Survey Study Investigating the Significance of Conference Participation to Undergraduate Research Students
Survey Study Investigating the Significance of Conference Participation to Undergraduate Research Students
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DOI：
10.1021/ed086p1335
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发表时间：
2009-11-01
影响因子：
3
通讯作者：
Mabrouk, Patricia Ann
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Mabrouk, Patricia Ann
本文总结了在2007年秋季和2008年秋季美国化学会（ACS）全国会议上对本科生研究（UR）的调查研究结果。本研究的目的是探讨会议参与对大学学生的感知利益。结果表明，参加诸如ACS全国会议之类的专业会议是UR经历的重要组成部分，也是学生科学家融入更大的科学社区的重要因素。参与为学生研究人员提供了一个向更大的科学界交流他们的发现的机会，并加强了他们对追求化学职业和高级研究的承诺。性别似乎不会影响学生对会议的看法，也不会影响学生对会议活动的选择。然而，种族似乎确实影响了学生的观点和学生对会议活动的选择。参加会议似乎为非裔美国学生提供了一个论坛，他们觉得自己可以在这里测试和肯定自己的职业自我认同，并磨练自己的演讲技巧。这些发现表明，参加技术会议是学生研究人员融入更大的科学界的一个重要因素，而参加会议可能对非洲裔美国学生科学家的文化适应尤其重要。被调查的学生参加了ACS全国会议的各种活动，包括正式的和非正式的。然而，他们大多选择参加技术活动，特别是海报会议、博览会和本科生编程。比较学生参加ACS全国会议的动机和他们对会议活动的实际选择表明，学生可能不知道一些会议活动，也不知道参加这些活动的好处，因为它们与学生所陈述的会议目标有关。因此，开发教学材料和练习来教育学生有关技术会议的知识可能是有价值的。最后，就读研究生研究型大学的大学学生似乎没有享受到与就读本科院校和综合性大学的同龄人一样的参加专业会议的机会。由于研究经验和生产力的证据是研究生入学和经济援助的常用标准，因此这一观察值得进一步研究。
This article summarizes the findings of a survey study of undergraduate research (UR) students presenting their research at the fall 2007 and fall 2008 American Chemical Society (ACS) National Meetings. The purpose of the study is to probe the perceived benefits of conference participation to UR students. Results suggest that participation in professional meetings such as the ACS National Meeting is a vital element of the UR experience and an important factor in the enculturation of student scientists into the greater scientific community. Participation provides student researchers an opportunity to communicate their UR findings to the greater scientific community and strengthens their commitment to the pursuit of a career in chemistry and advanced study. Gender does not appear to influence student views concerning meetings nor student selection of meeting activities. However, ethnicity does appear to influence student views and student selection of meeting activities. Meeting participation appears to provide a forum for African-American students where they feel they can test and affirm their professional self-identity and hone their presentation skills. These findings suggest that participation in technical conferences is an important element in the enculturation of student researchers in the greater scientific community and that meeting participation may be particularly important in the enculturation of African-American student scientists. Student respondents participated in a wide range of activities at the ACS National Meetings, both formal and informal. However, for the most part they elected to participate in the technical activities, specifically, the poster sessions, the exposition, and the undergraduate programming. Comparison of students' stated motivations for attending the ACS National Meeting and their actual selection of meeting activities suggests that students may not be aware of some of the meeting activities nor of the benefits of participating in these activities as they relate to the students' stated meeting goals. Thus, it may be valuable to develop instructional materials and exercises to educate students concerning technical conferences. Finally, UR students attending graduate research universities do not appear to enjoy the same opportunities for participation in professional conferences that their peers attending primarily undergraduate institutions and comprehensive universities do. Since evidence of research experience and productivity are commonly used criteria for offers of graduate school admission and financial aid, this observation merits further study.