Stern and Macheski posited that if students were able to connect research acquisition skills to the transfer…
Annual review of research projects 1984
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Keam, D.W.
This progress report provides a brief outline of current laboratory research and development projects and their present status. Research fields covered are: uranium, radon and its daughters, radiation effects in solids and gases, x-rays and clinical dosimetry, measurement standards in radiation dosimetry, radiopharmaceuticals and nuclear medicine, non-ionizing electromagnetic radiations, environmental radiochemistry and radiation monitoring
Methodology of impact assessment of research projects
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Rodriguez Cardona, R.; Cobas Aranda, M.
In the context of the management of research projects development it is necessary to have tools to monitor and evaluate progress and the performance of the projects, as well as their results and the impact on society (international agencies of the United Nations and the States 2002 and 2005 Paris Declaration), with the objective of to ensure their contribution to the social and economic development of countries. Many organizations, agencies and Governments apply different methodologies (IDB, World Bank, UNDP, ECLAC, UNESCO; UNICEF, Canada, Japan, other) for these purposes. In the results-based project management system not only paramount is the process or product itself, but also the result or impact of the project (if the program/project produced the effects desired persons, households and institutions and whether those effects are attributable to the intervention of the program / project). The work shows a methodology that allows for a qualitative and quantitative evaluation of impact of research projects and has been result of experience in project management of international collaboration with the International Agency for Atomic Energy (IAEA) and the Cuban Nuclear programme. (author)
Advancing Space Sciences through Undergraduate Research Experiences at UC Berkeley's Space Sciences Laboratory - a novel approach to undergraduate internships for first generation community college students
Raftery, C. L.; Davis, H. B.; Peticolas, L. M.; Paglierani, R.
The Space Sciences Laboratory at UC Berkeley launched an NSF-funded Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program in the summer of 2015. The "Advancing Space Sciences through Undergraduate Research Experiences" (ASSURE) program recruited heavily from local community colleges and universities, and provided a multi-tiered mentorship program for students in the fields of space science and engineering. The program was focussed on providing a supportive environment for 2nd and 3rd year undergraduates, many of whom were first generation and underrepresented students. This model provides three levels of mentorship support for the participating interns: 1) the primary research advisor provides academic and professional support. 2) The program coordinator, who meets with the interns multiple times per week, provides personal support and helps the interns to assimilate into the highly competitive environment of the research laboratory. 3) Returning undergraduate interns provided peer support and guidance to the new cohort of students. The impacts of this program on the first generation students and the research mentors, as well as the lessons learned will be discussed.
Project management of life-science research projects: project characteristics, challenges and training needs.
Beukers, Margot W
Thirty-four project managers of life-science research projects were interviewed to investigate the characteristics of their projects, the challenges they faced and their training requirements. A set of ten discriminating parameters were identified based on four project categories: contract research, development, discovery and call-based projects--projects set up to address research questions defined in a call for proposals. The major challenges these project managers are faced with relate to project members, leadership without authority and a lack of commitment from the respective organization. Two-thirds of the project managers indicated that they would be interested in receiving additional training, mostly on people-oriented, soft skills. The training programs that are currently on offer, however, do not meet their needs. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
An evaluation capacity building toolkit for principal investigators of undergraduate research experiences: A demonstration of transforming theory into practice.
Rorrer, Audrey S
This paper describes the approach and process undertaken to develop evaluation capacity among the leaders of a federally funded undergraduate research program. An evaluation toolkit was developed for Computer and Information Sciences and Engineering(1) Research Experiences for Undergraduates(2) (CISE REU) programs to address the ongoing need for evaluation capacity among principal investigators who manage program evaluation. The toolkit was the result of collaboration within the CISE REU community with the purpose being to provide targeted instructional resources and tools for quality program evaluation. Challenges were to balance the desire for standardized assessment with the responsibility to account for individual program contexts. Toolkit contents included instructional materials about evaluation practice, a standardized applicant management tool, and a modulated outcomes measure. Resulting benefits from toolkit deployment were having cost effective, sustainable evaluation tools, a community evaluation forum, and aggregate measurement of key program outcomes for the national program. Lessons learned included the imperative of understanding the evaluation context, engaging stakeholders, and building stakeholder trust. Results from project measures are presented along with a discussion of guidelines for facilitating evaluation capacity building that will serve a variety of contexts. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Integration of a Zebrafish Research Project into a Molecular Biology Course to Support Critical Thinking and Course Content Goals
Felzien, Lisa K.
