Research Experiences for Undergraduates: Multidisciplinary Research on Student Success in STEM at the Rochester Institute of Technology

罗彻斯特理工学院获得的本科生研究经验（REU）网站奖将在三年的时间里，每年夏天为10名学生提供为期10周的培训。该项目将为大学生提供从事STEM教育研究的机会。STEM教育研究人员是科学领域的专家，他们将科学学科专业知识、教育和社会科学研究方法以及认知和神经科学的研究结果相结合，调查科学领域内有关本科学习的问题。在这个项目中，大学生将参加指导的研究项目，并参加专业发展活动，以提高他们对研究实践和技能，沟通和未来职业选择的理解。从研究中获得的知识将用于指导实践，以改善STEM学习和包容。虽然获得STEM学位的人数在增长，但获得这些学位的人之间存在差距。该项目有可能在STEM教育的多样性、公平性和包容性问题上为该领域做出重要贡献。这个REU网站的首要目标是发展STEM教育研究人员社区，他们将实施促进所有STEM学生学习和成功的实践。学生将参与最前沿的STEM教育研究，这将有助于STEM学生的成功。项目团队将(1)在STEM社区招募和留住不同的本科生，(2)让本科生参与严谨的、可发表的教育研究，(4)支持本科生发展专业技能，建立他们作为科学家的身份，(4)为本科生从事STEM职业和STEM教育博士项目做准备，(5)向未来的教育工作者介绍基于证据的教学、指导和评估实践。项目团队将从各种机构招募申请人，并选择对教育研究充满热情并为STEM社区多样性做出贡献的STEM专业学生。项目成果和自我报告的调查数据将每年报告一次。REU的参与者将在REU经历后被跟踪，以便跟随学生的职业道路。项目参与者将获得包容性和基于证据的战略知识，以提高他们自己的专业、研究和网络技能。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Site award to the Rochester Institute of Technology will support the training of ten students for ten weeks during each summer over three years. The project will provide an opportunity for college students to be engaged in STEM education research. STEM education researchers are experts in a scientific field who apply a combination of scientific disciplinary expertise, educational and social-science research methods, and findings from the cognitive and neurosciences to investigate questions about undergraduate learning within a scientific field. In this project, college students will take part in mentored research projects and participate in professional development activities to improve their understanding of research practices and skills, communication, and future career options. Knowledge from the research will be used to guide practices to improve STEM learning and inclusion. While the number of STEM degree earners is growing, there is a disparity among who, exactly, gets to earn those degrees. The project has potential to make a critical contribution to the field on issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM education. The overarching goal of this REU site is to grow the community of STEM education researchers who will implement practices that promote the learning and success of all STEM students. Students will participate in cutting edge STEM education research that will contribute to the field of STEM student success. The project team will (1) recruit and retain diverse undergraduate students in the STEM community, (2) engage undergraduates in rigorous, publishable education research, (4) support undergraduates to develop professional skills and build their identity as scientists, (4) prepare undergraduates for STEM careers and STEM Education Ph.D. programs, and (5) introduce future educators to evidence-based practices in teaching, mentoring, and assessment. The project team will recruit applicants from a wide variety of institutions and select STEM majors who are passionate about education research and who contribute to the diversity of the STEM community. Project outcomes and self-reported survey data will be reported annually. REU participants will be tracked after the REU experience in order to follow student career paths. Project participants will gain knowledge of inclusive and evidence-based strategies to improve their own professional, research, and networking skills.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.