Graduates Linked With Undergraduates in Engineering (GLUE): A Case Study

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dinesh Rabindran ◽  
Tricia S. Berry
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Mechanical Engineering ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Gear Train ◽  
Mentoring Program ◽  
Spring Semester ◽  
University Of Texas ◽  
Single Output ◽  
College Of Engineering

This paper presents a case study from the Graduates Linked with Undergraduates in Engineering (GLUE) Program in the College of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin. This student mentoring program, offered in the spring semester every year, pairs undergraduate students (mentees) with graduate researchers (mentors) to foster undergraduate research. The benefits from the GLUE program are two-fold. While the undergraduate mentees get a feel for research, the participating graduate students can enhance their research mentoring skills. In this article we present a GLUE case study in the area of Robotics. The mentee in this case was a sophomore in Mechanical Engineering and the mentor (the first author) was a senior doctoral student in Mechanical Engineering. The project involved the design and development of a Dual Input Single Output (DISO) epicyclic gear train to enhance the performance of a robot joint. The system was completely designed and tested using MSC.ADAMS. While describing the project, the paper will demonstrate the improvement in research skills of the mentee using three different sets of criteria from the literature.

Comparing Mentor and Mentee Perspectives in a Research-Based Undergraduate Mentoring Program

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janet Y. Tsai ◽  
Daria Kotys-Schwartz ◽  
Beverly Louie ◽  
Virginia Ferguson ◽  
Alyssa Berg
Keyword(s):  
Graduate Students ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Retention Rate ◽  
Mentoring Relationships ◽  
Mentoring Program ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Engineering Research ◽  
Reflective Questions ◽  
Undergraduate Mentoring

At the University of Colorado Boulder (CU), a research-based undergraduate mentoring program is now in its second year of implementation. The program, Your Own Undergraduate Research Experience (YOU’RE@CU) has three main goals: improve the retention rate of diverse groups in undergraduate engineering, build undergraduate interest in engineering research, and prepare graduate students to take on leadership roles in either academia or industry-based research careers. In YOU’RE@CU, undergraduate students are paired with a graduate mentor and work in the graduate student’s lab several hours a week. Undergraduate mentees enroll in a one-credit seminar course focusing on research and graduate school opportunities, and are assessed via pre- and post-surveys to gauge their excitement and interest in engineering. The undergraduates also respond to biweekly qualitative reflective questions while participating in the program. Graduate mentors complete several reflective questions about their experiences and are required to complete pre- and post-assessments. Adopting a person-centered, case study approach, this paper focuses on two telling examples of research-based mentoring relationships in the YOU’RE@CU program. Given identical mentor training through YOU’RE@CU, two graduate students start the Spring 2012 semester by meeting with their mentees to launch a research project. By examining application, pre-survey, reflective questions, and post-survey responses from these four participants, the differences in the trajectory of the two paired mentoring relationships can be clearly seen over the course of one semester. This close examination of two disparate mentoring relationships is instructive in understanding the subtle details that create either a positive learning environment or an uncomfortable lab situation for young engineers, and assists program administrators in making improvements in subsequent years.

scholarly journals Vigilante Innovation (VIX): case study on the development of student skills through a team-based design process and environment

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kendra H. Oliver ◽  
Jonathan D. Ehrman ◽  
Christina C. Marasco
Keyword(s):  
Student Learning ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Design Framework ◽  
Student Survey ◽  
Stem Fields ◽  
Student Interviews ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Many undergraduate students majoring in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields lack experience in collaborative thinking, limiting their effectiveness as they enter careers in academic and industrial environments. The SyBBURE Searle Undergraduate Research Program has incorporated a team-based design component into its curriculum to fill this gap in training. This design framework, called Vigilante Innovation (VIX) to highlight its emphasis on self-initiation and action, has evolved into a multi-semester-long group undertaking that combines just-in-time training in entrepreneurship and project design with student-driven collaborations aimed at solving a real-world problem. We hypothesize that this framework provides a hands-on, realistic workplace simulation task through which students can develop an understanding of teamwork. Results Using a case-study approach, we discuss the development of the VIX design framework since its inception in 2014 and assess the impact of the VIX framework on student learning and growth using a student survey from 2016 to 2017 and student interviews from 2018. Conclusions A flexible approach, an annualized project timeline, a student-driven prototyping space, and self-selecting project areas emerged as key contributors to the successful implementation of the VIX design and to deepened student learning. The diversity of VIX teams, the self-reported success of student projects, and student interviews indicate that students who participate in VIX possess an in-depth understanding of team-based strategies. These findings support the VIX framework as an effective method of providing undergraduates in STEM fields with efficient and meaningful exposure to the team-based entrepreneurial skills that are vital in their future careers. Additional work is needed to determine if this approach has a long-term impact on student success in team-based environments. The website vigilanteinnovation.com houses a customizable, freely available version of the design guide for educators and innovators alike.