Engaging undergraduates in research is essential for teaching them to think like scientists, and it has become a desired component of classroom and laboratory instruction. Research projects that span an entire semester expose students to a variety of concepts and techniques and allow students to use experiments to learn scientific principles,…
Hydrologic Education and Undergraduate Research in a Passive Wetland Treatment System
Fredrick, K. C.; Lohr, L.
Legacy coal mine drainage has been found to impair surface water throughout southwestern Pennsylvania. Though few of our incoming students know what "acid mine drainage" is, nearly all have seen the orange streams and seeps that are its most obvious characteristic. On the other end of the spectrum, our geology majors are typically finding jobs in the oil and gas industry related to shale gas, or in environmental fields especially related to local and regional surface water. To take advantage of their early familiarity with local stream impacts and the likelihood they will have to deal with mine effluent during their post-academic careers, we have leveraged a local passive wetland treatment system to bring a relevant, real-life scenario into the classroom and lab. Moraine State Park, in western PA, is centered on Lake Arthur, an artificial reservoir of Muddy Creek. The park, particularly the lake, is a destination for recreational visitors, including boating and fishing enthusiasts. There is concern among visitors and park administrators about the health of the local streams and the lake. The area has been extensively undermined, with most coal mines sealed prior to the damming of the reservoir. One such instance of these sealed mine ports failed along one of the many embayments of Lake Arthur and a passive treatment system was installed. It was used as an example of the environmental impacts to the area for park guests, with an access road and signage. However, at this time, the three-pond system may be failing, five years beyond its projected life span and showing signs of stress and downstream contamination. Though the system is small, it provides a robust opportunity for hydrologic and geochemical analyses. We have used the pond system extensively for undergraduate research. Over the past five years, a Master's thesis was completed, and numerous undergraduate projects followed. Students have measured precipitate thickness and deposition rates, endeavored to
Undergraduates Conducting Research Using High-Resolution Multibeam and Sidescan Sonar to Map and Characterize the Seabed: the BEAMS Program
Harris, M. S.; Sautter, L.
The College of Charleston's BEnthic Acoustic Mapping and Survey (BEAMS) Program has just completed its 10th year of operation, and has proven to be remarkably effective at activating and maintaining undergraduate student interest in conducting research using sophisticated software, state-of-the-art instrumentation, enormous datasets, and significant experiential time. BEAMS students conduct research as part of a minimum 3-course sequence of marine geology-based content, marine geospatial software, and seafloor research courses. Over 140 students have completed the program, 56% of the graduated students remain active in the marine geospatial workforce or academic arenas. Forty-eight percent (48%) of those students are female. As undergraduates, students not only conduct independent research projects, but present their work at national conferences each year. Additionally, over 90 % of all "BEAMers" have been provided a 2-3 day at-sea experience on a dedicated BEAMS Program multibeam survey research cruise, and many students also volunteer as survey technicians aboard NOAA research vessels. Critical partnerships have developed with private industry to provide numerous collaborative opportunities and an employment/employer pipeline, as well as provision of software and hardware at many fiscal levels. Ongoing collaboration with the Marine Institute of Ireland and the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens has also provided valuable field opportunities and collaborative experiences. This talk will summarize the program while highlighting some of the key areas and topics investigated by students, including detailed geomorphologic studies of continental margins, submarine canyons, tectonic features and seamounts. Students also work with NOAA investigators to aid in the characterization of fish and deep coral habitats, and with BOEM researchers to study offshore windfield suitability and submerged cultural landscapes. Our sister program at the University of
Nuclear safety research project. Annual report 1995
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hueper, R.
The reactor safety R and D work of the Karlsruhe Research Centre (FZK) has been part of the Nuclear Safety Research Project (PSF) since 1990. The present annual report 1995 summarizes the R and D results. The research tasks are coordinated in agreement with internal and external working groups. The contributions to this report correspond to the status of early 1996. An abstract in English precedes each of them, whenever the respective article is written in German. (orig.) [de
Project for a renewable energy research centre
Andrea Giachetta
In Liguria, where sustainable approaches to the design, construction and management of buildings enjoy scant currency, the idea of a company from Milan (FERA s.r.l.) setting up a research centre for studies into renewable energy resources, could well open up very interesting development opportunities.The project includes: environmental rehabilitation (restoration) projects; strategies for the protection of water resources and waste management systems; passive and active solar systems (solar t...
