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1. A Model for International Summer Research Experiences for STEM Students

   https://doi.org/10.1080/0047231X.2024.2390691  

   Munakata, Mika; Lim, Su San; Molina, Carlos A (November 2024, Journal of College Science Teaching)

   In this article, we report on a National Science Foundation-funded immersive international summer research program for biology students. Six students, representing Cohort 1 of a three-year program, spent nine weeks at one of three institutes in Japan, working on related molecular, cellular, and developmental research projects under the mentorship of a Japanese researcher. We describe the recruitment process, pre-departure activities, orientation week, research projects, and mentorship structure. Data were collected to determine the impact of the program on students’ views about science and to seek feedback about the structure of the program. The pre-, mid- and post-program interviews with the students as well as their weekly written reflections revealed that the program challenged their perspectives about science, broadened their understanding of what it means to engage in science research, and contributed to their growing confidence as budding scientists. The students mentioned that certain elements of the program, including the orientation week, weekly meetings, and individualized and hands-on mentorship they received, contributed to their rich experience in Japan. Suggestions are provided for adapting this model to develop other international opportunities for STEM students. 

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2. Making Meaning through Mentorship: A Student-Led Layered Peer Mentorship Program

   Howland Cummings, M. H.; Schupbach, W. T.; Altman, T.; Jacobson, M. S.; Goodman, K.; Darbeheshti, M. (January 2023, ASEE)

   This Complete Evidence-Based Paper presents research about a layered peer mentorship program for undergraduate engineering students at a public urban research university and ways that students have made meaning from their mentorship experiences. This mentorship program began in Fall 2019 and has grown to include the following layers: (a) first-year students who receive mentorship, (b) sophomore- and junior-level students who serve as mentors (all of whom received mentorship during their first year), (c) junior- and senior-level students who serve as lead mentors who design the program for that academic year (including content, group meetings, service projects, meeting schedules, etc.), (d) a graduate student who mentors and supervises the lead mentors, and (e) a faculty member who oversees the overall program, provides general guidance, and advises all the students. We will describe ways in which the participating students have made meaning of their experience in the program, highlighting three key areas: (1) the web of relationships formed, which cohere into a community; (2) students’ transitions from receiving mentorship as first-year students to mentoring others in their sophomore and junior years; and (3) the feedback and iteration process by which the program has continuously developed, which forefronts student voice and agency. The paper will provide specific examples in each of the three key areas described, with a special focus on students’ own descriptions of the meaning they have made through their participation in the mentorship program. Recommendations will also be shared for those interested in implementing similar programs on their campuses. 

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3. Mentorship During a Pandemic: Transitions from Lab and Sea to Virtual

   https://doi.org/10.1029/2020EO149115  

   Sima, Richard (October 2020, Eos)

   With mentorship having gone virtual this past summer, three geosciences programs offer case studies about how to form meaningful connections during a time of social distancing. 

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4. Mentoring Structures and the Types of Support Provided to Early-Year Undergraduate Researchers

   https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.19-09-0183  

   Ceyhan, Gaye D.; Tillotson, John W.; Braun, Derek (September 2020, CBE—Life Sciences Education)

   Research has shown that mentorship provided to undergraduate researchers affects the extent of research outcomes. Although a large body of literature focuses on the faculty–undergraduate dyad mentorship structure, little is known about mentoring triads (i.e., interaction among undergraduate students, faculty, and graduate students or postdoctoral associates) or the support provided to early-year undergraduate researchers. Mentors provide various types of support (e.g., intellectual, personal, emotional, and professional support) to undergraduate researchers to increase their engagement in a discipline. This qualitative exploratory study aims to investigate undergraduate researchers’ perspectives on mentoring structures and the support provided to them in their first and sophomore years. The majority of participants described the mentorship they received as having a triad structure, indicating interaction with both faculty and postgraduates. Participants also reported receiving different types of support from faculty and postgraduates depending on their mentoring structures and the amount of research experience they gained. Given the potential benefits to undergraduate researchers, undergraduate research programs should be designed to provide clear roles, responsibilities, and expectations to maximize the support provided to undergraduate students. 

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5. Identity Development during STEM Integration for Underrepresented Minority Students

   https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108882071  

   Kuchynka, Sophie L.; Gates, Alexander E.; Rivera, Luis M. (January 2020, Elements in applied social psychology)

   null (Ed.)

   Over the past three decades, research efforts and interventions have been implemented across the United States to increase the persistent underrepresentation of minority (URM) students in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). This Element systematically compares STEM interventions that offer resources and opportunities related to mentorship, research, and more. We organize the findings of this literature into a multiphase framework of STEM integration and identity development. We propose four distinct phases of STEM integration: Phase 1: High School; Phase 2: Pre-College Summer; Phase 3: College First Year; and Phase 4: College Second Year through Graduation. We combine tenets of theories about social identity, stereotypes and bias, and the five-factor operationalization of identity formation to describe each phase of STEM integration. Findings indicate the importance of exploration through exposure to STEM material, mentorship, and diverse STEM communities. We generalize lessons from STEM interventions to URM students across institutions. 

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