More Like this

1. Virtual REU Program: Engineering Education Research

   Oenardi Lawanto, Wade H. (August 2022, 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition)

   This paper describes a National Science Foundation-funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Site program conducted through virtual working environment. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, REU 2021 activities were conducted online through Canvas and Zoom communication platforms. The major aim of this program is to provide undergraduate students with experiences in engineering education research (i.e., education research in the context of engineering). This paper provides an overview of the program, and briefly describes the virtual working environment, and students’ research experiences during the 10-week program. A total of 11 undergraduate students, seven graduate mentors, and seven faculty mentors have actively participated in the program. The program is conducted in two phases: Phases 1 (i.e., Weeks 1-2) and 2 (i.e., Weeks 3-10). Phase 1 consists of preparatory and foundational work that is delivered to participants and will allow them to begin Phase 2 with some educational research foundation already established. The results of the project evaluation show that the program has made a positive impact on increasing education research skills and communication skills of the participating REU students. The participating REU students reported that the research projects they worked on increased their motivation and confidence for continuing to engage in engineering education research. Four participants (i.e., 36.4% of the total participants) suggested that, if available, they would prefer face-to-face over a virtual REU program. Another four participants (i.e., 36.4%) felt that both face-to-face and virtual would offer the same quality of research experiences, and 3 participants (i.e., 27.2% of the total participants) voiced their preference of virtual over face-to-face REU program. 

   more » « less
2. Work-In-Progress: Can We Create a Model Program: Insights into the Effectiveness of a Research Experience for Undergraduates

   Stiner-Jones, L (January 2023, Proceedings ASEE annual conference)

   This study expands on our prior work of the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) SITE program to provide data on participant preparation for success in graduate school and their perceptions of the program. In the first two studies from our initial cohort, we summarized that we effectively provided an independent research experience, increased participants perception of preparedness for success in the graduate application process and graduate school and increased their ability to communicate about Biomechanics and Mechanobiology (BMMB)1. In the follow up study we showed that by the end of the program students believed they were better prepared for success in graduate school, two students co-authored publications from their projects, and the majority were enrolled in a graduate program2. Here we share data across our first two cohorts which expands our outcomes associated with graduate school preparation and student perceptions of the REU SITE program. We used our site-licensed online survey tool Qualtrics to administer the surveys for data collection. We used the same pre- and post-survey data to assess changes for both ten student cohorts over the 10-week period. The data were analyzed using a paired t-test from GraphPad Prism 9.3.0 software. This study confirmed the findings from the first two studies while highlighting new information. The new analysis conducted across both cohorts showed participation in the program influenced student interest in applying to graduate school p< 0.05. Additionally, the data show that participants felt more prepared to conduct independent research after participating p<0.05. Of the twenty participants the twelve students who have graduated or will be graduating before summer 2023 are enrolled in a graduate program or have applied for admission. Six of those yet to graduate reported they plan to pursue a graduate degree after completing their BS degree. Additionally, students felt the program prepared them to find and read research articles p<0.01 and participate at a conference p<0.05, skills that will be beneficial for success in a graduate program. Ninety-five percent of the participants indicated the REU SITE met or exceeded their expectations and would recommend the program to others. Similarly, 95% were satisfied with the mentorship of their graduate ambassador and 100% indicated they were satisfied with the mentorship of their faculty. Additionally, we were excited to find that after an adjustment to our program after the first cohort, the second cohort felt prepared to contribute to the field of BMMB p<0.05. This was an objective of the program that was not achieved with the first cohort. Lastly, 85% of participants were from underrepresented minority (URM) backgrounds and 70% were female. Thus, the enrollment of our participants in graduate programs continues to enhance diversity in engineering and the field of BMMB. Going forward we will continue to track the progress of participants and the careers they choose after completion of their graduate degrees. We will also continue to use student feedback to improve the experience for participants. 

   more » « less
3. The Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Principal Investigators (PI) Guide: Development of a best practices website.

   Iglesias Pena, Mariangely; Gilbert, Stephen B; Payton, Jamie (June 2018, ASEE Annual Conference proceedings)

   With the help of the National Science Foundation (NSF), many Principal Investigators (PIs) have been able to mentor undergraduates through Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) site awards. These REU sites are critical to the development of future graduate students, but can be challenging to run due to several required skills outside the scope of most faculty members' expertise, e.g., recruiting applicants, navigating the logistics of housing visiting undergraduate students, and tracking student outcomes after their REU experiences. In recent years, REU PIs in NSF's Computer & Information Science & Engineering (CISE) Directorate have come together through PI meetings to share best practices for running a successful REU site. While PIs inevitably take different approaches to running their sites based on their research projects, there is still a need to provide new PIs with guidance on the different aspects of an REU site such as identifying resources that can assist in recruiting women and underrepresented minority applicants, providing training for graduate students acting as mentors, and strategies for keeping a mentoring connection to undergraduate researchers after they return to their home institutions. Currently, REU site preparation and orientation for new PIs is a face-to-face process that requires careful planning and significant travel costs. The REU PI Guide, a set of web-based resources at https://www.vrac.iastate.edu/cise-reu-pi-resources/, was developed to share best practices of experienced PIs and build capacity within the REU PI community in a more scalable and cost-effective way. The REU PI Guide allows PIs to look up advice and guidance when needed and share their own best practices. This paper describes our approach to designing the REU PI Guide. The Guide is a database of documents, examples, and overviews of the different aspects of running an REU site. The Guide was developed by assessing new PIs' needs at an NSF workshop for new PIs, gathering existing resources from experienced PIs, creating and refining a website, and evaluation with new PIs. The website’s content and design will be refined through on-going feedback from PIs and other REU site stakeholders. This site has the potential broader impact to share best practices with REU PIs outside the CISE directorate and significantly ease the process of engaging future scientists via REU sites. 

