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Council on Undergraduate Research Learning Through Research Engaging the Council on Undergraduate Research to Promote Professional Science Masters (PSM) Elizabeth Ambos Executive Officer Council on Undergraduate Research NPSMA Biennial Conference November 15, 2013 Slide 2 My Story www.cur.org Slide 3 Key Questions What is the Council on Undergraduate Research? What does it do? What is the evidence that undergraduate research is a highly effective practice in student success, particularly for students from underrepresented groups in STEM? How can we foster clear pathways from undergraduate research experiences to PSM degree programs? www.cur.org Slide 4 Council on Undergraduate Research A national organization of individual (>9,200) and institutional (>670) members representing all disciplines and over 900 institutions of all types. Ten discipline-based divisions: Arts & Humanities, Biology, Chemistry, Engineering, Geosciences, Health Sciences, Mathematics & Computer Science, Physics & Astronomy, Psychology, and Social Sciences. Two multidisciplinary, administrative-based divisions: At-Large and Undergraduate Research Program Directors. The mission of CUR is to support and promote high-quality undergraduate student-faculty collaborative research and scholarship. Slide 5 Undergraduate Research is Proliferating Slide 6 CUR Disciplinary Membership Patterns Exhibit Broadening of Undergraduate Researchs Appeal Slide 7 CUR Resources To promote and support undergraduate student-faculty research and scholarshipMEETINGS National Faculty Conferences National Conference on Undergraduate Research CUR Dialogues Institutes & Workshops Posters on the HillSERVICES Consulting Service Mentor Network Grant Preview Service CUR Fellows Awards Listservs Advocacy PUBLICATIONS CUR Quarterly How To Series Specialized Volumes Slide 8 Key Questions What is the Council on Undergraduate Research? What does it do? What is the evidence that undergraduate research is a highly effective practice in student success, particularly for students from underrepresented groups in STEM? How can we foster clear pathways from undergraduate research experiences to PSM degree programs? www.cur.org Slide 9 While undergraduate research has been fostered in somewhat elite institutions, without his quite saying so, Lopattos findings leave this reader, at least, with a strong sense that an undergraduate research experience could be the cross-class leveler weve been searching for; one that provides the first-generation college student with some of the critical and self-critical habits of mind that more privileged young men and women bring with themselves to college. From the foreword to David Lopattos publication- Science in Solution: The Impact of Undergraduate Research on Student Learning Sheila Tobias Slide 10 Benefits to Students: UGR Advances cognitive, intellectual, and personal growth Gain knowledge and skills, and experience how new knowledge is gained Promotes academic achievement and educational attainment Fosters professional growth and advancement Facilitates transition to graduate school Slide 11 Undergraduate Research Contributes More Than Any Other Intervention and Mentorship Matters The Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) at University of California Los Angeles studies the impact of undergraduate research Kevin Eagen and his colleagues have analyzed data from more than 60,000 students at more than 300 institutions Undergraduate research associated with 10-20% increase in STEM persistence www.cur.org Slide 12 Highest Impacts of Undergraduate Research: Students from Underrepresented Groups www.cur.org Undergraduate Research Students at CSU Dominguez Hills Slide 13 Source: B. Huber, CSU Northridge Institutional Research California State University Data Demonstrate HIP Effectiveness Six-year graduation rates 0 HIP 3+ HIP Slide 14