Mentoring Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Students via a Team Effort

We describe how a team approach that we developed as a mentoring strategy can be used to recruit, advance, and guide students to be more interested in the interdisciplinary field of mathematical biology, and lead to success in undergraduate research in this field. Students are introduced to research in their first semester via lab rotations. Their participation in the research of four faculty members—two from biology and two from mathematics—gives them a first-hand overview of research in quantitative biology and also some initial experience in research itself. However, one of the primary goals of the lab rotation experience is that of developing teams of students and faculty that combine mathematics and statistics with biology and the life sciences, teams that subsequently mentor undergraduate research in genuine interdisciplinary environments. Thus, the team concept serves not only as a means of establishing interdisciplinary research, but also as a means of incorporating new students into existing research efforts that will then track those students into meaningful research of their own. We report how the team concept is used to support undergraduate research in mathematical biology and what types of team-building strategies have worked for us.

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Creative, Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Research: An Educational Cell Biology Video Game Designed by Students for Students

Scholarship and Practice of Undergraduate Research ◽

10.18833/spur/4/2/7 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

pp. 5-14

Author(s):

Isabelle Sperano ◽

◽

Ross Shaw ◽

Robert Andruchow ◽

Dana Cobzas ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Undergraduate Students ◽

Video Game ◽

Cell Biology ◽

Undergraduate Research ◽

Faculty Members ◽

Research Project ◽

Biology Students ◽

Interdisciplinary Practice ◽

Practice Based Research ◽

The Right

In a three-year, practice-based, creative research project, the team designed a video game for undergraduate biology students that aimed to find the right balance between educational content and entertainment. The project involved 7 faculty members and 14 undergraduate students from biological science, design, computer science, and music. This nontraditional approach to research was attractive to students. Working on an interdisciplinary practice-based research project required strategies related to timeline, recruitment, funding, team management, and mentoring. Although this project was time-consuming and full of challenges, it created meaningful learning experiences not only for students but also for faculty members.

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Mentoring Undergraduate Researchers: Faculty Mentors Perceptions Of The Challenges And Benefits Of The Research Relationship

Journal of College Teaching & Learning (TLC) ◽

10.19030/tlc.v6i6.1131 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 6 (6) ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Sharyn J. Potter ◽

Eleanor Abrams ◽

Lisa Townson ◽

Julie E. Williams

Keyword(s):

New England ◽

Faculty Member ◽

Undergraduate Students ◽

Undergraduate Research ◽

Faculty Members ◽

College And University ◽

Research Relationship ◽

Wide Range ◽

Faculty Mentors ◽

University Officials

In the past decade, college and university officials have tried to formalize avenues that provide undergraduate students with opportunities to conduct research, either in direct collaboration with a faculty member or as independent research under the supervision of a faculty member. Administrators and faculty have worked to institutionalize these programs because they recognize the intrinsic benefits of these faculty student collaborations. Since most faculty balance a wide range of demands, we wanted to understand how faculty members view these partnerships in the larger context of their work. In 2008, as the Undergraduate Research Conference at our midsize public New England University entered its ninth year, the evaluation committee administered a survey to examine faculty members’ attitudes toward undergraduate research endeavors. Our results show that faculty felt overwhelmingly positive about their role as mentors. Full professors indicate more satisfaction in this role than associate and assistant professors.

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The Effectiveness of Distance Learning (BlackBoard) in Pursuing the Educational Process at Taif University during the COVID-19 Pandemic from the Viewpoints of Teachers and Students

Tobacco Regulatory Science ◽

10.18001/trs.7.5.101 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (5) ◽

pp. 1772-1783

Author(s):

Mohammad Khair M. Al-Salamat ◽

Hamad H. Alsowat ◽

Rashid M. Al-roqil

Keyword(s):

Distance Learning ◽

Undergraduate Students ◽

Large Degree ◽

Educational Process ◽

Faculty Members ◽

Academic Rank ◽

Master's Students ◽

First Semester ◽

Teachers And Students ◽

Descriptive Survey

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, like other countries in the world, is facing the Covid-19 pandemic, as it is trying with all its efforts to pursue higher education in its universities and schools through distance learning using the latest electronic programs. The current research attempted to investigate Taif University experience in distance learning and the effectiveness of BlackBoard in pursuing education in the light of the Covid-19 pandemic from the viewpoints of teachers and students. To achieve this goal, the descriptive survey approach was used. Two questionnaires were designed; one for teachers and the other for students. A random sample was chosen from all university colleges during the first semester of the academic year 2020/2021. The sample consisted of (240) faculty members and (804) male and female students. The results showed large effectiveness of distance learning(BlackBoard) in pursuing education from the viewpoints of faculty members, and to a very large degree from the students’ point of view.No impact of the two variables (gender, academic rank) appeared in the viewpoints of faculty members in that effectiveness. The results also showed that male students’ views were higher than those of females, and the views of master’s students were higher than those of undergraduate students on this effectiveness.

