Accessible Undergraduate Research Training

Various forms of Undergraduate Research Experiences (UREs) are evolving to cater to diverse student needs. From virtual opportunities emphasizing effective delivery and skill transfer, to lab-based, course-based, and independent UREs, these experiences encompass team projects, practical training, and personalized research, contributing to a comprehensive landscape of undergraduate research initiatives. In this project, we are researching four different types of UREs within our School. 

Online UREs

Transitioning UREs into virtual spaces expands opportunities for a diverse student body. Historically, online programs provided access to non-traditional students, but now include younger and more traditional college students. Students of all ages and locations are increasingly turning to online education. There is a crucial need to develop effective means for delivering virtual undergraduate research opportunities and ensuring those opportunities are effective in giving students valuable transferrable skills. One such effort is the Social Research Training (SoRT) program.

Lab-based UREs

In the realms of physical and life sciences, the conventional lab-apprenticeship model has long been the standard, though it seldom considers the lab itself as a variable in examining undergraduate research experiences. Notably, social scientists also utilize labs as training grounds, and within our School, there are several labs, such as Culture Health and Environment Lab. Within these settings, we are actively introducing and assessing Laboratory-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences (LUREs) as a potentially valuable method for involving social science undergraduates in research endeavors.

Course-based UREs

The popularity of course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) has grown as a means to offer widespread access to real-world research opportunities. Unlike pre-formulated lab-based classes that follow step-by-step procedures and anticipated outcomes, CUREs center around team-based research projects spanning an entire semester. While these experiences, akin to other undergraduate research endeavors, have predominantly been available in the physical and life sciences, they yield comparable student outcomes. Within our school, we provide CUREs through practicum courses, aiming to evaluate students' learning experiences in research and the skills they acquire.

Independent UREs  

Since 2011, our Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program has provided 203 Independent Research Experience (IRE) opportunities with 60 diverse faculty mentors. In this program, research mentors publicize specific positions, and students, much like a job application process, are selected by the mentors to work one-on-one with a supervisor. The nature of the research experience is contingent on the individual project and mentor. Generally, students undergo training on the overall project, engage in research tasks, have regular meetings with a research mentor, and receive personalized feedback on their completed assignments. Here, we assess perceived gains and outcomes with both supervisors and students.