Are Project Developers Knights and Researchers Queens?
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Vinstrup, Anya Bjørn
How do project developers at universities view their customers – the researchers, and how do they see themselves as a profession? Does this view influence their motivation and what challenges does it impose? Taking elements of theory from Public Service Motivation (PSM) and linking it with a small...... empirically based survey among the project developers at a centrally located office at a university in Denmark – these questions are sought to be answered. The focal point being the motivation of the project developer, with special emphasis on their user perception, and the practical implications it has...
How can we maximize nursing students' learning about research evidence and utilization in undergraduate, preregistration programmes? A discussion paper.
Christie, Janice; Hamill, Conal; Power, John
This article presents a discussion on how to maximize nursing students' learning about research for evidence-based practice in undergraduate, preregistration programmes. Evidence-based practice may use information from many sources, including research. Research utilization concerns the translation of research findings into practice. Thus, while evidence-base practice may not be solely research-based and hence more than research utilization, research remains an important ingredient in ensuring quality and cost-effective care and an academic requirement for nursing students undertaking a science degree-level qualification. Nevertheless, how educators can best support research-related learning and application remains uncertain and requires discussion. MEDLINE, CINAHL, Social Science Citation Index, British Nursing Index, and Intute were searched for papers published 1980-2011 using the following search terms: research, research utilization, evidence-based practice, learning, teaching, education, training, nursing, health, and social care. Nursing students need to be able to value the relevance, authority, and utility of nursing research for patient care through embedding research learning in both academic and practice-based settings. Students can be supported in learning how to access, understand, and appraise the authority of research through weaving these skills into enquiry-based learning. Furthermore, encouraging students to undertake research-based practice change projects can support research utilization and development skills. Research should be fully embedded throughout nursing curricula beyond the confines of 'research classes', integrating learning in academic and practice-based settings. Although this requires synergistic and integrated support of student learning by nurse educators, managers, clinical practitioners, researchers and policymakers; nurse educators have a pivotal role. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
Bio Diesel Cellulosic Ethanol Research Project
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Hanlon, Edward A. [County of Hendry, FL (United States); Capece, John C. [County of Hendry, FL (United States); McAvoy, Eugene [County of Hendry, FL (United States); Hodges, Alan Wayne [County of Hendry, FL (United States); Shukla, Sanjay [County of Hendry, FL (United States); Ozores-Hamilton, Monica [County of Hendry, FL (United States); Gilbert, Rob [County of Hendry, FL (United States); Wright, Alan [County of Hendry, FL (United States); Baucum, L. [County of Hendry, FL (United States)
The objective of the project is to create the Hendry County Sustainable Biofuels Center and initiate its research, development, and education programs. The mission is to develop engineering and economic assessment methods to evaluate the natural resources impacts of biomass farming and fuel conversion systems; provide sustainability assessments of specific biofuels productions proposals; develop biomass farming and fuel conversion systems that are compatible with south Florida ecosystem restoration priorities; create ecosystem services opportunities and structures to diversify farm income; monitor the range of research and development activities necessary to the creation of sutstainable biofuels production systems in south Florida, identify gaps in the regional research, and assist in the development and coordination of additional projects to fill out the required knowledge base; prepare the workforce of southwest Florida for employment in biofuels related professions; and assist businesses & governmental design and realize sustainable biofuels projects.