   more » « less
4. Work in Progress: Preparing the Next Generation of Biomedical Engineering Researchers by Leveraging a Research Experience for Undergraduates

   https://doi.org/10.18260/1-2--38285  

   Stiner-Jones, La'Tonia (April 2021, ASEE Illinois-Indiana Section Conference Proceedings)

   Underrepresented minorities (URM’s) and women comprise 30% and 50% of the U.S. population, respectively. In the Biomedical Engineering (BME) discipline they compose 8% and 37% respectively1. Thus, the enrollment of these groups is still below their representation in society. The BUCKEYE Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) SITE program aims to help address this disparity by 1.) increasing the number of traditionally underrepresented students pursing a graduate degree and preparing them for success in the application process and graduate school, 2.) providing hands-on scientific research experience in Biomechanics and Mechanobiology (BMMB), 3.) and developing the participants ability to comprehend, contribute, and communicate advances in BMMB. To do this our students participated in a 10-week research immersion where they participated in research, professional development and social activities. Our cohort consisted of ten participants all of whom were from a traditionally underrepresented background and 70% were female. To assess the outcomes from the program we administered survey’s using our site-licensed online survey tool Qualtrics. We used a combination of surveys including pre-and post-surveys to assess program outcomes. Surveys were administered to faculty mentors and participants. The data were analyzed with GraphPad Prism 8.2.1 software using a paired t-test or average. The data indicate that by the end of the program students were conducting independent research p<0.01. Overwhelmingly students believed the program prepared them for success in the application process and graduate school, p<0.04 and p<0.02, respectively. Further, by the end of the program students believed they were better able to communicate about the field of BMMB, p<0.04. Seventy-one percent of faculty mentors who responded to the survey indicated their student produced data that could be included in a future publication. Out of the ten participants four are now enrolled in a graduate program, three are currently applying to one of our graduate programs involved in our REU, and another three are not yet ready to graduate. Therefore, the first four students in our cohort to receive their BS degrees are now enrolled in a graduate program contributing to an increase in representation of underrepresented students. We will continue to track whether the remaining students ultimately apply to or enroll in our or another graduate program and the impact of the REU SITE on our graduate program diversity. Moving forward we will modify our approaches to help participants connect the outcomes of their research to their ability to contribute to the field of BMMB, so they are able to identify with the contributions the faculty mentors have noticed. 

   more » « less
5. Work-in-Progress: Preparing the Next Generation of Biomedical Engineering Researchers by Leveraging a Research Experience for Undergraduates

   Stiner-Jones, La'Tonia (April 2021, ASEE Illinois-Indiana Section Conference Proceedings)

   null (Ed.)

   Underrepresented minorities (URM’s) and women comprise 30% and 50% of the U.S. population, respectively. In the Biomedical Engineering (BME) discipline they compose 8% and37% respectively1. Thus, the enrollment of these groups is still below their representation in society. The BUCKEYE Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) SITE program aims tohelp address this disparity by 1.) increasing the number of traditionally underrepresented students pursing a graduate degree and preparing them for success in the application process and graduate school, 2.) providing hands-on scientific research experience in Biomechanics and Mechanobiology (BMMB), 3.) and developing the participants ability to comprehend, contribute,and communicate advances in BMMB. To do this our students participated in a 10-week research immersion where they participated in research, professional development and social activities. Our cohort consisted of ten participants all of whom were from a traditionally underrepresented background and 70% were female. To assess the outcomes from the program we administered survey’s using our site-licensed online survey tool Qualtrics. We used a combination of surveys including pre-and post-surveys to assess program outcomes. Surveys were administered to faculty mentors and participants. The data were analyzed with GraphPad Prism 8.2.1 software using a paired t-test or average. The data indicate that by the end of the program students were conducting independent research p<0.01. Overwhelmingly students believed the program prepared them for success in the application process and graduate school, p<0.04 and p<0.02, respectively. Further, by the end of the program students believed they werebetter able to communicate about the field of BMMB, p<0.04. Seventy-one percent of faculty mentors who responded to the survey indicated their student produced data that could be included in a future publication. Out of the ten participants four are now enrolled in a graduate program, three are currently applying to one of our graduate programs involved in our REU, and another three are not yet ready to graduate. Therefore, the first four students in our cohort to receive their BS degrees are now enrolled in a graduate program contributing to an increase in representation of underrepresented students. We will continue to track whether the remaining students ultimately apply to or enroll in our or another graduate program and the impact of the REU SITE on our graduate program diversity. Moving forward we will modify our approaches to help participants connect the outcomes of their research to their ability to contribute to the field of BMMB, so they are able to identify with the contributions the faculty mentors have noticed. 

   more » « less