Fostering Undergraduate Research Through Collaboration With Local Engineering Companies

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra Schonning ◽  
Daniel Cox
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Impact Resistance ◽  
Engineering Industry ◽  
Mentoring Program ◽  
Research Project ◽  
Test Fixture ◽  
Test Configuration ◽  
Engineering Research ◽  
Pull Out

This paper discusses the importance of introducing the undergraduate engineering student to research; it provides examples on how research has been integrated with the curriculum, and how the local engineering industry provides engineering research projects for the students. One research project includes the development of a test fixture to be used in determining the pull-out strength of screws in a biomaterials substrate. Another example presented is the development of a test configuration for determining the under water impact resistance of acoustic windows. Furthermore, a research project will be presented on the creation, testing and analysis of bone cement specimens. Through these projects students learn valuable skills such as performing literature review of a technical topic, developing a statement of work, establishing a research plan, learning appropriate software and hardware tools, carefully documenting their work, analyzing results, writing papers, and presenting their work at conferences. This paper provides details on how these skills are developed through the students’ research experiences and how they will benefit the students upon graduation. In order to expose a large number of undergraduate students to research it is helpful to develop some form of a mentoring program where students learn from each other. The paper describes how this mentoring program is organized and provides details of how the students interact with their peers, the faculty members and representatives from the local industry.

scholarly journals The Undergraduate Research Scholarship Scheme: A co-created approach to transforming student learning

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruth L Ayres ◽  
Christopher J Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Student Learning ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Perceived Value ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Research Scholarship

The value of student as researcher/‘co-producer’ has been well documented in the research literature.  This case study outlines an institutional 'student as researcher' initiative that was introduced to enable the co-creation of research by undergraduate students working in partnership with members of academic staff.  The paper outlines the establishment and implementation of the scheme and offers a reflection upon and exploration of its perceived value, through the lens of staff and students who participated in it.

Undergraduate Students as Partners in a Writing Course: A Case Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Assif ◽  
◽  
Sonya Ho ◽  
Shalizeh Minaee ◽  
Farah Rahim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Writing Curriculum ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Higher Education Assessment ◽  
Research Students ◽  
The Uk

Abstract Engaging undergraduate students and faculty as partners in learning and teaching is arguably one of the most important and flourishing trends higher education in the 21st century, particularly in the UK, North America, Australia, and New Zealand. Students as partners is a concept that intersects with other major teaching and learning topics, such as student engagement, equity, decolonization of higher education, assessment, and career preparation. In this context, the aim of this presentation is to report on a case study, where four undergraduate students (hired as undergraduate research students) and a faculty/program coordinator collaborated in the fall of 2020 to review and re-design the curriculum of English A02 (Critical Writing about Literature), a foundational course in the English program at the University of Toronto Scarborough. This presentation will serve as a platform for these students and faculty to share the logistics of this partnership, its successes, challenges, future prospects, and possible recommendations for faculty and students who may partake similar projects in the future. Keywords: Students as Partners (SaP), writing, curriculum, decolonization

scholarly journals Facilitating epistemological access by developing students experiences of undergraduate research

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anisa Vahed ◽  
Shalini Singh
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Professional Practice ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Case Study Research ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Undergraduate Level ◽  
Knowledge Based ◽  
Knowledge Based Economy ◽  
Postgraduate Studies

Quality supervision at undergraduate level provides the impetus for students tocomplete their reseach projects successfully and to progress to higher levels of postgraduate studies.  Yet very little work has been documented on developing students' experiences of undergraduate reserach.  Proponents of undergraduate research claim that quality supervision enables students to engage with their own project; develop higher-order research related skills such as critical thinking; to plan and organise their research work in real-world settings; and to develop problem solving and anlytical skills.  Fundamentally these capabilities can be applied to professional practice, thereby enabling students to be better prepared for a knowledge-based economy, which is a national imperative in the higher education research agenda.  This paper assessed epistemological access of undergraduate students in terms of developing their research potential.  A case study research design within a qualitative framework was used.  Data were collected by means of focus groups and students' reflective reports, which were thematically analysed.  Overall, the salient features of this paper showed that students' described the teaching of research as the theory and the supervision of research as the practice, which assisted them in developing their skills, abilities and dispositions to make informed decisions to self-manage their undergraduate research projects and practice.

scholarly journals A Comparative Analysis of Attainment of Program Outcomes for Courses with and without the Use of Modern Tools

2018 ◽  
Vol 225 ◽  
pp. 06022
Author(s):  
Mark Ovinis ◽  
Saravanan Karuppanan ◽  
Shaharin Anwar Sulaiman ◽  
Puteri Sri Melor ◽  
Mohd Zulhilmi Paiz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Quantitative Data ◽  
Mechanical Engineering ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Computer Modelling ◽  
Knowledge Domain ◽  
Program Outcomes ◽  
Theoretical Concepts