Cultivating Native American scientists: an application of an Indigenous model to an undergraduate research experience
McMahon, Tracey R.; Griese, Emily R.; Kenyon, DenYelle Baete
With growing evidence demonstrating the impact of undergraduate research experiences on educational persistence, efforts are currently being made to expand these opportunities within universities and research institutions throughout the United States. Recruiting underrepresented students into these programs has become an increasingly popular method of promoting diversity in science. Given the low matriculation into postsecondary education and completion rates among Native Americans, there is a great need for Native American undergraduate research internships. Although research has shown that Western education models tend to be less effective with Native populations, the implementation of indigenous epistemologies and pedagogies within higher education, including research experiences, is rare. This study explores the applicability of a cognitive apprenticeship merged with an indigenous approach, the Circle of Courage, to build a scientific learning environment and enhance the academic and professional development of Native students engaged in an undergraduate research experience in the health sciences. Data were drawn from focus groups with 20 students who participated in this program in 2012-2014. Questions explored the extent to which relational bonds between students and mentors were cultivated as well as the impact of this experience on the development of research skills, intellectual growth, academic and professional self-determination, and the attachment of meaning to their research experiences. Data were analyzed via deductive content analysis, allowing for an assessment of how the theoretical constructs inherent to this model (belonging, mastery, independence, and generosity) impacted students. Findings suggest that engaging Native students in research experiences that prioritize the needs of belonging, mastery, independence, and generosity can be a successful means of fostering a positive learning environment, in which students felt like significant members
Advanced energy projects FY 1994 research summaries
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The Division of Advanced Energy Projects (AEP) provides support to explore the feasibility of novel, energy-related concepts that evolve from advances in basic research. These concepts are typically at an early stage of scientific definition and, therefore, are premature for consideration by applied research or technology development programs. The AEP also supports high-risk, exploratory concepts that do not readily fit into a program area but could have several applications that may span scientific disciplines or technical areas. Projects supported by the Division arise from unsolicited ideas and concepts submitted by researchers. The portfolio of projects is dynamic and reflects the broad role of the Department in supporting research and development for improving the Nation's energy outlook. FY 1994 projects include the following topical areas: novel materials for energy technology; renewable and biodegradable materials; exploring uses of new scientific discoveries; alternate pathways to energy efficiency; alternative energy sources; and innovative approaches to waste treatment and reduction. Summaries are given for 66 projects
Advanced energy projects FY 1994 research summaries
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The Division of Advanced Energy Projects (AEP) provides support to explore the feasibility of novel, energy-related concepts that evolve from advances in basic research. These concepts are typically at an early stage of scientific definition and, therefore, are premature for consideration by applied research or technology development programs. The AEP also supports high-risk, exploratory concepts that do not readily fit into a program area but could have several applications that may span scientific disciplines or technical areas. Projects supported by the Division arise from unsolicited ideas and concepts submitted by researchers. The portfolio of projects is dynamic and reflects the broad role of the Department in supporting research and development for improving the Nation`s energy outlook. FY 1994 projects include the following topical areas: novel materials for energy technology; renewable and biodegradable materials; exploring uses of new scientific discoveries; alternate pathways to energy efficiency; alternative energy sources; and innovative approaches to waste treatment and reduction. Summaries are given for 66 projects.
The Trauma Research Associates Program (T-RAP) for undergraduate students: shaping future academic surgeons.
Barmparas, Galinos; Fierro, Nicole; Lee, Debora; Sun, Beatrice J; Ley, Eric J
Offering undergraduate students research opportunities may enhance their interest in pursuing a surgical career and lead to increased academic productivity. We characterize the benefits of participating in the Trauma Research Associates Program. A 19-point Web-based survey. Academic Level I Trauma Center. A total of 29 active and former members of the Trauma Research Associates Program. Academic activities and predictors associated with interest in a surgical career and research productivity. Surveys were completed on 26 of 29 (90%) participants. Clinical experience was the most highly ranked motivation to join the program (65%), followed by pursuing a research experience (46%). During their involvement, 73% of participants observed surgical intensive care unit rounds, 65% observed acute care surgery rounds, and 35% observed a surgical procedure in the operating room. In addition, 46% submitted at least one abstract to a surgical meeting coauthored with the Division's faculty. Furthermore, 58% reported that they enrolled in a medical school, whereas 17% pursued a full-time research job. The program influenced the interest in a surgical career in 39% of all members, and 73% reported that they would incorporate research in their medical career. Observing a surgical procedure was independently associated with development of a high interest in a surgical career (adjusted odds ratio: 6.50; 95% CI: 1.09, 38.63; p = 0.04), whereas volunteering for more than 15 hours per week predicted submission of at least 1 abstract to a surgical conference by the participant (adjusted odds ratio: 13.00; 95% CI: 1.27, 133.29; p = 0.03). Development of a structured research program for undergraduate students is beneficial to both the participants and sponsoring institution. Undergraduate exposure to academic surgery enhances interest in pursuing a surgical specialty and leads to academic productivity. Copyright © 2014 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier
Advanced energy projects; FY 1995 research summaries
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The AEP Division supports projects to explore novel energy-related concepts which are typically at an early stage of scientific development, and high-risk, exploratory concepts. Topical areas presently receiving support are: novel materials for energy technology, renewable and biodegradable materials, exploring uses of new scientific discoveries, alternate pathways to energy efficiency, alternative energy sources, and innovative approaches to waste treatment and reduction. There were 46 research projects during FY 1995; ten were initiated during that fiscal year. The summaries are separated into grant and laboratory programs, and small business innovation research programs.
