scholarly journals Introducing electrical engineering through characterization of a handheld moisture meter: A research experience case study

2018 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Todd J Freeborn ◽  
Jada Damond
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Students ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Electrical Engineering ◽  
Test Equipment ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Research Experiences ◽  
Moisture Meter ◽  
The University

Concepts from electrical engineering can be introduced to nonmajor engineering students through lectures, laboratories, or even research experiences. Often the purpose of introducing nonmajors to these concepts is to highlight that engineering problems are not limited to skills from only a single discipline as well as improve their ability to communicate and collaborate with other disciplines. This case study discusses the experience of introducing a nonmajor undergraduate student to electrical engineering through an undergraduate research project at The University of Alabama investigating the electrical properties of bamboo, which required the characterization of a portable moisture meter. These exercises were successful at improving the student’s confidence and proficiency with electrical test equipment, highlighting the limitations of test equipment, and applying concepts of resistance to a real-world application that overlaps electrical, chemical, and biological disciplines. While this exercise was a component of an undergraduate research experience, similar exercises could be easily integrated into electrical engineering laboratories for nonelectrical engineering majors to introduce and reinforce concepts from electrical engineering using a multidisciplinary application.

scholarly journals A Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience on the Evolution of Antibiotic Resistance and its Molecular Basis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katie Dickinson ◽  
Joya Mukerji ◽  
Stuart Graham ◽  
Liz Warfield ◽  
Ben Kerr
Keyword(s):  
Antibiotic Resistance ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Drug Effects ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Research Experiences ◽  
Stem Majors ◽  
Cellular Machinery ◽  
Transformative Approach ◽  
Introductory Classes ◽  
The University

Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) in high-enrollment, introductory classes are a 37 potentially transformative approach to retaining more students in STEM majors. We developed and piloted a CURE 38 in the introductory biology courses at the University of Washington. This CURE focuses on analyzing experimental 39 evolution of antibiotic resistance in Escherichia coli and generates data on two topics relevant to clinical practice: 40 compensatory mutations and cross-drug effects. By studying mutations in central cellular machinery that confer drug 41 resistance, students not only gain insight into fundamental cellular phenomena, but also recognize the molecular 42 basis of a medically important form of evolutionary change, connecting genetics, microbiology, and evolution.

A Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience in Biofluid Mechanics

2019 ◽  
Vol 141 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alisa Morss Clyne ◽  
Adrian C. Shieh ◽  
Jennifer S. Stanford
Keyword(s):  
Flipped Classroom ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Biofluid Mechanics ◽  
Research Experiences ◽  
In Vivo Experiments

Abstract Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CURE) are a valuable tool to increase research exposure for larger undergraduate cohorts. We implemented a CURE within a senior-level biofluid mechanics course that was primarily taught using a flipped classroom approach. Due to the large class size, the students analyzed data that was publicly available and produced by one of our laboratories. Student teams then developed hypotheses based on the data analysis and designed a set of in vitro and in vivo experiments to test those hypotheses. The hypotheses and experiments that were most highly rated by the class were then tested in our laboratory. At the end of the class, student gains were assessed by self-report and compared to those self-reported by students engaging in a traditional freshman undergraduate summer research experience. While the students in the CURE reported moderate gains in self-assessment of research-based skills, their self-reported gains were statistically significantly lower than those reported by students who participated in the traditional research experience. We believe that the CURE could be improved through implementation in a lower level class, enabling students to observe laboratory experiments, and providing additional feedback throughout the hypothesis development and experimental design process. Overall, the CURE is an innovative way to expand research experiences, in particular for engineering students who often do not participate in hypothesis-driven research during their undergraduate education.

scholarly journals Putting student partnership and collaboration centre-stage in a research-led context

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 160-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henk Huijser ◽  
James Wilson ◽  
Yao Wu ◽  
Shuang Qiu ◽  
Kangxin Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Poster Presentation ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Research Projects ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Research Fellowship ◽  
Practical Research ◽  
University Degree ◽  
The University

In this case study, we evaluated the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) initiative at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU), an extracurricular programme that focuses on academic staff-student partnerships and collaborations. While not directly integrated into university degree programmes, SURF provides students with the opportunity to develop practical research skills related to knowledge they have acquired in class. Participating students receive an authentic research experience, which involves collaboration on research projects with academic staff. All students are required to present results of their projects at a public poster presentation event organised by the university. This case study is a partnership between Academic Enhancement Centre (AEC) staff, who organize and run SURF, SURF students, and a lecturer (M.B.N. Kouwenhoven), and it presents a reflection on their experiences of the SURF programme, and in particular on the notions of partnership and collaboration and the potential tension between those two concepts.