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Increasing Research Productivity in Undergraduate Research Experiences: Exploring Predictors of Collaborative Faculty–Student Publications

CBE—Life Sciences Education ◽

10.1187/cbe.16-11-0326 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 16 (3) ◽

pp. ar42 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Danielle X. Morales ◽

Sara E. Grineski ◽

Timothy W. Collins

Keyword(s):

Undergraduate Students ◽

Undergraduate Research ◽

Faculty Members ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Research Experiences ◽

Student Collaboration ◽

Student Publications ◽

Faculty Commitment ◽

Faculty Mentors

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.

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Displaying a Poster, Unifying a Campus: Undergraduate Research Day at Penn State Wilkes-Barre

Pennsylvania Libraries Research & Practice ◽

10.5195/palrap.2015.109 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 3 (2) ◽

pp. 156-168

Author(s):

Jennie Levine Knies ◽

Megan Mac Gregor

Keyword(s):

Undergraduate Students ◽

Organizational Identity ◽

Undergraduate Research ◽

Planning Committee ◽

Faculty Members ◽

Degree Programs ◽

Penn State ◽

Faculty And Staff ◽

The Way

This article describes the first official Undergraduate Research Day at Penn State Wilkes-Barre, a small campus with approximately 550 undergraduate students and 8 four-year degree programs. In 2015, an informal planning committee, consisting of two librarians and two faculty members, embarked on a project to turn what had been an informal course assignment into a campus-wide research event. By remaining flexible, engaged, and open to collaboration, the committee made Undergraduate Research Day in April 2015 a success, and plans are underway to hold this event in subsequent years. The event energized and motivated students, faculty, and staff on campus and paved the way toward a unified organizational identity on campus.

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Undergraduate Research Program to Recycle Composite Waste

Education Sciences ◽

10.3390/educsci11070354 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (7) ◽

pp. 354

Author(s):

Waleed Ahmed ◽

Essam Zaneldin ◽

Amged Al Hassan

Keyword(s):

Mechanical Properties ◽

Compressive Strength ◽

Carbon Fiber ◽

Undergraduate Students ◽

Research Program ◽

Modulus Of Elasticity ◽

Undergraduate Research ◽

Undergraduate Research Program ◽

Structural Applications ◽

Cfrp Composite

With the rapid growth in the manufacturing industry and increased urbanization, higher amounts of composite material waste are being produced, causing severe threats to the environment. These environmental concerns, coupled with the fact that undergraduate students typically have minimal experience in research, have initiated the need at the UAE University to promote research among undergraduate students, leading to the development of a summer undergraduate research program. In this study, a recycling methodology is presented to test lab-fabricated Carbon-Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) for potential applications in industrial composite waste. The work was conducted by two groups of undergraduate students at the UAE University. The methodology involved the chemical dissolution of the composite waste, followed by compression molding and adequate heat treatment for rapid curing of CFRP. Subsequently, the CFRP samples were divided into three groups based on their geometrical distinctions. The mechanical properties (i.e., modulus of elasticity and compressive strength) were determined through material testing, and the results were then compared with steel for prompt reference. The results revealed that the values of mechanical properties range from 2 to 4.3 GPa for the modulus of elasticity and from 203.7 to 301.5 MPa for the compressive strength. These values are considered competitive and optimal, and as such, carbon fiber waste can be used as an alternate material for various structural applications. The inconsistencies in the values are due to discrepancies in the procedure as a result of the lack of specialized equipment for handling CFRP waste material. The study concluded that the properties of CFRP composite prepreg scrap tend to be reusable instead of disposable. Despite the meager experimental discrepancies, test values and mechanical properties indicate that CFRP composite can be successfully used as a material for nonstructural applications.

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UTILIZING UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH TO INFORM COMMUNITY RESOURCES FOR OLDER ADULTS: A SERVICE-LEARNING PROJECT

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igz038.1974 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S537-S538

Author(s):

Amanda E Barnett ◽

Sara Olinger

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Service Learning ◽

Best Practices ◽

Undergraduate Students ◽

Undergraduate Research ◽

Community Resources ◽

Home Visitor ◽

Aging Societies ◽

Theory Research ◽

The Impact

Abstract Engaging undergraduate students with aging-focused community resources is critical for preparing students to work with older adults and make positive contributions to aging societies. During the fall, 2018 semester, undergraduate students in a human development course on middle and late adulthood partnered with a county aging and disability resource center (ADRC) in Wisconsin to evaluate and update several of their existing programs and resources using empirical research. Upon completion of this project, students synthesized course material to meet all course learning objectives such as: (1) critically analyze physical, psychological, and sociological processes of aging across categories of difference (e.g. cultural, ethnic, class); (2) evaluate social policies and their multigenerational implications for midlife and older adults; and (3) construct a personal position on aging that integrates theory, research, and policy to demonstrate a sensitive and competent approach to working with midlife and older adults. Students researched, wrote reports, and presented to ADRC staff on the impact of social isolation on older adults, best practices for home visitor and transportation programs serving older adults, cognitive competency tools and best practices for utilizing memory assessments, grief supports and groups for family caregivers, and best practices for supporting veterans as they age. The outcome of these projects are research-based recommendations for any ADRC to consider when developing and implementing related programs. All stakeholders (students, professor, and ADRC staff) were satisfied with the process and outcomes of the project. Strengths and challenges of carrying out such a collaborative project will be reviewed.

