Enhancing Access to STEM Careers by Facilitating Transitions from Course-based to Internship-based Undergraduate Research Experiences

通过促进从基于课程的本科研究经验向基于实习的本科研究经验的转变，增加获得 STEM 职业的机会

• 批准号: 2216486
• 负责人: Cheryl Van Buskirk
• 金额: $ 22.24万
• 依托单位: The University Corporation, Northridge
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2022-10-01 至 2025-09-30
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2216486&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Enhancing; Access; STEM; Careers; Facilitating

This project aims to serve the national interest by exploring a novel approach to supporting undergraduate biology students as they transition from course-based research experiences (CUREs) to internship-based research experiences. CUREs offer the advantage of involving many students in undergraduate research. However, mentored internships in faculty research laboratories provide more opportunities for students to engage with the scientific community. Since faculty research laboratories have limited capacity, internship-based research experiences are often constrained to small number of well-connected students. This project plans to explore a flexible, two-semester undergraduate research experience that aims to provide an inclusive, supportive transition to internship-based research while also expanding faculty research laboratory capacity to deliver high-quality, mentored student research experiences. The goals of this project are multi-pronged, and project activities will be developed in the context of California State University Northridge, a Hispanic Serving Institution. First, the project will develop 2-semester courses that serve as a bridge between CUREs and internship-based research experiences within biology faculty laboratories. Additionally, the project aspires to introduce undergraduate biology students to a variety of research areas by incorporating short internships within the courses, as well as provide post-CURE supplemental mentoring through academic credit for students engaged in internship-based research experiences. Further, the project will conduct systematic assessment of this transitional undergraduate research experience, investigating its impact on student perceptions of research and career intentions and comparing this to outcomes from standard CUREs. This fully immersive research experience is a potential model for other campuses to increase the capacity of biology departments to involve more undergraduates in authentic research experiences. The assessment outcomes from the project have the potential to advance understanding of strategies that enhance student interest in and preparation for research-related careers. The NSF IUSE: EHR Program supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students. Through the Engaged Student Learning track, the program supports the creation, exploration, and implementation of promising practices and tools. This project is also supported by the NSF IUSE: HSI program, which has the goals of enhancing the quality of undergraduate STEM education, and increasing the recruitment, retention, and graduation rates of students pursuing associate’s or baccalaureate degrees in STEM.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.

该项目旨在通过探索一种新的方法来支持本科生物学学生从基于课程的研究经验（CURES）过渡到基于实习的研究经验，从而为国家利益服务。CURE提供了让许多学生参与本科研究的优势。然而，教师研究实验室的指导实习为学生提供了更多与科学界接触的机会。由于教师研究实验室的能力有限，基于实习的研究经验往往局限于少数有良好关系的学生。该项目计划探索一个灵活的，两个学期的本科研究经验，旨在提供一个包容性，支持过渡到基于实习的研究，同时也扩大教师研究实验室的能力，提供高质量的，指导学生的研究经验。该项目的目标是多管齐下的，项目活动将在加州州立大学北岭，西班牙裔服务机构的背景下发展。首先，该项目将开发2个学期的课程，作为CURE和生物系实验室内基于实习的研究经验之间的桥梁。此外，该项目旨在通过将短期实习纳入课程，将本科生物学学生引入各种研究领域，并通过学术学分为从事实习研究经验的学生提供后CURE补充指导。此外，该项目将对这种过渡性的本科研究经验进行系统评估，调查其对学生对研究和职业意向的看法的影响，并将其与标准CURE的结果进行比较。这种完全沉浸式的研究体验是其他校园的潜在模式，以提高生物系的能力，让更多的本科生参与真实的研究体验。该项目的评估结果有可能促进对增强学生对研究相关职业的兴趣和准备的策略的理解。NSF IUSE：EHR计划支持研究和开发项目，以提高所有学生STEM教育的有效性。通过学生的学习轨道，该计划支持创建，探索和实施有前途的做法和工具。该项目还得到了NSF IUSE：HSI项目的支持，该项目的目标是提高本科STEM教育的质量，并提高攻读STEM副学士或学士学位学生的录取率、保留率和毕业率。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。