Using Multidisciplinary Research Experiences to Enhance STEM Learning through Undergraduate, Team-Based, Summer Research Projects for At-Risk Students

2014 ◽  
pp. 198-220
Author(s):  
Jennifer Yantz ◽  
Brittany D. Smith ◽  
Ginger Holmes Rowell ◽  
Thomas Cheatham ◽  
Donald Nelson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Research Projects ◽  
Stem Learning ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Research Experiences ◽  
Stem Majors ◽  
Faculty Mentor ◽  
And Mathematics

Undergraduate research can be one of the most important and influential learning experiences during a student's college career (Light, 2001). Significant retention value is achieved both through one-on-one contact with a faculty mentor (Campbell, 1997; Jacobi, 1991) and by interaction with peers in a learning community (Johnson, 2001). Colleges and universities are using undergraduate research experiences to help improve student retention, graduation, and success in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). However, undergraduate research is frequently reserved for the best and brightest students who have achieved junior or senior class status. This case study describes a team-based research experience designed for first-year, at-risk undergraduate students. For this project, the term “at-risk” is defined to be first-time, full-time freshman declared STEM majors with a weak mathematics background as measured by having an ACT-Mathematics sub score of 19 to 23, inclusive. In particular, this case study focuses on the multidisciplinary nature of some of the research projects and the benefits for the students in terms of confidence, depth of learning in STEM, and progress in understanding the scientific process.

scholarly journals Female mentors positively contribute to undergraduate STEM research experiences

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (12) ◽  
pp. e0260646
Author(s):  
Saili Moghe ◽  
Katelyn Baumgart ◽  
Julie J. Shaffer ◽  
Kimberly A. Carlson
Keyword(s):  
Role Models ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Critical Issue ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Stem Fields ◽  
Research Experiences ◽  
Research Mentor ◽  
The University

The positive influence of undergraduate research and mentoring on student success in STEM fields has been well-established. However, the role that the gender of a research mentor may play in the undergraduate research experience warrants further investigation. This is an especially critical issue to address, since the lack of female role models in STEM fields is acknowledged as an impediment to the success and progress of women pursuing STEM-careers. To evaluate how the gender of undergraduate research mentors influences the research experience of students, we collected and analyzed surveys from undergraduates and alumni who had completed undergraduate research at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. We found that even though students did not select mentors based on gender, there were differences in how students perceived their mentors, depending on the gender of their mentors. Interestingly, students with female mentors were more likely than students with male mentors to report that their research experience had prepared them for a career in science. Further, our gender-pairing analyses revealed that students who expressed that the gender of their mentor had contributed to their relationship with their mentor were more likely to have a female mentor. Our data indicate that female mentors favorably influence the undergraduate research experience of both male and female students. Finally, our study reinforces the conclusions of previous studies demonstrating that undergraduate research and mentoring are beneficial for students. Overall, our findings support that, for students to fully benefit from their undergraduate research experience, undergraduate research opportunities for students should include an equitable representation of female mentors.

scholarly journals OCEAN EDUCATION • Virtual and Remote—Hands-On Undergraduate Research in Plankton Ecology During the 2020 Pandemic: COVID-19 Can’t Stop This!

Oceanography ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pierre Marrec ◽  
◽  
Andria Miller ◽  
Lucie Maranda ◽  
Susanne Menden-Deuer
Keyword(s):  
Research Training ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Learning Goals ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Research Experiences ◽  
Safe Delivery ◽  
Research Fellowship ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Internship Programs ◽  
The University

The pandemic has had innumerable impacts on the oceanographic community, including on summer research internship programs that expose undergraduates to diverse career paths in oceanography while immersed in an active laboratory. For many students, these internships are formative in their career choices. The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship in Oceanography (SURFO) at the University of Rhode Island’s Graduate School of Oceanography is one of the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) programs that proceeded remotely during the summer of 2020. Here, we highlight one project that, although remote, maintained a hands-on research experience focused on quantitative skill building. The pandemic forced the REU advisors to identify key learning goals and ensure their safe delivery, given the circumstances. Although all participants agreed that in-person instruction would have been preferable, we were pleased that we did not let a virus halt essential oceanographic research training.