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Evaluating undergraduate research conferences as vehicles for novice researcher development

International Journal for Researcher Development ◽

10.1108/ijrd-10-2015-0026 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 159-177 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Pauline Kneale ◽

Andrew Edwards-Jones ◽

Helen Walkington ◽

Jennifer Hill

Keyword(s):

Undergraduate Students ◽

Undergraduate Research ◽

Skills Development ◽

Learning Context ◽

Content Type ◽

Research Conference ◽

Researcher Development ◽

Development Framework ◽

Wide Range ◽

The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to focus on the undergraduate research conference as its sphere of study and investigate the impact of significance of participation and socialisation in such activities on student attitudes and professional development. Using situated learning to theoretically position the undergraduate research conference as an authentic learning context, connection is also made with the concept of graduate attributes. Design/methodology/approach The Vitae (2014) Researcher Development Framework (RDF) is used to provide a template for charting the experiences and development of undergraduate students as researchers. This can be applied to short-term activities and programmes and to long-term career plans. The insights from 90 undergraduate students participating in three national undergraduate research conferences were obtained through interviews, and thematically analysed to map the students’ skills development against the RDF criteria. Findings Three main aspects of undergraduate research conference participation were considered particularly important by the students: the value of paper presentations, the value of poster presentations and the value of the overall conference experience. Within these themes, participants identified a wide range of skills and attributes they felt they had developed as a result of either preparing for or participating in the conferences. The majority of these skills and attributes could be mapped against the different domains of the RDF, using a public engagement lens for comparing actual with expected developmental areas. Research limitations/implications This research helps undergraduate research conference organisers construct programme content and form it in such a way that students’ skill development can be maximised prior to, and during, the course of an event. Learning developers can also use these findings to help understand the support needs of students preparing to deliver papers at such conferences. So far, little empirical research has examined students’ skills development within the undergraduate research conference arena. Originality/value The outcomes of this study show the diversity of the skills that students developed and the value of the conference format for offering networking practice and enhancing the communication skills which employers value.

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A Framework for Implementing Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) in Freshman Biology Labs

The American Biology Teacher ◽

10.1525/abt.2016.78.6.448 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 78 (6) ◽

pp. 448-455 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Arundhati Bakshi ◽

Lorelei E. Patrick ◽

E. William Wischusen

Keyword(s):

Undergraduate Students ◽

Research University ◽

Undergraduate Research ◽

Research Projects ◽

Implementation Barriers ◽

Research Experiences ◽

Undergraduate Research Experiences ◽

Widespread Implementation ◽

Flexible Framework ◽

Large Research

There have been many calls to make research experiences available to more undergraduate students. One way to do this is to provide course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs), but providing these on a scale large enough to accommodate many students can be a daunting undertaking. Indeed, other researchers have identified time to develop materials and course size as significant barriers to widespread implementation of CUREs. Based on our own experiences implementing CUREs at a large research university, we present a flexible framework that we have adapted to multiple research projects, share class materials and rubrics we have developed, and suggest logistical strategies to lower these implementation barriers.

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Early year undergraduate researchers’ reflections on the values and perceived costs of their research experience

International Journal of STEM Education ◽

10.1186/s40594-020-00248-x ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Gaye D. Ceyhan ◽

John W. Tillotson

Keyword(s):

Achievement Motivation ◽

Undergraduate Students ◽

Undergraduate Research ◽

Intrinsic Value ◽

Value Theory ◽

Research Experience ◽

Expectancy Value ◽

Research Experiences ◽

Research Findings ◽

Future Work

Abstract Background Prior research reported that motivational beliefs that individuals attach to specific tasks predict continuing interest and persistence in the task. A motivational approach may be particularly useful for understanding undergraduate students’ engagement with research in their first and second years in college. The current study utilizes the expectancy-value theory of achievement motivation to qualitatively explore how much and in what ways early year undergraduate researchers value their research experience and what kinds of costs they associate with it. Results The results revealed that intrinsic value had the highest expression in participants’ motivation to engage in research. The second most expressed value type was the utility value of undergraduate research with regards to obtaining the desired outcomes, and attainment value played the least important role in participants’ motivation to engage in research. Findings also indicated that some of the participants associated a cost(s) to their research experience. The highest mentioned perceived cost was opportunity cost, where participants commented on losing other valued alternatives when engaging in research. Participants commented on the time, effort, or amount of work needed to engage in research, and a few participants commented on the emotional cost associated with their research experience in terms of the fear of failure. Conclusion As perceived cost is the least studied in the expectancy-value framework, this study contributes to cost values within college students, particularly about early year undergraduate researchers. The findings of this study can form the basis for future work on exploring ways to increase the values and decrease the costs students experience in their undergraduate research experiences.

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