A Comparison of Internal Dispositions and Career Trajectories after Collaborative versus Apprenticed Research Experiences for Undergraduates
Frantz, Kyle J.; Demetrikopoulos, Melissa K.; Britner, Shari L.; Carruth, Laura L.; Williams, Brian A.; Pecore, John L.; DeHaan, Robert L.; Goode, Christopher T.
Undergraduate research experiences confer benefits on students bound for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers, but the low number of research professionals available to serve as mentors often limits access to research. Within the context of our summer research program (BRAIN), we tested the hypothesis that a team-based collaborative learning model (CLM) produces student outcomes at least as positive as a traditional apprenticeship model (AM). Through stratified, random assignment to conditions, CLM students were designated to work together in a teaching laboratory to conduct research according to a defined curriculum led by several instructors, whereas AM students were paired with mentors in active research groups. We used pre-, mid-, and postprogram surveys to measure internal dispositions reported to predict progress toward STEM careers, such as scientific research self-efficacy, science identity, science anxiety, and commitment to a science career. We are also tracking long-term retention in science-related career paths. For both short- and longer-term outcomes, the two program formats produced similar benefits, supporting our hypothesis that the CLM provides positive outcomes while conserving resources, such as faculty mentors. We discuss this method in comparison with course-based undergraduate research and recommend its expansion to institutional settings in which mentor resources are scarce. PMID:28130268
Research reactor job analysis - A project description
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Yoder, John; Bessler, Nancy J.
Addressing the need of the improved training in nuclear industry, nuclear utilities established training program guidelines based on Performance-Based Training (PBT) concepts. The comparison of commercial nuclear power facilities with research and test reactors owned by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), made in an independent review of personnel selection, training, and qualification requirements for DOE-owned reactors pointed out that the complexity of the most critical tasks in research reactors is less than that in power reactors. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) started a project by commissioning Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) to conduct a job analysis survey of representative research reactor facilities. The output of the project consists of two publications: Volume 1 - Research Reactor Job Analysis: Overview, which contains an Introduction, Project Description, Project Methodology,, and. An Overview of Performance-Based Training (PBT); and Volume 2 - Research Reactor Job Analysis: Implementation, which contains Guidelines for Application of Preliminary Task Lists and Preliminary Task Lists for Reactor Operators and Supervisory Reactor Operators
Use of research in undergraduate nursing students' theses: A mixed methods study.
Nordsteien, Anita; Horntvedt, May-Elin T; Syse, Jonn
Health care personnel are expected to be familiar with evidence-based practice (EBP). Asking clinical questions, conducting systematic literature searches and conducting critical appraisal of research findings have been some of the barriers to EBP. To improve undergraduate nurses' research skills, a collaborative library-faculty teaching intervention was established in 2012. The aim of this study was to evaluate how the collaborative library-faculty teaching intervention affected the nursing students' research skills when writing their final theses. Both quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis were used. The study focused on a final year undergraduate nurse training programme in Norway. 194 theses submitted between 2013 and 2015 were collected and assessed. The students were exposed to the intervention for respectively one, two and three years during this period. Descriptive statistics were used to compare each year's output over the three-year period and to examine the frequency of the use of various databases, types of information and EBP-tools. Qualitative data was used to capture the students' reasoning behind their selection processes in their research. The research skills with regard to EBP have clearly improved over the three years. There was an increase in employing most EBP-tools and the justifications were connected to important EBP principles. The grades in the upper half of the grading scale increased from 66.7 to 82.1% over the period 2013 to 2015, and a correlation was found between grades and critical appraisal skills. The collaborative library-faculty teaching intervention employed has been successful in the promotion of nursing student research skills as far as the EBP principles are concerned. Writing a thesis in the undergraduate nursing programme is important to develop and practice these research skills. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Geologic Wonders of Yosemite at Two Miles High: an Undergraduate, Learner-Centered, Team Research Program at the University of Southern California
Wagner, R.; Anderson, J. L.; Cao, W.; Gao, Y.; Ikeda, T.; Jacobs, R.; Johanesen, K.; Mai, J.; Memeti, V.; Padilla, A.; Paterson, S. R.; Seyum, S.; Shimono, S.; Thomas, T.; Thompson, J.; Zhang, T.