An important consideration in higher education is that graduates meet or exceed the program outcomes (POs). While there exists anecdotal evidence that the use of modern tools i.e. computer modelling and simulation, improve attainment of these outcomes, there is little empirical research available. Where empirical evidence is available, the variables considered would almost certainly have a bearing on the outcomes. In this work, the attainment of the POs by undergraduate engineering students in courses with and without the use of modern tools, based on quantitative data, were compared. It was hypothesized that courses using modern tools would lead to better overall attainment of POs, compared to courses not using these tools. As a case study, the PO attainment of students in the Mechanical Engineering undergraduate program at Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP) was considered. Quantitative data obtained through UTP's outcomebased education (OBE) software was used to assess the overall attainment of the POs for all courses for a cohort of 126 Mechanical Engineering undergraduate students class of 2017. It was found that, for the case study considered, the usage of modern tools has led to slightly better attainment of some POs, with slightly poorer attainment in other POs. Specifically, attainment in POs where the cognitive or the knowledge domain is more dominant improved, as the usage of modern tools helped students to understand theoretical concepts better. Attainment in POs were the affective domain is more dominant recorded a slight decrease, and the incorporation of modern tools did not aid in the attainment of these POs. The study is at a preliminary stage and a more detailed study, involving more cohorts, is planned to establish a correlation (if any) between the use of modern tools in higher education and attainment of POs.

scholarly journals Undergraduate Research Supervision: A Case Study of Supervisors' Perceptions at Yanbu University College

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 112
Author(s):  
Suzan Hasan Al-Doubi ◽  
Hala Fawzi ◽  
JoDee Walters
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Research Projects ◽  
Process Data ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Research Supervision ◽  
Supervision Process ◽  
University College ◽  
Level Of Experience

This exploratory case study examined supervisors' perceptions of supervision of undergraduate research projects, and whether the level of experience affects the quality of the supervision process. Data were collected through questionnaires and interviews. Participants were three supervisors with varying levels of experience in the supervision process at Yanbu University College in Saudi Arabia. Obtained themes were used with the whole data-set. The data were rearranged according to the emerged common themes among the three participants. Findings revealed that the level of experience affected the supervision process in relation to the supervisors‘ perceptions. It also suggested that the level of expereince of the supervisors influnced the process of supervision and the feedback given to the undergraduate students. An implication of these findings is that providing novice supervisors with training and guidance should be considered. Departments should create a discussion platform between experienced and novice supervisors to ensure that the supervision expereince is well delivered to undergraduates during their research projects. The study recommends supervisors to revisit all phases of their practice.

scholarly journals Undergraduate Research: A Bridge to Graduate Education in Agricultural Biotechnology for Hispanics

2008 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 516-519
Author(s):  
Eliezer S. Louzada ◽  
Hilda Sonia de Rio ◽  
Allison J. Abell ◽  
Gerson Peltz ◽  
Michael W. Persans
Keyword(s):  
Graduate Education ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
First Generation ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
First Generation College Students ◽  
Doctoral Level ◽  
University Of Texas ◽  
First Generation College ◽  
Hispanic Undergraduate Students ◽  
The University

Hispanics lag behind all other U.S. ethnic groups in education, and are especially poorly represented in science careers. Undergraduate research is an efficient method to attract undergraduate students to science, and many universities are taking advantage of this; however, much still needs to be done to fully explore its potential. In 2000, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, in collaboration with the University of Texas at Brownsville and the University of Texas Pan-American, initiated a undergraduate research internship program in citrus biotechnology to channel Hispanic undergraduate students into graduate education. To date, 51 internships have been provided, and 20 students have been channeled into graduate school, including four at the doctoral level. Most were first-generation college students.

Seeding undergraduate research experience: From Georgia Tech to KFUPM case study

2018 ◽  
Vol 55 (4) ◽  
pp. 313-323
Author(s):  
Samir Al-Ghadhban ◽  
Ali Muqaibel ◽  
Ghassan Alregib ◽  
Ali Al-Shaikhi
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Group Structure ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Georgia Tech ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Research Experiences ◽  
Course Structure ◽  
Experience Survey

In this paper, implementation and outcomes of an undergraduate research course are presented. The associated gains and learning outcomes of the course are evaluated and benchmarked with other international undergraduate research experiences. The course was offered to undergraduate students at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM). The research group structure adopts Georgia Tech model. The paper summarizes the course structure, content, and best practices. In addition, the results of undergraduate research experience survey are presented and analyzed. The students reported significant gains in understanding of the research process and significant improvements in writing and oral presentation skills.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document