Collaborative Research: Evaluation of Biology REU Site Programs

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An award has been made to San José State University, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the University of Colorado at Boulder to pilot a validated assessment instrument in order to collectively assess the impacts of the Biology Research Experience for Undergraduates (Bio REU) Program. The Bio REU Program has exposed talented undergraduates to scientific research for more than 20 years. Sites are funded by NSF to support 8-12 week summer programs that culminate in a scientific symposium where students present their findings. Site-specific assessment data are collected by Site program directors and then submitted to NSF through annual progress reports. These data cannot be used to determine the effectiveness and impact of the Bio REU Program as a whole, because each program uses its own specific assessment instrument. This project will adapt and test a validated, on-line assessment tool using the Undergraduate Research Student Self-Assessment (URSSA) platform. The project will: (1) pilot test an adapted instrument on a subset of students participating in the REU site programs being conducted in summer 2010; (2) revise, retest and deploy the instrument to a larger group of REU program participants in summer 2011; (3) transfer responsibility for managing the tool and data to the Bio REU Leadership Council (LC) in 2011; and (4) make the instrument available to all Bio REU programs starting summer 2012. The PI and Co-PI of this project are members of the Bio REU LC and serve as co-chairs of the Bio REU Assessment sub-committee. These individuals will take primary responsibility for working with the URSSA team to deliver the products. At least 50 REU programs are anticipated to participate in the 2010 pilot study, and an additional 100 programs are expected to participate by 2012. The pilot group of REU sites represents a variety of REU programs, with varying scientific focus and targeted participant groups. The pilot study in summer 2010 will provide data to allow the core set of questions to be refined and be more applicable to the diversity of programs (e.g. types of institutions, sub-disciplines of biology, student populations served). Bio REU Site directors interested in participating in the pilot assessment should contact Dr. Julio G. Soto (San Jose State University) at Julio.Soto@sjsu.edu, or Dr. Janet Branchaw (University of Wisconsin Madison) at branchaw@wisconsin.edu. Information about this project can found in the Bio REU web site: http://www.bioreu.org/.