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.

scholarly journals A Simple but Efficient Concept of Blended Teaching of Mathematics for Engineering Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 56
Author(s):  
Saray Busto ◽  
Michael Dumbser ◽  
Elena Gaburro
Keyword(s):  
Facial Expressions ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Video Quality ◽  
Lecture Hall ◽  
Ex Post ◽  
Teaching Of Mathematics ◽  
Online Streaming ◽  
The University ◽  
Blended Teaching

In this article we present a case study concerning a simple but efficient technical and logistic concept for the realization of blended teaching of mathematics and its applications in theoretical mechanics that was conceived, tested and implemented at the Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering (DICAM) of the University of Trento, Italy, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The concept foresees traditional blackboard lectures with a reduced number of students physically present in the lecture hall, while the same lectures are simultaneously made available to the remaining students, who cannot be present, via high-quality low-bandwidth online streaming. The case study presented in this paper was implemented in a single University Department and was carried out with a total of n=1011 students and n=68 professors participating in the study. Based on our first key assumption that traditional blackboard lectures, including the gestures and the facial expressions of the professor, are even nowadays still a very efficient and highly appreciated means of teaching mathematics at the university, this paper deliberately does not want to propose a novel pedagogical concept of how to teach mathematics at the undergraduate level, but rather presents a technical concept of how to preserve the quality of traditional blackboard lectures even during the COVID-19 pandemic and how to make them available to the students at home via online streaming with adequate audio and video quality even at low internet bandwidth. The second key assumption of this paper is that the teaching of mathematics is a dynamic creative process that requires the physical presence of students in the lecture hall as audience so that the professor can instantaneously fine-tune the evolution of the lecture according to his/her perception of the level of attention and the facial expressions of the students. The third key assumption of this paper is that students need to have the possibility to interact with each other personally, especially in the first years at the university. We report on the necessary hardware, software and logistics, as well as on the perception of the proposed blended lectures by undergraduate students from civil and environmental engineering at the University of Trento, Italy, compared to traditional lectures and also compared to the pure online lectures that were needed as emergency measure at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The evaluation of the concept was carried out with the aid of quantitative internet bandwidth measurements, direct comparison of transmitted video signals and a careful analysis of ex ante and ex post online questionnaires sent to students and professors.

Characterization of an airborne microbial community: A case study in the archive of the University of Coimbra, Portugal

2013 ◽  
Vol 79 ◽  
pp. 36-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Inês Nunes ◽  
Nuno Mesquita ◽  
Sandra Cabo Verde ◽  
Ana Maria Leitão Bandeira ◽  
Maria Manuela Carolino ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Community ◽  
The University

scholarly journals Assessment of Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences: A Meeting Report

2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Corwin Auchincloss ◽  
Sandra L. Laursen ◽  
Janet L. Branchaw ◽  
Kevin Eagan ◽  
Mark Graham ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Biology Education ◽  
Operational Definition ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Meeting Report ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Research Experiences ◽  
Undergraduate Research Experiences ◽  
Foundation Program ◽  
Definition Of

The Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences Network (CUREnet) was initiated in 2012 with funding from the National Science Foundation program for Research Coordination Networks in Undergraduate Biology Education. CUREnet aims to address topics, problems, and opportunities inherent to integrating research experiences into undergraduate courses. During CUREnet meetings and discussions, it became apparent that there is need for a clear definition of what constitutes a CURE and systematic exploration of what makes CUREs meaningful in terms of student learning. Thus, we assembled a small working group of people with expertise in CURE instruction and assessment to: 1) draft an operational definition of a CURE, with the aim of defining what makes a laboratory course or project a “research experience”; 2) summarize research on CUREs, as well as findings from studies of undergraduate research internships that would be useful for thinking about how students are influenced by participating in CUREs; and 3) identify areas of greatest need with respect to CURE assessment, and directions for future research on and evaluation of CUREs. This report summarizes the outcomes and recommendations of this meeting.

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