This program is a multidisciplinary student research experience that is largely outside of the classroom, involving undergraduate students in an international-level research project looking at the magmatic plumbing systems formed underneath volcanoes. We bring together a blend of students across the disciplines, both from within and outside the sciences. Following a "learner-centered" teaching philosophy, we formed student teams where more advanced students worked with and taught those more junior, under the guidance of mentors, which include USC professors, graduate students, and visiting international scholars. This program truly covers the full breadth of the research process, from field work and data collection to analysis to presentation. In the summers of 2006 and 2007, research groups of undergraduates and mentors camped in the high Sierra backcountry and worked in small mapping groups by day, generating a detailed geologic map of the field area. Evenings consisted of student led science meetings where the group discussed major research problems and developed a plan to address them. Upon returning from the field, the research group transitions to more lab- based work, including rock dating, XRF geochemistry, microscope, and mineral microprobe analyses, and by spring semester the groups also begins writing up and presenting the results. The summer 2006 research group consisted of 5 undergraduate students and 5 mentors, and was a huge success resulting in presentations at a university undergraduate research symposium as well as the Cordilleran Section meeting of GSA. The summer 2007 group was even larger, with 10 undergraduates and 6 mentors, including two international scholars. Undergraduates also participated in research in China and Mongolia. Aside from rewarding research experiences, students learn rapidly through these research experiences, were much more engaged in the learning process, and benefited from teaching their peers. Several students expressed
Tsinghua-Johns Hopkins Joint Center for Biomedical Engineering Research: scientific and cultural exchange in undergraduate engineering.
Wisneski, Andrew D; Huang, Lixia; Hong, Bo; Wang, Xiaoqin
A model for an international undergraduate biomedical engineering research exchange program is outlined. In 2008, the Johns Hopkins University in collaboration with Tsinghua University in Beijing, China established the Tsinghua-Johns Hopkins Joint Center for Biomedical Engineering Research. Undergraduate biomedical engineering students from both universities are offered the opportunity to participate in research at the overseas institution. Programs such as these will not only provide research experiences for undergraduates but valuable cultural exchange and enrichment as well. Currently, strict course scheduling and rigorous curricula in most biomedical engineering programs may present obstacles for students to partake in study abroad opportunities. Universities are encouraged to harbor abroad opportunities for undergraduate engineering students, for which this particular program can serve as a model.
Construction of a scattering chamber for ion-beam analysis of environmental materials in undergraduate physics research
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
LaBrake, Scott M.; Vineyard, Michael F.; Turley, Colin F.; Moore, Robert D.; Johnson, Christopher [Department of Physics and Astronomy Union College, Schenectady, NY 12308 (United States)
We have developed a new scattering chamber for ion-beam analysis of environmental materials with the 1.1-MV Pelletron accelerator at the Union College Ion-Beam Analysis Laboratory. The chamber was constructed from a ten-inch, Conflat, multi-port cross and includes a three-axis target manipulator and target ladder assembly, an eight-inch turbo pump, an Amptek X-ray detector, and multiple charged particle detectors. Recent projects performed by our undergraduate research team include proton induced X-ray emission (PIXE) and Rutherford backscattering (RBS) analyses of atmospheric aerosols collected with a nine-stage cascade impactor in Upstate New York. We will describe the construction of the chamber and discuss the results of some commissioning experiments.
Construction of a scattering chamber for ion-beam analysis of environmental materials in undergraduate physics research
LaBrake, Scott M.; Vineyard, Michael F.; Turley, Colin F.; Moore, Robert D.; Johnson, Christopher
We have developed a new scattering chamber for ion-beam analysis of environmental materials with the 1.1-MV Pelletron accelerator at the Union College Ion-Beam Analysis Laboratory. The chamber was constructed from a ten-inch, Conflat, multi-port cross and includes a three-axis target manipulator and target ladder assembly, an eight-inch turbo pump, an Amptek X-ray detector, and multiple charged particle detectors. Recent projects performed by our undergraduate research team include proton induced X-ray emission (PIXE) and Rutherford backscattering (RBS) analyses of atmospheric aerosols collected with a nine-stage cascade impactor in Upstate New York. We will describe the construction of the chamber and discuss the results of some commissioning experiments.
Advanced Energy Projects FY 1996 research summaries
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The mission of the Advanced Energy Projects Division (AEP) is to explore the scientific feasibility of novel energy-related concepts. These concepts are typically at an early stage of scientific development and, therefore, are premature for consideration by applied research or technology development programs. The portfolio of projects is dynamic, but reflects the broad role of the Department in supporting research and development for improving the Nation`s energy posture. Topical areas presently receiving support include: alternative energy sources; innovative concepts for energy conversion and storage; alternate pathways to energy efficiency; exploring uses of new scientific discoveries; biologically-based energy concepts; renewable and biodegradable materials; novel materials for energy technology; and innovative approaches to waste treatment and reduction. Summaries of the 70 projects currently being supported are presented. Appendices contain budget information and investigator and institutional indices.
Supporting research projects via student workshops
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Marschall, Max; Schmeck, Michel; Gengnagel, Christoph
As part of a joint research project between the Centre for Information Technology and Architecture (CITA) and te Department for Structural Design and Technology (KET), a one week student workshop was organised at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts (KADK) in Copenhagen. This paper outlines...
Pilot Project - National Development Research Program (Honduras ...
International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)
The idea for a National Research and Training Program (PRIDE, in Spanish) emerged from the IDRC-supported project, "100133 Building Learning Systems for Honduran Development." This grant will support a pilot version of PRIDE consisting of two calls for proposals. The first will focus on poverty and development ...
Lab notebooks as scientific communication: Investigating development from undergraduate courses to graduate research
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Jacob T. Stanley
Full Text Available In experimental physics, lab notebooks play an essential role in the research process. For all of the ubiquity of lab notebooks, little formal attention has been paid to addressing what is considered "best practice" for scientific documentation and how researchers come to learn these practices in experimental physics. Using interviews with practicing researchers, namely, physics graduate students, we explore the different experiences researchers had in learning how to effectively use a notebook for scientific documentation. We find that very few of those interviewed thought that their undergraduate lab classes successfully taught them the benefit of maintaining a lab notebook. Most described training in lab notebook use as either ineffective or outright missing from their undergraduate lab course experience. Furthermore, a large majority of those interviewed explained that they did not receive any formal training in maintaining a lab notebook during their graduate school experience and received little to no feedback from their advisors on these records. Many of the interviewees describe learning the purpose of, and how to maintain, these kinds of lab records only after having a period of trial and error, having already started doing research in their graduate program. Despite the central role of scientific documentation in the research enterprise, these physics graduate students did not gain skills in documentation through formal instruction, but rather through informal hands-on practice.
Influences on Faculty Willingness to Mentor Undergraduate Students from Another University as Part of an Interinstitutional Research Training Program
Morales, Danielle X.; Grineski, Sara E.; Collins, Timothy W.
In 2014, the National Institutes of Health invested $31 million in 10 primary institutions across the United States through the Building Undergraduate Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (BUILD) program; one requirement of BUILD is sending undergraduate trainees from those primary institutions to partner institutions for research experiences. Mechanisms like BUILD are designed to broaden research opportunities for students, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds. However, to our knowledge, no studies have examined faculty willingness to mentor undergraduates from other institutions through structured training programs. Survey data from 536 faculty members at 13 institutions were collected in Fall 2013 and analyzed using multiple statistical techniques. Results show that faculty who valued the opportunity to increase diversity in the academy and those who believed that mentoring undergraduates benefited their own research expressed greater willingness to serve as research mentors to visiting undergraduates, and faculty who perceived that they did not have the ability to accommodate additional students expressed less willingness to do so. Most respondents viewed student and faculty incentives as motivating factors in their willingness to mentor, but their perspectives on different types of incentives varied based on faculty career stage, discipline, and research funding status. Results have important implications for designing multi-institutional undergraduate research training programs. PMID:27521237

subset: commoncrawl